A smoky haze spread out over the crowd, average age 40, at The Fillmore in San Francisco last night. There were no cellphones out, concert goers were conversing with one another, and John, an older Asian man, had just introduced himself to me. Where was I and who were these kind strangers? Though the group only formed in 2011, Chris Robinson Brotherhood transported The Fillmore and its patrons decades back, to long ago. The psychedelic, blues rock band of CRB is comprised of Chris Robinson on vocals and guitar, Neal Casal on guitar and vocals, Adam MacDougall on the keys, Tony Leone on the drums, and Jeff Hill keeping it together on the bass.
Opening their first set with “Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go” CRB started the night with a bluesy southern feel, getting the crowd’s feet moving. Chris’ vocals really bring the sound of CRB together, with a voice filled with wisdom, a life long lived, and the perfect amount of blues. While Chris is the frontman, each member plays an integral role in rounding out CRB’s sound. Neal’s guitar solos ranged from a warm syrupy sound that would make your knees buckle to a high pitch shredding that overpowered you with sound, forcing you to lose track of where notes start and stop. Tony and Jeff acted as the glue of the band, keeping everyone together and keeping the sound in control and on beat. Adam was the wildcard – playing a wicked synth that could go from funky keys to spacey frequencies that were out of this world. There was so much variety in CRB’s sound, and the group’s ability to take a song from psychedelic jam band to down tempo blues made the show an absolute treat to watch. What was most impressive about their performance was how much fun they seemed to be having on stage. Their energy was intoxicating, punctuated by each member’s grin – framed by shaggy hair and a luscious beard – when another member found a groove.
While I am sure playing at The Fillmore is a humbling experience for any musician, CRB exemplified a respect for the sound and genre of music that I have not seen before. The second set opened with a cover of the late Leon Russell’s “Stranger in a Strange Land,” a beautiful and classy tribute to a legendary musician. The second set did nothing but pick up steam with highlights including “Forever as the Moon” and a cover of Three Dog Night’s “Never Been to Spain.” Every cover tackled by CRB was characterized by that signature bluesy sound and never felt forced. CRB closed out the night with The Beatles’ “Come Together” with the crowd belting out the lyrics the entire way through. A sense of camaraderie filled the air as the final chord was struck and solidified the sentiment that CRB was a force to be reckoned with. Make sure to check them out on their tour as they take on the west coast – you won’t be disappointed.
Opening their first set with “Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go” CRB started the night with a bluesy southern feel, getting the crowd’s feet moving. Chris’ vocals really bring the sound of CRB together, with a voice filled with wisdom, a life long lived, and the perfect amount of blues. While Chris is the frontman, each member plays an integral role in rounding out CRB’s sound. Neal’s guitar solos ranged from a warm syrupy sound that would make your knees buckle to a high pitch shredding that overpowered you with sound, forcing you to lose track of where notes start and stop. Tony and Jeff acted as the glue of the band, keeping everyone together and keeping the sound in control and on beat. Adam was the wildcard – playing a wicked synth that could go from funky keys to spacey frequencies that were out of this world. There was so much variety in CRB’s sound, and the group’s ability to take a song from psychedelic jam band to down tempo blues made the show an absolute treat to watch. What was most impressive about their performance was how much fun they seemed to be having on stage. Their energy was intoxicating, punctuated by each member’s grin – framed by shaggy hair and a luscious beard – when another member found a groove.
While I am sure playing at The Fillmore is a humbling experience for any musician, CRB exemplified a respect for the sound and genre of music that I have not seen before. The second set opened with a cover of the late Leon Russell’s “Stranger in a Strange Land,” a beautiful and classy tribute to a legendary musician. The second set did nothing but pick up steam with highlights including “Forever as the Moon” and a cover of Three Dog Night’s “Never Been to Spain.” Every cover tackled by CRB was characterized by that signature bluesy sound and never felt forced. CRB closed out the night with The Beatles’ “Come Together” with the crowd belting out the lyrics the entire way through. A sense of camaraderie filled the air as the final chord was struck and solidified the sentiment that CRB was a force to be reckoned with. Make sure to check them out on their tour as they take on the west coast – you won’t be disappointed.
