News

October 10, 2007

Crosby & Nash give audience feeling of deja vu Review

The two perform classics from a long time gone and receive rousing ovations.

WILKES-BARRE – The show wasn’t even half over, and David Crosby and Graham Nash already received a standing ovation. Almost everyone in the audience at the Kirby Center was on their feet Tuesday night after “Cathedral,” a song that features Nash on keyboard.

The crowd clapped that way after nearly every song – at least, almost every song in the second half of the show.

They were cheering for the songs, the old rock ’n’ roll, and the simplicity, the reminder of an easier time. The seats were filled with middle-aged couples holding hands, singing along to lyrics that meant something to them before life got complicated with children and mortgages.

“We left all the show biz stuff behind,” Nash said two songs into the show. “All we brought with us were songs.”

And that was true. The two gray-haired men stood on matching rugs, four members of a backing band behind them filling the room.

There wasn’t a laser light show or extravagant costume changes distracting from the two men. In fact, Nash didn’t even wear shoes. There were just two men (eyes were diverted from the less famous other four on stage), stripped down to the basics.

They filled the room with anthems, jamming out to songs like “Almost Cut My Hair” – something Crosby still has yet to do.

But the best moment came at the start of the second half. Out came Crosby and Nash, alone, with a keyboard.

This is why all the women fell in love with Nash, Crosby said as an introduction, adding that he wishes he had written it.

And off they went into “Our House,” the beautiful and romantic tune, during which the crowd completely took over for the second chorus.

That received an ovation.

And after the following song – still just played by the duet – “Guinevere,” the crowd had the same reaction.

“Thank you,” Nash would say from time to time. And witty crowd members would yell, “No, thank you.”

But it was the reaction at the end of the songs, the cheers that seemed like they’d never stop, the clapping and singing with “Teach Your Children,” – the song that ended the set and probably has a different meaning now than it did to the audience when it was released – that was the biggest thank you of all.

On the Web

For more, read Lisa’s blog at www.timesleader.com/entertainment/blogs

Reach staff writer Lisa Sokolowski at 970-7222.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews