By  Graham Baker

I chased Graham Nash down Blackpool Pier in 1965 and caught him in Chicago
in 2000 !!

As some of you may know, the weekend before Easter my girlfriend pushed me
into spending my well earned bonus on a birthday treat and flying to the
States to catch a couple of the last concerts of CSNY 2000 tour (CSNY =
Crosby Stills Nash & Young supergroup). A frantic 36 hours later I was on my
way, meeting a stranger, John, contacted through 'The Lee Shore', at
Heathrow for the flight to Chicago. It was a great timing as it happened
because they were playing Chicago Saturday night and two nights later 
Milwaukee, which is only 95 miles away, so I was able to share a rental car
with Buzz, another 'Shorer'. (After Chicago John went off birdwatching in
Denver) On both nights we met a crowd of friendly 'Shorers' at pre-show
gatherings, which were good fun.

But, cutting the trivia and onto important matters - the concerts. Well, I
was full of expectations from all the very favourable, if biased, reviews on
The Lee Shore (that's what had me dying to go!) and.......... well they way
exceeded those expectations by, well at least Eight Miles Higher (duh!)(a
Byrds song they did both nights). They were FANTASTIC. The concert halls
were your typical big indoor arenas (similar to Manchester's Nynex Arena and
other 'Arenas', for UK readers) but the sound was excellent where I was sat.
And CSNY were on top form both nights. This was a tight ass BAND. It wasn't
Young Neil supported by or carrying CSN, this was a four piece BAND, equal
spotlight and honours all round. 50-odd year olds making the best f*****g
band ever ? you'd better believe it!?!?!

Yes the finale is Stills & Young guitar duels, and I take back previous
comments about Stephen, he was on fine form, equal shares of the lead and
giving Neil as good as he got, and voice and fingers giving us a superb
Suite; Judy Blue Eyes. Neil was both Neil, with his distinctive stooped
prowling, yet a group member, his voice less whiny with age and making his
guitar sing and scream. David, well everyone has a soft spot for David after
surviving his drugs problems and liver transplant, yet survivng with his
voice stronger than ever (He could have done Almost Cut My Hair without a
mic!) and fingers still playing those unusual tunings on the acoustic
numbers (Dream For Him and Guinnevere his acoustic highlights) and fine
supporting guitar to Neil & Stephen.

And to Nashy, my musical hero for, well, a long time. I was afraid from
reading some reviews and set-lists, that he may be over shadowed - not a bit
of it !!  Graham has the 'hits' and the sing-a-long crowd favourites (Teach
Your Children, Marrakesh Express, Our House) among his superb new numbers
(Heartland, Someday Soon). (I should say all the tracks from Looking Forward
are 1000 times better live and with constant performing night after night,
getting better all the time).  His voice was strong and clear when he was on
lead, and as sublime as ever when on harmony - Guinnevere, After The
Goldrush deserving special attention here; as special as it was when I first
heard 'Stay' back in 1963.

We all have our favourites amongst Graham's or CSN/Y's huge back catalogue,
so they won't please all the people all the time with their selections, so I
won't complain about the choice of songs (even if I did miss them doing
Graham's Chicago in Chicago, which they performed on the Friday night, ah
well).

But wait, it GET'S BETTER still !!! Thanks to a good internet friend  who
told Nashy about my last minute trans Atlantic dash to see my life long
hero, Graham arranged a backstage pass !! And I didn't turn into a
starstruck incoherent idiot. He knew who I was immediately I was introduced
and was so nice it put me at ease. We had a few minutes chat one to one,
then I hung around in a group with Dolf and Joroen from Holland (the
compilers of 4 Way Site) with Graham popping over to chat in between topping
up his wine and shaking countless other hands.  Not knowing before I left
the hotel that I was getting a backstage pass I was unprepared and did not
have my camera or things for him to sign. Still, I got to meet him at
last!!!
Plus a quick hello and handshake with the Croz.

So, 35 years after I chased Graham Nash and the other Hollies along
Blackpool Pier after a concert, I got to meet him in calmer circumstances in
Chicago.  That was my new millennium birthday treat !!  ;-)

As a minor addendum, when we got to Milwaukee who should be performing there
on our free night but Oasis supported by Travis. I know Oasis are a band
with no happy medium, most people either like them or loathe them - well I
like them and got the best seats I've had for one of their concerts (in a
2500 seater venue, with around 30+ Brit expats there) and they encored with
Neil Young's Hey Hey My My and The Fabs Helter Skelter.

 Many Thanks To Graham Baker