There is nothing like seeing a show at the Ford Amp in Vail and the Vilar at Beaver Creek. Both are small venues, are close to our house, and offer excellent acoustics. Being an outdoor venue, Ford brings the views and the lush surroundings of Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. A premier indoor venue, the Vilar doesn’t have a bad seat in the 530-person space. With the exception of not being able to breathe due to altitude, when artists come to Eagle County they are truly excited to be here – and it shows. They love their surroundings, the mountain town vibe, and the overall ambiance Colorado offers. On Saturday night, the Black Crowes were stoked to be at Ford Amp.
But let me back up for a minute. The first time I saw the band was at the Fillmore in Denver in October 2005. I was a student at CU Boulder at the time and I still remember the ruckus of that night! The next time I saw the Black Crowes was in 2008 in Commerce City at Mile High Music Festival (I was covering the event for the newspaper I worked for at the time) which took place on two of the hottest days of that summer. The band was great then and, all these years later, are still on their game.
Back to 2025. Clad in the rock and roll attire you would expect from the lead singer of a Grammy nominated band that has been touring for over 30 years, Chris Robinson came out with his microphone blazing. He oozed style in tight black pants, a bedazzled jacket, sunglasses, jewelry for miles, cowboy boots, and teased hair. His band – which includes guitarist and brother Rich Robinson, three more guitar players, two backup singers, a drummer, and keyboardist – played their signature jangly southern rock to the elated sold out crowd for an hour and 40 minutes.
Clearly the attention seeker of the band, Chris was chatty but didn’t introduce or talk about the band with the exception of his brother. The way he strutted around the stage was a combination of Mick Jagger and Captain Jack Sparrow and he wielded his mic stand around like a weapon which was fun to watch. Meanwhile, Rich (who is an excellent musician) ripped through the songs like the virtuoso he is but, at the same time, he seemed to be going through the motions. That sounds harsh, but he honestly didn’t look as happy to be there as Chris. Still, the overall energy and enthusiasm was palpable.
Of course I love all the big guitars, but the two female backup singers were also a nice touch – especially when they sang “Remedy.” Wow what a spectacle! Hearing classics like “Twice As Hard,” “Jealous Again,” “She Talks To Angels,” and “Sting Me” was extremely memorable and of course their infamous cover of “Hard to Handle” got the crowd on their feet. Speaking of covers, Rich singing “Jean Genie” was unexpected and fun and he actually produced some emotion during that performance!
The only two songs I wanted to hear that didn’t make the setlist were “Kicking My Heart Around” and “By Your Side.” For the encore, Chris asked the crowd, “Do you guys like the Beatles?” Everyone cheered and then he said, “We’re going to play the Rolling Stones!” and went into “Torn and Frayed.” I could not stop laughing! One of the best moments was when Chris played the harmonica – not only because it is one of my favorite instruments but also because the harmonica always enhances the musicianship of the lead singer and brings a bluesy feel. There are so many reasons why I love the blues, but the number one reason is because rock and roll is rooted in the blues. And that is exactly what the Black Crowes brought to Vail on a rockin’ September Saturday night. No banjos needed.
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