A new name for a familiar venue. The Sage is now officially relaunched as the Glasshouse International Centre for Music. Apparently the Sage accounting software company will be sponsoring a new arena to be built at the back of the venue; hence the need for a name change. As a supporter of the venue, I was invited to a small drinks get-together prior to the show, which was a lovely touch and a great start to an evening with one of my all-time heroes, Graham Nash. So, mine was a glass of red, carer Jan’s was a glass of white and my friend Norman’s was a cool beer.
We were welcomed to the event by the Director of the Sage/Glasshouse (I will have to get used to this new name) which was a nice touch. I met, John Lyons, a photographer who had travelled from London for the event. He took a lovely photograph of me and we promised to keep in touch. Please do have a look at John’s website.
It was soon 8 PM and Graham was due on stage. This evening he performed two sets, each one comprising a mix of songs from his extensive back catalogue including tracks by the Hollies, Nash solo, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. So he started with one of my favourites “Wasted on the Way”. A great start to a lovely evening. Then Graham explained that his old friend Alan Clarke, of Hollies fame, had recently decided to record a solo album and asked Graham to accompany him on some tracks. This was followed by the Hollies “Bus Stop” (my favourite Hollies song), “for Alan”.
Then another classic: “Marrakesh Express”, followed shortly by one of my favourite songs, this time a Nash solo track “Military Madness”. After a few more songs, Graham closed the first set with a cover of his friend Stephen Stills’ “Love The One You’re With”. Time for a swift whiskey.
Graham Nash sings well, looks sprightly and is still going strong at 81 years old! He is accompanied by a guitarist and pianist, both excellent musicians with great pedigrees. Long may he continue entertaining us. The second set contains more solo songs, the lovely “Cathedral” which he explains was written after a LSD fuelled trip in the back of a Rolls-Royce after travelling to (and into) Winchester Cathedral via Stonehenge (as you do).
Then “Just Before I Go” a song apparently written as part of a wager, which Graham won. His friend bet that he could not write a song before he left and, of course, he did so. He finishes with “Our House” telling the story of how the song was written when he had just returned home to the house which he shared with Joni Mitchell. For the encore the three musicians perform a lovely a cappella version of Buddy Holly’s “Everyday”. The closing number is another classic “Teach Your Children”.
Two omissions which would have made the concert even more perfect: “Chicago” and the Hollies’ “King Midas in Reverse” which he seems to have performed at other shows on the tour. Anyway, you can’t have everything in life these days.
Bought a signed copy of the lyrics to “Teach Your Children”. Wonderful.
On the way out I run into my old friend Pete. We go back a long way. In fact we travelled together to the incredible Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young concert at Wembley Stadium in 1974. Is it really almost 50 years ago Pete? Where did the time go? Happy days. Many happy memories. Thanks again Graham.
I am planning on attending a marathon of concerts over the next few days, so apologies if my blog entries are not as comprehensive or as speedily produced as normal 🙂
Set list (something like this): Set 1: Wasted on the Way; Bus Stop; Marrakesh Express; Find the Cost of Freedom; Military Madness; A Better Life; Buddy’s Back; Right Between the Eyes; To the Last Whale… Critical Mass/Wind on the Water; Love the One You’re With.
Set 2: Sleep Song; Cold Rain; Long May You Run; Golden Days; 4 + 20; Cathedral; Just a Song Before I Go; Our House.
Encore: Everyday; Teach Your Children
Looking back this was a very strong line-up and a truly historic gig, although I’m not sure I realised it at the time. A group of us went down to London by train, primarily to see CSN&Y. To be honest ( and to my shame) I had little interest in seeing the other acts on the bill. This gig was very much a coming together of the long hairs; everyone there to see a cluster of west coast superstars who rarely appeared in the UK. The weather was good, a hot late summer day, and the vibe friendly and laid back. I remember running into loads of people from the North East. We had tickets for the stands, and couldn’t get down on the pitch which was frustrating. My mates and I spent some time next to the back stage area, star spotting. We saw (I think; from a bad….memory) members of the Moody Blues, The Faces, Led Zeppelin and Marc Bolan. My mate Don and I ran into Robert Plant in the gents, and we chatted to him; Don offered Plant a drink from his bottle of beer, Plant took a swig to Don’s delight (he swore he would keep the bottle for ever!). We arrived early and saw all the bands; I wish I’d taken more notice of their sets than I did. Jesse Colin Young’s “Darkness, Darkness” is now one of my favourite songs, but I remember nothing of what he played that day. I remember that the Band played a solid set including “The Weight”, “Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, and “Cripple Creek”. Joni Mitchell’s set was part solo on acoustic guitar or piano, and part accompanied by Tom Scott’s L.A. Express. Her album at the time was Court and Spark, and she played tracks from that lp plus favourites such as “Woodstock”, “Big Yellow Taxi” and “This Flight Tonight”. She is another artist who I really appreciate now; much more so than I did back then in the day. 
CSN&Y played a long set of around four (!) hours. They were just amazing; incredible harmonies, great musicianship. There were times when it dragged a little for me, as the set included a lot of songs which were unfamiliar to me. However, before too long another classic would come along, the harmonies would be spot on, and the guitar duels would spark off again. My enduring memories are of the start and end of their set. They started with an extended version of “Love the one you’re with” and the place went crazy. My last memory is of standing on a wooden bench, such as the seats were in the Wembley stands in those days, singing the chorus of “Ohio”, with 72,000 other people. Days don’t come any better. Where did the years go?
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