40 years later, CSN still rocks

Tuesday night's performance by Crosby, Stills & Nash at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center definitely met the expectations of the average classic rock fan.

Besides the usual sweet, three-part harmony turned in by Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and David Crosby, the evening held special meaning. The show marked 40 years to the day since the trio, along with Neil Young, took to the stage at the Woodstock Music & Arts Fair on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, N.Y. That 3 a.m. set at Woodstock on Aug. 18, 1969, was only the second performance ever by the group.

Forty years on, the trio may have wider waistlines and a few more wrinkles, but the classic CSN sound remains largely unchanged. A nearly sold-out audience cheered wildly as Crosby, Stills and Nash took to the stage. There was barely a mention of the significant anniversary from the group.

Beginning with a set of acoustic songs that included "Helplessly Hoping," "Our House" and "Southern Cross," as well as covers of The Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" and The Grateful Dead's "Uncle John's Band," the three musicians sounded as good as they did in 1969.

"First of all, we'd like to thank you for even spending your hard-earned money on us in these times," Crosby said early on in the show. The crowd definitely seemed to be getting its money's worth. Later in the show, the trio switched to electric instruments, and the hits just kept coming.

Songs such as "Love the One You're With," "Marrakesh Express," "Long Time Gone" and "Just a Song Before I Go" had the audience on their feet and singing along. For the encore, Nash briefly acknowledged the band's participation at Woodstock four decades prior, after which the band kicked into a superb version of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock," complete with another blistering guitar solo from Stills, who had been on fire all night.

With a little mud on the floor of the PAC, it would have been almost like being back in Bethel 40 years ago.

Reach Devin Grant at chucktowncritic@yahoo.com.