2008 Woodie Awards
Crippled Crowes Earn Their Wings
Fans come out in support of the Black Crowes' return.
David McKinley
Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: Online Exclusive
At this time one year ago the Black Crowes were a band on the verge of collapse.
After a more than successful reunion of their most celebrated line up in 2005, ticket sales began to slump, tempers rose and more than one bird flew the coop.
The first bit of bad news to plague the group was keyboardist Ed Hawryschs' sudden departure to attend to personal conflicts. Immediately following, celebrated guitarist and North Orange County resident, Marc Ford, took his leave via fax resignation, two days before the start of the band's tour.
Simultaneously, Chris Robinson, the charismatic leader of the group, and Kate Hudson called their six-year marriage quits.
Somehow, the ravaged Crowes picked up the pieces and took to the road once more with the addition of Paul Stacey on guitar, (an alumnus from Chris Robinson's solo career), and Rob Clores on keys. Fans were skeptic of the new arrangement, and feelings were no different at the Crowes' first show at the Grove of Anaheim since, well, forever.
One hour before the concert it seemed that nobody would arrive to fill the 2,500 person standing room venue, unusual since lines for Crowes performances tend to be abnormally long, particularly early. Yet as door time approached the ill outlook rescinded and the queue began to swell, as did the audience anticipation of the show to come.
Overall feelings were mixed as the band took the stage, the venue seemed quiet and whispers of disappointment echoed through the theatre at the lack of Ford and Hawrysch.
However, all resentment was immediately silenced as the Crowes sounded the opening chord of "Virtue and Vice," and for two hours, rained an unrelenting wall of sound down upon the ears of the once skeptical listeners. With the close of "Virtue" jeers of confusion turned into yells of excitement, and the cheering from the crowd refused to grow silent until the final encore.
In between, the jams were many and the surprises even more. The Crowes dusted off fan favorites including the infamous "Black Moon Creeping," which featured mesmerizing vocal performances from Chris Robinson as well as the groups fantastic background singers Charity White and Mona Lisa Young.
After a more than successful reunion of their most celebrated line up in 2005, ticket sales began to slump, tempers rose and more than one bird flew the coop.
The first bit of bad news to plague the group was keyboardist Ed Hawryschs' sudden departure to attend to personal conflicts. Immediately following, celebrated guitarist and North Orange County resident, Marc Ford, took his leave via fax resignation, two days before the start of the band's tour.
Simultaneously, Chris Robinson, the charismatic leader of the group, and Kate Hudson called their six-year marriage quits.
Somehow, the ravaged Crowes picked up the pieces and took to the road once more with the addition of Paul Stacey on guitar, (an alumnus from Chris Robinson's solo career), and Rob Clores on keys. Fans were skeptic of the new arrangement, and feelings were no different at the Crowes' first show at the Grove of Anaheim since, well, forever.
One hour before the concert it seemed that nobody would arrive to fill the 2,500 person standing room venue, unusual since lines for Crowes performances tend to be abnormally long, particularly early. Yet as door time approached the ill outlook rescinded and the queue began to swell, as did the audience anticipation of the show to come.
Overall feelings were mixed as the band took the stage, the venue seemed quiet and whispers of disappointment echoed through the theatre at the lack of Ford and Hawrysch.
However, all resentment was immediately silenced as the Crowes sounded the opening chord of "Virtue and Vice," and for two hours, rained an unrelenting wall of sound down upon the ears of the once skeptical listeners. With the close of "Virtue" jeers of confusion turned into yells of excitement, and the cheering from the crowd refused to grow silent until the final encore.
In between, the jams were many and the surprises even more. The Crowes dusted off fan favorites including the infamous "Black Moon Creeping," which featured mesmerizing vocal performances from Chris Robinson as well as the groups fantastic background singers Charity White and Mona Lisa Young.
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