concert revisited: The Black Crowes @ the Basilica Block Party, July 10th, 2009

This was by far one of my favorite concerts I've ever attended.  The Black Crowes were the headliners on that Friday night along with opening acts Erin McCarley and Mat Kearney.  I don't remember too much of the first two sets except for Mat Kearney's performance being mostly acoustic, and for both of the opening band's keyboardists to be using the Hammond B3 that was set out on stage for Crowes keyboardist Adam MacDougall.  But, once the Crowes hit the stage, it became an epic gig.  The set list was a Black Crowes diehard fan's dream as they jammed on most of their hits opening the set with "Sting Me" from their 1992 "Southern Harmony & Musical Companion" record and steamrolling through a jam heavy set that amazingly, lasted only an hour and fifteen minutes.

It seemed longer than that, especially when, in the middle of their set, rain began to fall, and the roadies are out there, desperately trying to cover Luther Dickinson's and Rich Robinson's guitar amps with towels to keep from an electrical shutdown due to the steady rain which became not quite a downpour, but, it was heavy enough to be noticed.  Me, standing there in this parking lot where the stage had been constructed, absolutely soaking up (no pun intended), the music, my glasses soaked with raindrops, catching glimpses of the band, especially of the four main guys up there (MacDougall, Dickinson, and of course, the Robinson brothers).

The rain eventually stopped towards the end of the set.  But, talk about an almost spiritual experience relating to music and just being in the right place at the right time for magic to happen!  That's what it was for me on that night three years ago seeing the Crowes at the Basilica.  It was my second time seeing them in less than a year, having also experienced their August 30th, 2008 gig at the grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair.  But, this show at the Basilica Block Party was even more special.

Set list: Black Crowes, Basilica Block Party     July 10th, 2009

1. Sting Me
2. Thick N' Thin
3. Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution (from the "Warpaint" album)
4. Good Friday
5. Wiser Time
6. I Ain't Hiding (a new song at the time which was eventually released on "Before The Frost"/"Until The Freeze", that sounded like a cross between disco and rock)
7. Downtown Money Waster
8. Thorn In My Pride
9. Poor Elijah/Tribute to Johnson (medley) *their superb cover of a Delaney & Bonnie song written by Eric Clapton (this was also played in the set at the MN State Fair).
10. Hard To Handle (Otis Redding song that has become a standard of The Black Crowes catalog)

Encore:

11. Remedy

To have the set book ended with "Sting Me" and "Remedy" (which, I digress, are my two favorite Crowes songs of all time), was icing on the cake!  What a fabulous show that was.  Memories come flooding back (OK, another rain pun).  But it was quite the night.  That's for sure.