Indefatigable road warriors, Chris Robinson Brotherhood is passing through Tahoe again, playing Wednesday, Dec. 12, in the venerable Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room.
The rocking jam band released its fourth “Betty’s Blends” album on Nov. 16. But what CRB will play in the CBC is anyone’s guess, other than it will be presented with two dynamic and improvised sets.
For the fourth year in a row, CRB played more than 200 shows in 2018. The band opened its winter tour at Crystal Bay in January. It later had a European tour. Now, it will complete at two-month United States tour for the second consecutive year with a three-night run Dec. 14-16 in San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium.
The new album is “Betty’s Midwestern Magick Blends,” released on Silver Arrow Records. Only 3,500 vinyl copies of the three-LP set were pressed. It’s also available, of course, digitally. Named for Grateful Dead recording engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson, the “Blends” are recordings of live shows. CRB also has released six studio albums.
“Betty’s Midwestern Magick Blends” captures the sounds from October 2016 concerts in Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago. Songs include “New Cannonball Rag,” “Forever As The Moon” and “Shadow Cosmos,” as well as adapting two from The Rolling Stones: “Down Home Girl” and “Let It Bleed” and the seldom played fan favorite, Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride.”
The enigmatic Chris Robinson declined an interview with Tahoe Onstage. But we will continue to try to speak with him every time he comes to Tahoe.
Related stories:
— Review of last January’s CRB show in the CBC.
— Interview with keyboardist Adam MacDougall.
- An Evening with Chris Robinson Brotherhood
When: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12
Where: Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room
Tickets: $25 in advance or $30 on the day of the show
Red Room after-party: The Higgs
