There's not a lot that 70-year-old music legend Stephen Stills hasn't accomplished in his chosen field. Apart from his well regarded solo output, his two best known bands helped him become the only person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice in the same night.
But you don't need that bit of trivia to recognize the power of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & (sometimes) Young.
Stills' involvement in those lineups helped create such sonic legacies that it was no surprise to see fans old and young squeeze into the beautiful downtown Majestic Theatre Friday night. Stills was the only name on the bill, but the concertgoers all probably hoped they'd get songs from every era of his career.
That was the sound of elated relief, then, when Stills and his three-piece band opened the two-set performance with the Crosby, Stills & Nash classic "Helplessly Hoping." We could tell instantly that Stills' voice had lost a bit of its range over the years, but that's understandable, and it was totally OK with the crowd. He harmonized with his band members effectively, and what he lacked in precision he made up for in passion.
Stills is also a charming off-the-cuff speaker. Between songs like his own "Change Partners" and reverent Bob Dylan covers, he had his crowd rolling with laughter.
The first funny moment happened early on when Stills referred to the fact that he'd was born in Dallas, but got out as soon as he could:
"Was that a hometown-boy-makes-good ovation?" he asked, with a bit of a wink implied. "Actually I didn't spend much time here - I think I left before I was 2."
Yet Stills was greeted like a longtime friend by the audience. There were the hoots of folks who'd lived through all of his ups and downs, and the breathless dancing and beer toasts from twenty-somethings who'd likely discovered their parents' record collections during formative years.
Stills got plenty of hearty reactions when joking about his advancing age, even if he seemed to possess the energy of someone years younger. After performing the escape song "Johnny's Garden" from his beloved Manassas project, he hinted that an intermission was coming soon and named-dropped AARP.
"Hey, those folks have to go to the bathroom! Hell, I am one of them."
Those who did have to go seemed more than happy to hold it for a few minutes more, as he worked through "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" with the band.
The moments with his players offered nice memories of past classics, but we have to say that we were happiest when Stills was left alone on stage with his acoustic several times during the evening. To hear him keep his own beat, pick through those melodies, and half-sing, half-warble like a mountaintop dweller could be thrilling when he was inside the right song.
The Dylan cover "Girl From the North Country" packed immense power when performed that way, and there was so much raw emotion in CSN's "Find the Cost of Freedom" that the crowd leapt to a standing ovation at the end of the song.
Stills may not be anywhere near a perfect performer these days, but he's endlessly charming and guided by a lifetime of sweet songs. That's certainly enough to keep him going until the next high-profile band reunion tour.
