Cosmic Music on the Florida Coast

The night was Saturday Oct. 20th at the tiny Capitol Theater in Clearwater Florida. The band playing was the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, solo project for front man Chris Robinson of the legendary Black Crowes. The venue held approximately five hundred people, with very few of those seats left empty for their concert.

Starting out their 3-hr concert consisting of two sets and an encore was the song Try Rock N' Roll. The band played this song absolutely incredibly, yet the crowd was still very uptight and unwilling to get up out of their seats for the band. At the end of the song though, Chris walked up to the mic and sand "Ya know, man. I don't know the customs of different parts of this land, but from we're from it's o.k. to get up and dance, man!" This statement alone had the entire crowd up onto their feet and dancing for the song Tomorrow Blues. That song being one of my absolute favorite songs by them, had me up on my feet and singing along with every word of the song, and dancing to every note of the music. The band played the songs Meanwhile In The Gods..., Crash on the Levee, Reflections on a Broken Mirror, and Star or Stone to absolute perfection, with every note played with soul and passion that no other group can match. After that round of amazing tunes it was time for one of the highlight songs of the night in the masterpiece that is Vibration and Light Suite off of their album The Magic Door. They turned the already thirteen minute masterpiece into a twenty five minute psychedelic freakout jam session with keyboard solos, guitar solos, and other cosmic goodies oozing out of the speakers faster than the speed of light.

The second set of the night was equally as ethereal and magical as the first set. Chris Robinson and company opened the second set with the song Sat. Night in Clearwater Fl. I am not one hundred percent sure as to whether or not they wrote the song specifically for this concert or not, but seeing that on the set list made it just a little bit more special for just having the thought that it was a possibility. The next standout track on this night of absolute perfection was Never Been to Spain. The band played this song with such power, and Chris sang this song with so much soul, that it will be forever burned into the fibers of my being, and into the deepest caverns of my mind. The Brotherhood then went on and played the songs Sunday Sound, Appaloosa, West L.A. Fadeaway, Ride, and their classic song Rosalee.

Finishing the night off with the songs Tumbleweed in Eden, and Hello L.A. Bye Bye Birmingham, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood ended their night of cosmic "California Head Music" on a definite "high" note. This concert was truly the best concert I have been to in my entire life, beating out bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd (Not the original lineup sadly), ZZ Top, Slayer, and the Dropkick Murphys. If the Chris Robinson Brotherhood keeps up with the amazing music they play, I would personally have no problem if the Black Crowes never return from hiatus. In short though, if you ever get the chance to go see this band, I beyond recommend that you go see them. You will not be disappointed!

Complete Setlist for the night. From the Chris Robinson Brotherhood Facebook page

Chris Robinson Brotherhood
20 October 2012
Capitol Theatre
Clearwater, FL [USA]

- Set One -
TRY ROCK N ROLL
TOMORROW BLUES
MEANWHILE IN THE GODS…
CRASH ON THE LEVEE

REFLECTIONS ON A BROKEN MIRROR
STAR OR STONE
VIBRATION & LIGHT SUITE
SILVER CAR

- Set Two -
SAT NIGHT IN CLEARWATER , FL
100 DAYS OF RAIN
NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN
SUNDAY SOUND
APPALOOSA
WEST L.A. FADEAWAY
RIDE
ROSALEE
- encore -
TUMBLEWEED IN EDEN
HELLO L.A. BYE BYE BIRMINGHAM

- Taylor Sandefur