The Black Crowes Get Dirty in Sin City | Concert Review (The Happiness Bastards Tour – The Reprise)

When The Black Crowes began their initial run of Happiness Bastards tour dates in April 2024, I watched them like a hawk. You know, checked out the setlists, made sure everything was running smoothly, and prayed they would eventually bring the Happiness Bastards tour to Las Vegas. Lo and behold, they announced a second run of tour dates, which thankfully included a stop in Las Vegas. I bought general admission tickets right away, literally. The presale began on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 and I bought the tickets right before work that morning at 10:00 a.m. PST / Las Vegas time. Yes, general admission meant that my mom and I had to stand up the entire show, but we’re short and I was not going to let a bunch of tall mainland people obstruct my view for one of the best nights of my life (or any concert really).

The Las Vegas date was part of their second run of the Happiness Bastards tour, which was simply titled, “Happiness Bastards Tour (The Reprise).” The show took place at The Chelsea Theater at The Cosmopolitan, which was a really nice venue with a stage big enough for the band to move around and not feel cramped. The date was Thursday, December 5, 2024. Doors opened at 8:00 p.m., so I got in line at 6:00 p.m., while my mom sat on the side till more people showed up. We got our general admission wristbands at 7:53 p.m. and after briefly going through metal detectors, I sprinted to the front of the stage on the far right, Rich’s side, while my mom caught up with me shortly afterwards. The show was supposed to start at 9:00 p.m., but it began at 9:15 p.m. instead. I’ve stood up for much longer at the Rival Sons / Clutch / Black Stone Cherry show from October 2024, so that was no big deal. 

Like the Super Bowl weekend show from February 2024, AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” started playing through the speakers and shortly afterwards, the band came on to deliver the goods. The opening number was “Rats and Clowns” from the Happiness Bastards (2024) record, which sounded great live. Big, crunchy guitars and Chris Robinson was singing up a storm. Interestingly enough, that song does have an AC/DC feel to it, with a little Rolling Stones thrown in there. Next up was the funky and groovy, “Dirty Cold Sun,” one of my favorites from the aforementioned record. That track was included on my dream setlist for The Black Crowes, so that was perfect!

“Twice as Hard” from Shake Your Money Maker (1990) was next on the agenda and though I’m not a huge fan of it, I love the opening riff and Rich Robinson’s guitar tone always slays! Speaking of Rich’s guitar tone, I forgot to mention in my previous Black Crowes concert review that Rich’s guitar amplifiers are very loud, which I don’t mind because I think he’s a great rhythm and lead player. But, keep note that if you want to hear Rich, go on the far right side. If you want to hear Nico Bereciartua, go on the far left side. If you want to hear an equal mix of both guitar players, however, try to find a spot more towards the middle, preferably further away from the stage. 

Continuing down the debut album route, the band busted out “Thick n’ Thin,” which I was not expecting. It’s a cool track because it has like an old school ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll vibe. Then, for a more “romantic” tune, the band played “Kickin’ My Heart Around” from By Your Side (1999), my favorite Black Crowes album. Anything from By Your Side is a win for me because Rich did all of the guitar parts for that album and did a pretty good job, too. They had to lower the key a little to accommodate Chris’ voice, but that didn’t affect the performance at all. 

Going deeper in their catalog, the band brought out “Just Say You’re Sorry,” a reissue bonus track from Three Snakes and One Charm (1996). I never even knew the song existed until this past April when they played it at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. It’s got a great groove and a memorable chorus. It also ended up being the inside joke for my entire December Las Vegas trip because well, let’s just say, I was right more than once, gambling-wise, and my mom was not happy about that! “Sister Luck” from Shake Your Money Maker was next on the agenda and as mentioned in my previous Black Crowes concert review, it’s one of the few songs from the debut album that I’m not sick of and think still holds up today. Bereciartua brings so much melody to the song with his gorgeous slide guitar parts.

Next up, the band performed “Under a Mountain” from Three Snakes and One Charm. Great harmonies and sonically, it sounded amazing. Did I mention Rich played slide guitar for that song, too? Then, as a gift from the rock ‘n’ roll gods, the band busted out “Good Morning Captain” from Before the Frost…Until the Freeze (2009), another track that I included in my dream setlist for The Black Crowes. I literally lost my sh*t when they started playing it because man, what a dream come true! The studio version has a stomping groove, thanks to former drummer Steve Gorman, but I thought current drummer Cully Symington did a fine job that night. Watching him was interesting because I’ve never seen anyone drum like him before, technique-wise and all that. He has a loose flow that works naturally for him and he smacks the snare drum at an angle. It’s like a mix of open-handed drumming and cross-handed drumming (traditional style). Oh, and Bereciartua’s roots-based slide guitar parts were muy bien!

To give Chris a little break, Rich took over lead vocals and did “Christine’s Tune” (The Flying Burrito Brothers cover), which according to setlist.fim, that particular Las Vegas show was the first time the band performed it live. I liked it because Rich was playing acoustic guitar, it had an earthy and laid-back vibe, and I absolutely loved the harmonies between Sven Pipien and Rich. His and Rich’s voices blend really well together. When Chris returned to the stage, he joked about the naughty things he did during Rich’s performance, like making small talk with a showgirl and smoking a cigarette. I believe there was a weed convention happening when the band came to Vegas, so in honor of the convention, Chris introduced a track they wrote when weed was illegal, “High Head Blues” from Amorica (1994), which I also lost my sh*t for because it’s a weird and trippy song, but in the best way possible. Besides, anything with a cowbell is a win for me!

