In his new band the Chris Robinson Brotherhood (now on its third release, Phosphorescent Harvest), the former Black Crowes frontman found his grounding after his main band had maybe lost the plot a little in the rock-star world. The Brotherhood made a point of traveling old-school and living like a genuine band of brothers, avoiding the Lear jets whenever possible and playing an impassioned, gospelized brand of classic rock that comes as natural to Robinson as breathing.
It has never paid to take Chris Robinson lightly. People who care about such things have always regarded him as one of the worthiest organic heirs of the classic rock cocktail of blues, boogie, jam and psychedelia. Phil Lesh and Little Feat have rushed in to borrow him for his charismatic performance abilities, and his effortless songwriting usually turns out to be surprisingly substantial, when you let it work its charms on you.
Phosphorescent Harvest is a delightful and wacky psychedelic boogie record filled with cheese organs, electronic zaps, tile-reverb guitars and Robinson’s unshakable swagger and heart at the center of it, running a range of references from Gram Parsons to Donovan. A favorite around these parts, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood brings the roving show to the Bearsville Theater on Tuesday, February 10 at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $59 to $30. The Bearsville Theater is located at 291 Tinker Street in Woodstock. For more information, visit www.bearsvilletheater.com.
