The kids really should hear this. Not the tots you play �Our House� to on Saturday when you�re feeling loopy after a few too many Chardonnays. But the youth, the punks the revolutionaries and the first-time voters jazzed up around Obama. This is the demographic that needs to check out Crosby, Stills and Nash (and that CSN need to tap in to if they plan to tour into the next decade).
At net night�s about sold-out Bank of America gig, CSN tried to inspire some heathy anti-establishment activism with pleas for peace wrapped in know-them-by-heart tunes and angry, loud guitar solos.
But the kids hungry for progressive anthems stayed at home and the AARP crowd fatigued the dark with their Dockers largely planted in their seats.
Opening with a few mellow numbers, including �Marrakesh Express� and �Southern Cross,� CSN elicited sitting during songs and warm, happy standing ovations later them. But during David Crosby�s �Long Time Gone,� the mathematical group began to break out of its attempted clean sound into some intended dirty classical rock - thanks more often than not to Stephen Stills� wailing guitar.
Stills carried the medicine with extended solos on the trio�s warhorses and one nice dip into his Manassas catalog. At 63, he didn�t move so swimmingly on his feet, only his guitar work was awesome. Who needs Neil Young anyhow? OK, we all motive as much Neil as we can get.
But two years removed from CSNY�s �Freedom of Speech� term of enlistment, which is documented in Young�s �CSNY Deja Vu� flick that, coincidentally, opened last night, the iII proved they can still do fine work on their own.
Graham Nash, the group�s de facto frontman, led them into some shaky (well, more drilling than rickety) territory on occasion. His choice of new material was paint-by-numbers corny dissent stuff that would hold got the kids heaving beer bottles at him, but it was just too hipster dippy to have whatever impact.
To Nash�s credit, the older herd gave his anti-war rants some decent roars. And they ate up his �Our House,� turning the Pavilion into a friendly, genuine campfire lovefest.
But the gentle flower vibe of �Guinnevere� and �Wasted On The Way� didn�t ruination the passion. �Wooden Ships,� �Almost Cut My Hair� and �For What It�s Worth� had a youthful, righteous energy and anger - again mostly thanks to Stills� manic guitar.
Of course, the aged hearing came for the harmonies on the hits. Which were only OK - this is where Stills� croak holds the ring back. �Teach Your Children� was unsatisfying. �Deja Vu� was amazingly spot on.
Get the kids to come to the shows and CSN could get its second - or is that third gear or quarter? - wind.
jgottlieb@bostonherald.com
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