The Black Crowes honor rock'n'roll at Cruïlla

BarcelonaThe devil would have approved of what happened on Friday at Cruïlla. On the Estrella Damm stage, The Black Crowes delivered an hour and a half of rock'n'roll, the devil's music. Thousands of spectators accepted the deal, and past eight in the evening they welcomed the band of brothers Chris and Rich Robinson with the desire to have a good time. The devil, satisfied to see the lineup, was merciful and sent clouds and a breeze to quell the heatwave. It didn't end the sweltering heat, but even the devil has his limits. Since their performance at Sant Jordi Club in 2022, the Atlanta group has released the albums Happiness Bastards (2024) and A Pound of Feathers (2026), but on the tour that brought them to Barcelona, the repertoire focuses mainly on the first two albums: Shake Your Money Maker (1990) and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (1992). In other words, in line with Thursday's 90s nostalgia with Pixies, Suede, and Garbage. Of course, with fewer people on Friday.

The guitars of Remedy kicked off the concert marking their territory while Chris Robinson played with the mic stand and encouraged the audience to join the party he wanted to throw. In a lineup of eight musicians, the two backing vocalists, Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant, immediately added the distinguishing feature of that Southern soul that blends so well with rock. Rats and Clowns, one of the songs from the 2024 album, was an early concession to the present before delving into the 90s classics. Sting Me, Jealous Again, and My Morning Song in expansive readings, stimulated the audience's engagement. Everything was in place, except for the sound of the vocals, which arrived distorted in the front rows, an inconvenience that faded further back.

Rock is a team sport

On stage Chris Robinson acted as frontman with a dilapidated appearance, like a parish church abandoned by social services, but frontman 100% reliable because it knows how to convey that it is still alive within the songs. For example, when he sings with the phrasing and dramatic intensity of soul to elevate De vegades la salvació and Seeing things, the latter completed properly by the choir singers, bordering on gospel. The ovation was eloquent enough. As in the version of Hard to handle, by Otis Redding, a song they've had tattooed under their skin for over thirty years and which many viewers accompanied on the return. The other version they played was Oh! Sweet nuthin', from The Velvet Underground (from the album Loaded) who Rich Robinson sang while playing guitar with his slow hand. They have been playing it for a long time and it is a magnificent version because it preserves the spirit of rock that Lou Reed defended at the end of The Velvet Underground (and which would crystallize in his imminent solo career) and at the same time it is perfectly assimilable within The Black Crowes' repertoire even though Chris Robinson does not sing it.

In The Black Crowes concerts, the singer is positioned in the center, but not exactly at the front but between the guitarists and the bassist. It's a way of making it clear that rock'n'roll is better when played as a team. And as a team they deployed Wiser time, with plenty of room for Nico Bereciartua and Rich Robinson's guitar dialogues, and especially the final stretch of the performance. With the Fòrum surrendered to the evidence of the magnificent concert they were giving, they unleashed Thorn in my pride and Chris blew his harmonica to remember that he has always teamed up with the blues. The relative calm of She talks to angels preceded the grand finale with Twice as hard. They don't seem to trust the present much, and it would be interesting to see them defending albums with enough interest, but at least they continue to honor rock'n'roll with a southern accent. The audience that didn't leave to see Arde Bogotá on the Vueling stage can say that The Black Crowes are still in good shape.

The joy of Dan Peralbo and El Comboi

A short while earlier, at 6:30 p.m., when the sun still ruled the Forum, Dan Peralbo i El Comboi played on the Vueling stage in a quintet formation (and at times a sextet). The group from Torelló handed out water pistols to the audience to cool down the atmosphere while they played Bang, bang, bang. “We doubted if anyone would come, with this heat,” Peralbo had said after performing Jimmy's the only one. And seeing the audience's reaction, complicit with the group's exultant melodic rock, he added: “This concert will be for you and we'll give it our all.” The singer, in addition to being a spokesperson, acts as the unashamed leader of a group of friends who defend with their nails and smiles the material from the album Quingoig, like the Strokes-esque Que passin les hores, and also old tracks like Diumenge, from 2022. When he introduced it, Peralbo recalled that four years ago he worked in production for Cruïlla. “I was in charge of the walkie-talkies!”. To be noted, halfway through the concert a breeze began to blow and some clouds softened the sun's punishment. The heat, however, did not leave.

A large part of Dan Peralbo i el Comboi's performance coincided with Alizzz's on the Occident stage. The artist from Castelldefels presented himself as a trio, with a guitarist and drummer, a sufficiently effective format for songs like Salir and Callaíto, reminiscent of danceable indie-pop, and for the more frenetic Mirando al techo. He also performed Antes de morirme, the song he composed with C Tangana and Rosalía. At the Forum he performed it with a power pop feel, and recalled that it was the song from which he was able to start dedicating himself fully to music ten years ago. The audience received it with enthusiasm and hand claps to combat the heat. By the way, among the audience was Alizzz's daughter, and he dedicated El encuentro to her. “It’s her favorite,” the father informed.