Graham Nash is on the road and coming to Australia and NZ next year. Wondering if I should go.
On the plus side –
*I loved CSN and CSNY.
*The Hollies made some of my favourite pop hits from my childhood
*There will undoubtedly be well-told stories and I’m sure the music will be excellent
*I won’t get the opportunity again, I suspect. (Mind you I thought that about Paul McCartney in 2017 and I’m going to see him again in a couple of weeks!)
On the no side –
*Do I really need to hear him plonking away on a keyboard and singing Our House? Will it be a thrilling new rendition? I doubt it. Ditto for all his other songs.
*I never really got into his solo stuff.
*This is very judgemental – he doesn’t strike me as a particularly spontaneous person. All the interviews I’ve seen he speaks like he’s rehearsed all the stories. But I could be wrong.
Also on the no side – a few years ago Stevie Wonder came to Australia. i didn’t go, because I’d heard that he did a very slick show, throwing together all his 60s hits in a medley. I subsequently saw YT videos of that tour and he was fantastic.
One of my favourite Graham Nash CSN songs is actually kind of Hollies-pop
Two and a half minutes, one genius middle eight that is so Hollies it’s not true, sublime catchy melodicism and an exquisite arrangement. And you’re asking if you should go?
The Hollies got as far as recording a backing track, but he was gone before the vocals could be added:
I always felt him the anodyne weak link in CSNY, and sought to avoid him at Cambridge Folk, 2019. But, curiosity got the better of me, and it was a terrific show, even those songs my dentist forbids, Our House and Teach Your Children. Fair amount of Hollies too. Good anecdotes. And his voice is as angelic as ever.
I saw him at Cambridge at the same time as @retropath2 – he was good but like retro I consider him to be the saccharine side of CSNY ordinarily best avoided.
Not a bad night out at all but not earth shattering by any means.
@Vulpes-Vulpes – sorry I obviously missed your review. Glad you enjoyed the show. Somehow it still doesn’t push me over the line…
No need to apologise – it was 4 years ago FFS! Judging from your original list of pro’s and con’s I’d guess that it may just be down to a question of the ticket price. We paid £49.50 plus ‘a booking fee’ (a.k.a. extra for nothing) so if you have better things to do with your fifty quid or so, I’d say do them!
Spend a tenner on Songs for Beginners and stay in
I’d go. I saw him with CSN ages ago and he was excellent. I like his solo albums and I don’t think he was the lightweight at all. Without his pop melody sensibilities CSN would have been Stills dominated and sounded like his solo albums which is fine but it ain’t CSN.
So would I. Even for fifty quid. But the OP reveals a lesser degree of enthusiasm for the man that I have.
I thoroughly agree with you regarding his melodicism.
As for his having ‘rehearsed all the stories’, I challenge anyone to find a bloke with his back story who hasn’t been asked to tell them many thousands of times and thus dutifully reels ’em off whenever asked about them – again – by some gormo interviewer.
Go man go, his recent solo albums have been superb, better than Macca’s offerings.
I am v wary. Definitely the weakest link can even be a bit twee.
4 more practical considerations.
1 what will the setlist be , if its “ my new album” I’d be worried
2 where is it on at?
3 how much ? Betcha its pricey esp if Opera House
4. Will it be a band, his touring band, or local pick ups.
The grumpy Canadian takes that hat I’m afraid. Much as I love the old sod.
Which hat?
Anne Robinson’s.
‘If it’s my new album’ you’d be worried Junior. Have you actually heard it?
No. To be honest. Perhaps doing him a disservice. Will give it a try.
Go he’s nearly 82 and you may not get another opportunity. Have seen him solo, with C, with C and S, and with C,S and Y. Naturally the last one was the best but he has enough good songs for a pleasant evening out
$200 for a stalls seat at the Opera House for what seems like him a guitar and some anecdotes.
Seems a lot to me but as always OOAA.
$200? Are you getting a meal and complimentary drinks for that? Definitely not worth that price.