Posted on 08/11/2004 7:39:02 PM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
A summer night of love for protest songs of the Sixties
They came from the 1960s. Most were in their sixties.
But the crowd listening to Crosby, Stills & Nash in Bethlehem, PA did cross generations, and even the youngsters were singing the tunes that gave a bittersweet taste to those years seemingly long ago.
The band, however, brought them to the stage at MusikFest's RiverPlace Tuesday night.
With a vengeance.
They opened with "Carry On," and on a sour note to boot. Oh lordy, if this was the sound they were going to offer all night long, this was also a good time for them to retire for good.
But they pulled themselves together and, despite their old men bellies -- at least on Stills and Crosby -- and despite more gravel in their throats than they had when they mesmerized the megacrowds at Woodstock in 1969, these guys hadn't lost it.
And they were, after all, playing to an adoring group of fans. Many wore CSN and CSNY T-shirts, for Crosby, Stills & and Nash, with the Y bringing up the rear with Neil Young.
Nash did most of the singing Tuesday night, but Stills and Crosby were no slouches when it came to mixing it up with a pile-on style of harmonies. It was difficult to understand how such musicianship was possible outside of a studio setting.
And Steven Stills must have done a lot of practicing in the last 35 years to be able to whale away on his guitar the way he did. No, make that at least four guitars that he used in just the first set of songs.
The "Carry-on" opener, which most folks the age of these guys would recognize immediately oozed right in to "Questions."
Both songs had more of an edge to them than when originally brought out by the group. In fact, the sweet folksiness CSN was known for had a pounding rock beat that was occasionally distracting. Good stuff, but not what it had been.
Their third song was a new one -- "MILITARY MADNESS." It was a protest song, as many of their songs were. This one stung.
IT RAILED AGAINST THE WAR IN IRAQ and its chorus went like this:
"MILITARY MADNESS IS KILLING MY COUNTRY. /Solitary sadness creeps over me."
The last chorus ended in a mantra of "NO MORE WAR! NO MORE WAR! NO MORE WAR!" ever louder; ever harsher.
You can easily tell the politics of Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Just go to their official Web site. At the bottom is a banner urging visitors to "VOTE FOR KERRY."
Crosby was the clown of the bunch. He looked out over the extensive crowd and wondered aloud, "Boy that goes back a long way. That's OK, we go back a long way, too."
Crosby sang a solo bashing Enron and corporate executives who steal from the little guy and get away with it.
"Ain't no different than taking your money with a gun," he sang.
Later he said, "In my time, I think I've (angered) every group of people in the U.S. Government, except one. Being the fair and even-handed guy I am, I thought I'd sing one for the CIA."
And he did.
They ended the first set with Steven Stills' "Love the One You're With," and drew the audience into the chorus.
It was a love fest with a group who had been at the center of the love generation.
And the music wasn't bad either. Tony Nauroth is local desk editor for The Express-Times. He can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at tnauroth@express-times.com.
IT RAILED AGAINST THE WAR IN IRAQ and its chorus went like this:
"MILITARY MADNESS IS KILLING MY COUNTRY. /Solitary sadness creeps over me."
The last chorus ended in a mantra of "NO MORE WAR! NO MORE WAR! NO MORE WAR!" ever louder; ever harsher.
You can easily tell the politics of Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Just go to their official Web site. At the bottom is a banner urging visitors to "VOTE FOR KERRY."
Who?
Who cares what a bunch of old, washed-up, has-been hippies think, say or do?
Oh well, haven't listened to them in decades anyway, even their old stuff, so it doesn't really matter.
Shortly afterwards, all three fell over dead due to old age.
Deja vu, man
That is so sept 10th.
Somebody didn't teach their parents well...
"Whatever happened to Young?"
Neil's been on his own for years. Doesn't need them.
Young got old......
Thank God Neil Young isn't joining these burnouts.
There is something pathetic about these men trying to regain their relevance. The Democrats are truly becoming a party of the last century, fighting forgotten wars, talking up issues long since solved or frustrated by their policies and ignoring the world as it is.
LOLOLOLOL!!!
These are the same guys who came out against the war in Bosnia, right?
The same ones who are using their voices to loudly protest against the killings and massacres in Africa, right?
*crickets*
Thanks!
Sorta like my taxes.
Difference is, the government can take my money with a gun...
Crosby, Stills, & Nash Protest the War During Concert
wow , How 1960's of them, any aged cheese come with that old whine?
(((( snickering @ dimDems ))))
Me either. But I listen to the dead almost every day. Just saw the dead this past week. I was afraid they'd get political and kill the buzz, but they restricted themselves each time to a short statement at the end of the first set by Weir encouraging people to vote. Of course, it goes without saying which way those votes would tend, but I give them credit for leaving it unsaid. They didn't mention the war. They just said it's important to vote and that you could register at the show. I'm OK with that. They can all vote for Nader. I met a Nader nerd with a clipboard in the parking lot.
It's a real riot how these old washed up acts keep popping up to support Kerry.
Is David Crosby still using hard drugs and donating his sperm in turkey basters to lesbians?
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