Chris Robinson Brotherhood: Psychedelic Soul-Rock Goodness

02 Jan Chris Robinson Brotherhood: Psychedelic Soul-Rock Goodness

“Is the air getting thinner, or are we getting high?,” “Rosalee,” Big Moon Ritual, Chris Robinson Brotherhood

Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Telluride Mountain Village Conference Center, Friday, January 2, 2015. Doors open 8pm, Concert 9pm; Admission $40, Limited VIP by calling 970-728-6363 X5.

Chris Robinson, courtesy Matt Mendenhall

Labeling anything psychedelic – be it art, music, clothing or literature or even your painted pony – draws one straight into a technicolored Keseyian flashback. Owsley’s best under the tongue, and onto the bus we go. As Dr. Timothy Leary famously said, “You can be anything you want, this time around.”

And so, it seems, Chris Robinson took Leary’s observation to heart.

Robinson, who with his brother Rich, were the heart of the rock and roll juggernaut from Georgia, The Black Crowes, has exiled himself from that band, weary of the fraternal strife that seems common in rock bands sporting brother teams. (Think Kinks, Oasis.)

This time around, Robinson has gathered a new tribe of like-minded musicians that spin kaleidoscopic soundscapes underpinned with earthy rock and blues grooves. Chris Robinson Brotherhood are bringing their tripped-out jams to the Telluride Conference Center, Mountain Village, January 2, 2015. And yes, things turn pretty psychedelic at times. Now three albums in, they’ve evolved into a loose-but-tight ensemble that tours relentlessly, spreading the word to Freak Nation. We – yes, that’s me, too – are endlessly enchanted with Robinson’s imaginative, mystical lyrics, the hypnotic groove that carries CRB songs from one movement to the next, and the mind-bending, jaw-dropping space jams that whirl from keyboardist Adam MacDougall’s array of ebony and ivory toys.

Swept up in the CRB slipstream are music fans that range from Deadheads that can hear Jerry’s spirit in guitarist Neal Casal’s melodic solo runs and blues-rock groovers that lock into CRB’s masterful rhythm section of bassist Mark “Muddy” Dutton and George Sluppick on drums. Robinson possesses perhaps one of the best rock voices of his generation and leads the Brotherhood through not only three records worth of work, but a slew of unexpected covers drawn from his love of California infused freak-folk, Dead standards and obscure rock gems. CRB is known for its unexpected encore numbers, songs pulled from its deep reservoir of combined influences, or whatever amuses at the moment.

Like all good hippies, they preach peace and love, brotherhood and unity. There’s a Utopian vision imbued in all their songs, whether calling us to the party or asking us to imagine peace in the valley. Even in the throes of lost love, hope is just around the corner.

Here’s a sample from “Wanderer’s Lament,” a tune of the latest CRB record, Phosphorescent Harvest.

“Yellow burns the summer

no grave shall go to waste

hold my hand and let’s go under

to be reborn in some new place

where our souls are never strangers

let our shadows find the day

as we stand in the light of our love

until we fly away.”

Winter can be a dark and overlong time in this little crack of a valley. Live music brings light and energy and seems to lengthen the day. I, for one, need it like I need water and air. And when a band like Chris Robinson Brotherhood rolls into town, I am uplifted, rejuvenated, inspired and, yes, psychedelicized.

Here’s a taste of things to come:

Know You This: Chris Robinson Brotherhood performs at the Telluride Conference Center, January 2. Doors at 8 p.m. – show at 9 p.m. Tickets: www.sheridanoperahouse.com Presented by the Sheridan Arts Foundation and Telluride Ski Resort.

About the Telluride Arts District:

The historic Sheridan Opera House is a key player in the Telluride Arts District. 

We believe in a culture of the Arts—creativity across disciplines—and we strive to sustain, promote and expand all creative pursuits in our mountain community. Anchored on the west by the Palm Theatre, the south by the Ah Haa School for the Arts, the north by the Telluride Historical Museum and the east by the Town Park Stage, the district contains world-class exhibits, music, film, theatre, literature, architecture, design, food, and artists of all disciplines