Crosby Still Nash & Young's Freedom of Speech 06 is more than a concert tour. Each show is a three and a half hour anti-Bush political rally.
The foundation for the Freedom of Speech 06 setlist is Neil Young's new album 'Living With War', the most venomous collection of political words since John Lennon took on Nixon.Young's 'Let's Impeach The President' complete with screen show of Bush's bumbling was a benchmark part of the show. The sentiment only went further the way of CSNY when 'Rockin' In The Free World' annihilated all that went before it in the second half of the set. The song didn't end until every string on Young's guitar was broken.
This was a marathon show. "If you're not going anywhere we've brought an awful lot of music with us tonight" Graham Nash told the crowd. And they did ... 35 songs between 7.50 and 11.20pm.
The views of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash were as potent as Young's. Together they were the credible musical force balancing the "Madison Avenue reporting" of an unjust war.
The songs of Graham Nash, some such as 'Military Madness' and 'Chicago', even through more than three decades old, still portray the original sentiment today with some added lyrics. "Don't ask George Bush to help you/he's going to turn the other ear" Nash sang in 'Chicago'. 'Military Madness' likewise gave Bush a serve to the cheer of the 15,000 strong crowd. Young's guitar solo changed the pleasant pop tune of 1972 into a manic metal moment midway through.
But for all of Young's nuclear solos, CSNY could go in the complete opposite direction and still captivate the audience. David Crosby and Graham Nash performed 'Guinivere' with just one guitar and two voices. The audience watched in silence, hypnotized by the tranquility of the song.
The acoustic set at the start of the second half was another audience stunner. CSN performed 'Helplessly Hoping' followed by Nash with 'Our House' and Young with 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart'.
However, the anti-war message was still the star of this show. CSNY showed the images that the government does not want you to see, the dead soldiers in coffins draped in the flag being carried from the aircraft back home. The death counter went up through 'Find The Cost of Freedom'. "2576 Dead US In Iraq" claimed the ticker by the end. CSNY then performed the Hendrix version of The Star Spangled Banner while a giant microphone with a yellow ribbon was erected on stage and the family of a dead serviceman saluted.
Earlier, Young dedicated his new song 'Families' to all of the families with soldiers in Iraq. Later he introduced 'Ohio' with 'thank God there is no draft folks. I'd hate to write this song again'.
Nash played 'Immigration Man' for Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It is rather bizarre that considering the state of the planet right now, there is very little protest in music. Unlike the 60s and 70s, only a handful of artists have the guts to speak up. U2 won't do it anymore, it would interfere with Bono's political standing. The Stones sort of whisper it, but you can't shout too loud with a 'Sir' in the band. Maybe this next election will come down to the words of a few. So if CSNY won't say it, who will?
Setlist for Crosby, Still, Nash & Young, Verizon Amphitheater, Sunday July 30, 2006
Flags of Freedom
Carry On
Wooden Ships
Long Time Gone
Military Madness
After The Garden
Living With War
Restless Consumer
Shock and Awe
Wounded World
Almost Cut My Hair
Immigration Man
Families
D??jà vu
Helplessly Hoping
Our House
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Guinivere
Milky Way
Treetop Flyer
Roger and Out
Southbound Train
Old Man Trouble
Carry Me
Teach Your Children
Southern Cross
Find The Cost Of Freedom
Star Spangled Banner (Hendrix)
Let's Impeach The President
For What It's Worth
Chicago
Ohio
What Are Their Names
Rockin' In The Free World
Woodstock
