Caught In The Act Concert review The Black Crowes Greek Theatre, L.A. October 20, 1992 By Rich Nieciecki Entertainment Today October 23, 1992 Upon the release of the Black Crowes' The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, lead singer/songwriter Chris Robinson projected his feelings about the subsequent tour: "With (the 'High As The Moon') tour, we want to create a vibe so you'll feel like you're just hanging out at our pad for the evening. That's the whole vibe. If you want to go to the show and you're in a theatre with 3,000 other people who want to see the band, well, jump up and down, take your clothes off and run around, whatever you want. We're all there to listen and to hang. The Crowes are going to create our own vibe, from the way the stage looks to the way the gig smells. It's going to smell like rock 'n' roll." Six months later, Robinson and the Crowes are still invitin' folks over to "their place" to party and to entertain them and themselves, and they succeeded on most fronts. The only thing that could dampen such a blow-out was throwing such an affair in L.A., with its attendant lists of "high-ranking music industry people" (God, Chris makes them sound so militaristic and lacking in integrity, doesn't he?). "Their place" was decorated for partying with hundreds of tiny, multi-colored, Christmas-like lights that draped the stage as well as hung above the theatre's seating area -- far more conducive to a festive atmosphere than any million- dollar synchronized Vari-Lite system could create. A curtain of the lights parted as guitarist/songwriter Rich Robinson began to crank out the opening strains of "No Speak No Slave," and those who came to party did so (but before the night was through, Chris did wind up admonishing those people on the lists up-close that remained unmoved by the rock 'n' roll proceedings). Bubbles cascaded down from above the stage light truss through the show while mirrored balls rotated and reflected the various lights. But some people would rather just celebrate gate receipts and settlement than sing and dance. Drummer Steve Gorman and bassist Johnny Colt anchored the fest, and Gorman's beats are as important to the Crowes as the words and music that the Robinsons come up with. Keyboardist Ed Hawrysch and new lead guitarist Marc Ford perform their roles well, but as evidenced, the positions aren't irreplaceable. (Last year's guitarist Jeff Cease added outstanding slidework on "She Talks to Angels" at the Greek -- and slide isn't even on the recording! -- while Ford's slide was pedestrian.) But the charisma certainly comes from Chris Robinson. He thanked everyone for coming just to "check us out," and during a couple of well-paced, Grateful Dead- like modal jams -- one serving as an intro into the righteous "Thorn In My Pride" -- the light-bearded Robinson, often looking as manic as Charles Manson, was more entertained by his own band's playing than seemingly the audience. He eventually added shakers or harmonica, as singers are wont to do for their own musical contributions, but he would have been quite content to groove and trip to the instrumentals off on his own side of the stage. Gibson Les Pauls and capoed, detuned Fender Telecasters are still the choice of classic rockers, and Marc Ford and Rich Robinson squeezed delightful sounds out of 'em on "Thick and Thin," "Black Moon Creeping" and the unrecorded "Exit," as well as the more recognizable "Jealous Again," "Twice As Hard" and "Hard to Handle" (even the label weasels and promo people know that one, Chris intimated). The encore consisted of the glorious "She Talks to Angels," with Chris's tortured, soulful singing for redemption as heartfelt as the first time on the first tour, and "Remedy," which found Rich not quite as stellar a soloist as he is a superb rhythm and riff player. The Black Crowes did everything they could to ensure a good time (short of doing a longer set and more songs like "Hotel Illness," Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye" or "Sometimes Salvation), and as long as there are those consumed by how a band is being marketed and how their record's charting, the Chris Robinsons of the world will always be there to tell 'em to take a hit and get a life.