Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This double live set is a useful addition to any long-time fan's collection of Black Crowes releases, but you can clearly tell that things ain't like they used to be. During the 2001 tour recorded here, the Crowes really sound tired and past their prime. Apparently the frequent personnel changes (they never really recovered from the loss of Marc Ford back in '97) and the general deceleration of the Crowes party were beginning to take their toll. I try not to dwell on the past, but I saw the Crowes three times prior to 1995 and they were far better than this. In fact, even in 2000 they still had the fire, as you can clearly see on the Jimmy Page/Black Crowes collaboration *Live at the Greek*.
But here, normally rock-solid drummer Steve Gorman sounds sluggish and unenthusiastic. Rich Robinson is soldiering on admirably, but recently added second guitarist Audley Freed, while a great player, sounds hesitant and afraid to step up into the spotlight. Worst of all, Chris Robinson sounds absolutely exhausted (not just on stage but with the whole business), only occasionally showing traces of the passion and energy that were once effortless. His good-ole-homeboy banter with the audience sounds forced and perfunctory, as if he said the exact same thing every night. One good aspect of this live collection is that it covers all periods of the band's career equally, and the inclusion of several ballads give a good representation of an actual Crowes show. Unfortunately, the ballads mostly fall flat into dreariness, except for "Girl From a Pawnshop" and maybe "Cursed Diamond." Other than that, there are some great energetic moments here like "High Head Blues," "Hard to Handle," and "Remedy," but they can't quite save this album. As a long-time fan, this release is more than a little disappointing. If recent events hold true, this may very well be the last Black Crowes release. If so, it's not an entirely flattering conclusion to their catalog.
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