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Kick Out the Jams

Crosby Stills & Nash at the Aladdin, May 31

Here's a crazy theory: At a certain point, the free radicals of age, wear and circumstance can drag a band far enough out of its own skin that it becomes one order removed from itself. It becomes a tribute to its former self, a mere practiced, inspired approximation. Seen in such glass-is-half-full fashion, Saturday night's CSN show at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts was passable enough, an admirable 2 1/2-hour "An Evening With..." affair--complete with intermission and overpriced beer--featuring one of the most convincing tribute acts ever to grace the Strip.

Too bad it was the real CSN. In that light, the Jurassic folk-rock trio squeezed out two sets of hits, misses and--amid an unfortunate selection of songs and the apparent ravages of age--more misses. Should we forgive the aging, the invalid rock band? Not when it costs $40 to hear Steve Stills succumb to a serious case of the bullfrogs on "Feed the People," and, worse yet, "Our House." Whoa! When you're starting to marble-mouth the classics, mister, it's time to think about the infomercial circuit. I'm thinking Craftmatic adjustable beds.

Perhaps the affluent nostalgia-trippers were a bit more forgiving. And there was a fistful or two of classic CSN material to put one in such a mood, which perhaps explains why the crowd handed out standing ovations like Halloween candy. CSN's fair handling of classics was truly the highlight: the big-bodied, chunk-a-lunking "Dark Star"; "Cathedral," a fist-pumping indictment of organized religion's crimes, plus a few numbers from their solo outings, most notably Nash's brash, bomping "Military Madness," which has aged well musically and thematically. It was truly heartening to see a few lighters flick on--without a whit of irony.

What suffered most, though, was CSN's trademark harmonies--those head-fizzing vocals that, at their best, had an almost messianic quality. Classics like "Wasted on the Way" and "Helplessly Hoping" were marked by vocals that faltered and cracked; and the weirdly piped-in portions only fed the impression that these guys were doing something far more pitiful than coasting. They were struggling. Even "Southern Cross"--a throwaway single, a desperate cast back at recapturing a formerly musical glory as the band began to unravel in the '80s--came out sounding rumpled. In fairness, CSN did treat the audience to a generous two sets, even if wasn't the greatest hits recital it was perhaps expecting (but Stills' unexpected blues excursions in the form of "Old Man Trouble" was a refreshing spritz of Budweiser). But what about quality? Wasted on the way, man.--Andrew Kiraly