I swear, if Chris weren’t a singer, he’d be an excellent comedian. He joked about how he needs lots of attention because he’s the frontman (lead singer disease), taking his jacket off like Wayne Newton (“if you don’t know who that is, wait till after the show to look him up”), the aforementioned naughty stuff he did during Rich’s performance (“you’d be surprised how much you can get done in three minutes”), and getting more stoned when weed was illegal. Chris has everything that’s necessary for a great frontman: charisma, energy, an outgoing personality, captivating vocals, and a quirky sense of humor. Even when Chris was at his worst mentally, he still won people over. However, truth be told, now that he’s matured greatly and is in a better place, his jokes are way better.

Next up was “Thorn in My Pride” from The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (1992), the jamming portion of the show. I loved the lighting for the song. It was a gray, foggy and dramatic lighting that captured the vibe perfectly. Actually, the lighting for the entire show was perfect. The band utilized eye-catching colors such as blue, green, pink, purple, and red. They sometimes even combined two colors together for a gorgeous mixture of the two. Most importantly, there was enough bright light to visibly see everyone’s faces, which was great for taking pictures.

By the way, I apologize, Rich, for all the photos I took of you. My music journalist persona took over and I got carried away. The worst part was that he looked at me and I could tell he was very annoyed with me. But I can’t blame him because I don’t like getting my picture taken either. Ross Halfin even looked at me funny, which freaked me out a little. It made me think of this quote from Almost Famous (2000): “He looks harmless, but he does represent the magazine that trashed ‘Layla,’ broke up Cream, ripped every album Led Zeppelin ever made. Don’t forget the rules, man. This little sh*t is the enemy. He writes what he sees.…although, it would be cool to be on the cover.” I know my opinions are very strong, but if I’m the enemy, sue me!

Next up was the first single from Happiness Bastards, “Wanting and Waiting,” which has an obvious “Jealous Again” feel to it. The little organ bits from Erik Deutsch are simple, yet brilliant. The following four tracks were typical hits: “She Talks to Angels,” “Hard to Handle” (Otis Redding cover), “Jealous Again,” and “Remedy.” I’m a little sick of “She Talks to Angels,” but Bereciartua’s bluesy slide guitar parts make the song bearable. “Jealous Again” was interesting because Chris and Rich didn’t share a microphone during the outro. 

Up until the November 7th show in Tulsa, Oklahoma (from 2024), they’ve been doing that since November 2019, when the Robinson brothers restarted The Black Crowes. After thinking about it, though, I’m glad the brothers don’t share a microphone for “Jealous Again” anymore because while it was cute in spots, it was also awkward in spots. I get the whole brotherly love thing, but they looked uncomfortable doing that. They don’t have to get affectionate and all that mushy stuff. As long as they have fun onstage and enjoy each other’s company, that’s all that matters!

After “Remedy,” the band left the stage briefly before returning for the encore, “20th Century Boy” (T. Rex cover). I was a little disappointed that they weren’t going to do another original song, that is, until I heard Rich’s monstrous guitar tone and killer opening riff. It was raw and authentic, old school rock ‘n’ roll. It definitely had a Rolling Stones vibe. Chris’ perfect, but imperfect vocals made the performance even better. From the first album to By Your Side, Chris had a higher range that resembled Rod Stewart. For the Lions (2001) album, his voice was gritty and rambunctious like Bon Scott’s voice. From Warpaint (2008) leading up till now, his voice developed into a more mature style and became its own thing. It combines the melodic aspect of Stewart, the grittiness of Scott, and the swagger of Mick Jagger all in one. Weirdly enough, there’s a Def Leppard connection because Def Leppard covered “20th Century Boy” for their Yeah! (2006) album, however, their version is more structured and put together, as opposed to The Black Crowes’ unrestrained version.

Of course, the concert had to end at some point, therefore, after the band said their goodbyes and tossed their guitar picks, that was it. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch Rich’s guitar pick (like last time), but again, that means I’ll have to try again next time! In total, the show was an hour and 30 minutes, meaning it was slightly longer than the Super Bowl weekend show, thankfully. Knowing The Black Crowes have many great songs in their catalog and can’t please everyone, I enjoyed the setlist for what it was. They never play the same show twice and I like the unpredictability of not knowing what they’re going to do. It keeps things fresh and exciting for the fans and the band. Also, Bereciartua is such a joy to watch on stage and he complements Rich’s playing really well; they have a good partnership going on and challenge each other as musicians. 

It was awesome seeing The Black Crowes in Las Vegas again because they were the first band I saw live in 2024. A lot can happen in 10 months and for me, it was a full circle experience seeing them in concert again. From working in the real world to personal tragedies to rude awakenings, 2024 has been brutal. Music has been my saving grace throughout all of it, so it was nice to forget my troubles and enjoy the wonderful music of The Black Crowes. Thank you guys for another great show and I can’t wait till next time!

Concert Setlist

1. Rats and Clowns

2. Dirty Cold Sun

3. Twice as Hard

4. Thick n’ Thin

5. Kickin’ My Heart Around

6. Just Say You’re Sorry

7. Sister Luck

8. Under a Mountain

9. Good Morning Captain

10. Christine’s Tune (The Flying Burrito Brothers cover)

11. High Head Blues

12. Thorn in My Pride

13. Wanting and Waiting

14. She Talks to Angels

15. Hard to Handle (Otis Redding cover)

16. Jealous Again

17. Remedy

18. 20th Century Boy (T. Rex cover)

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Lana