Tuesday, November 10, 1998
David Crosby breathes fans to life
MUSIC: Age, near-death experience ripens ballads of classic
rocker at heart
By Vanessa VanderZanden
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
In the warm, sleepy red seats of the Wiltern theater, audiences
admired the gold and silver-trimmed art deco walls. Men and women
who, in their youths, had danced recklessly in the front pit of
beer-drenched venues, smoking up, their limbs on fire, now waited
patiently for the evening’s entertainment to begin. For, just as
the Wiltern signals an era gone by, so, too, does the music of
C.P.R.
The threesome, comprised of David Crosby, Jeff Pevar and James
Raymond (the son Crosby met for the first time four years ago while
recovering from a liver transplant), played a two hour and
10-minute set, primarily for family and friends, last Saturday
night.
While the first hour focused on the flat, Love Boat lounge act
pieces of guitarist Pevar and pianist Raymond, the second hour
showcased the soul-searching new melodies Crosby wrote since his
near-death experience as well as old favorites. At times joined by
opening act Mark Cohn and old friends Graham Nash and Phil Collins,
this segment of the set pumped new life into a time-worn
routine.
Joking that he called his recent album C.P.R. because "with my
medical history, the title was irresistible," Crosby kept the
atmosphere light, while his music often explored the darker realms
of his psyche. Reflecting heavily upon the wasteful, excessive
years of his chaotic life, Crosby remained fresh, like a child
reborn; fragile, scared, and yet curious of the exciting new world
opening up around him. His soft, crisp voice seared through notes
as achingly sweet as he had those many years ago.
In no song did this quality reveal itself so tenderly as in a
piece which Crosby wrote for his 3-year-old son.
"How do you explain this world we face to all the innocents we
brought into this place," he swooned searchingly.
His driving, surly guitar struggled to answer in line with the
persistent beat. The edgy lyrics drove on, powerful and to the
point – "I want a world where I can tell the truth."
As though awakened in a need to shamelessly stand naked before
his son, before the world – to confront his past and gracefully
make sense of the future ahead, fumbling in this confusing reality
– he brought the song home, his voice cracking, "Without those
lights in his eyes growing dim, I want a dream for him."
Likewise, "Old Soldier" brought the house down, with Nash
singing alongside guest pianist Cohn. The bread and butter of
Crosby’s act having always been his knack for harmonizing, this
show-stopper melted the coldest of ex-hippy hearts. Wailing "too
many battles for too many years," Crosby’s rendition rang almost
too true.
Yet, even with his newfound insightfulness, Crosby didn’t eschew
his right to rage in true, rockstar style.
"From time to time, I am possessed by a terrible urge to rock"
the grey-haired, pot-bellied teenager growled in a playfully
demonic voice.
The roadie handed Crosby an electric guitar in place of his
normal acoustic fare, and he flew into a wah-pedal infused piece.
Stoked to draw away from the more contemplative tracks, Crosby
shredded through riffs that required no deeper explanation.
After an overpowering set like that, the appreciative audience
wouldn’t let Crosby off the hook so soon.
Cheering wildly in a standing ovation, the crowd brought Crosby
back onstage two separate times for a total of three encore
songs.
Including "Ohio" and a raspier, angrier "Eight Miles High,"
Crosby showed that he’s still alive and kicking, but wiser,
stronger and worlds more aware.MANDY SIU
David Crosby brought his usual charm to fans at the Wiltern
Theatre in Hollywood last Saturday.
MANDY SIU
Jeff Pevar played a set with David Crosby Saturday at the
Wiltern Theatre.
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