All Photos © Steve Galli + Story by Chloe Catajan
“Better Days” are here again with Graham Nash in town. The iconic singer-songwriter, and partial namesake of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, brought “More Evenings of Songs and Stories” to Detroit’s historic Royal Oak Music Theatre in part of his summer US tour.
Within the walls of the historic art-deco venue, Nash kept his stage production simple. Tapestries and a large red rug were draped all across the stage. Flameless candles were placed high and low, and even atop instruments. They flickered sepia tones as the house lights faded in and out throughout the night. It was an intimate scene that let the music have the spotlight.
Nash took the mic from center stage with his acoustic guitar and occasionally from an upright piano. Touring band members Todd Caldwell, Zach Djanikian, and Adam Minkoff provided rhythms on the keys, bass and electric guitars, and drums. They opened with Crosby, Stills & Nash songs “Wasted on the Way” and “Marrakesh Express” and then revisited some tracks off Nash’s 1971 solo album, Songs for Beginners. Though Nash put out a record last year, 2023’s Now, most songs that made the setlist were from the CSN and CSNY catalog, Songs for Beginners, and 1973’s Wild Tales.
With nostalgia in the air, Nash and company gave the classic tunes a refresh in their live arrangements. The riffs on “Military Madness” had cool distortions, and harmonies on songs like “Immigration Man” were tight and compelling. Instrumentally, everyone’s chops were loud and clear, yet incredibly cohesive altogether. The group played off each other’s energy well, and Nash, himself, was a radiant force onstage. His vocals were tender when need be, like on the song “4+20” and thunderous on cuts like “Immigration Man.” The latter cut also featured some shredding from Minkoff, who had traded places with Djanikian on the drums at that point.
In between songs, Nash engaged with the crowd often, telling stories to introduce what came next in the set. It was a sweet touch that made already-familiar songs hit even more close to home. Before performing “Our House,” he gave a shoutout to fellow music great Joni Mitchell and shared a fond memory from when they dated in the late 60s.
“I’d taken Joni to breakfast one day at a delicatessen in Los Angeles,” he said, describing the day as cold and rainy. The couple later visited an antique store after dining, where Mitchell purchased a vase. When the couple returned to their home in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, Nash said to Mitchell, “‘Hey Jon’, why don’t I light a fire and you put some flowers in that vase you got today?’”
Nash then dedicated the song to Mitchell and sang the opening lyrics: “I’ll light the fire/ You place the flowers in the vase/ That you bought today.”
Nash and company rounded out the night with a three-song encore that consisted of “Chicago,” “Find the Cost of Freedom,” and “Ohio.” The house spotlights were in full effect, shining across all ends of the stage, and the band laid out clean, clear-cut harmonies as the crowd jammed along. The Royal Oak Theatre resonated with immense energy as Nash’s evening of Songs and Stories ended on a high note.
Adam Minkoff, Zach Djanikian, at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on August 21, 2024 in Royal Oak, Michigan
https://www.royaloakmusictheatre.com
https://www.facebook.com/fullaccessdetroit
All Photos © Steve Galli + Story by Chloe Catajan
