Graham Nash at the Union Chapel

Graham Nash
Union Chapel, 24 May 2016

First, this show had to have had the longest line I've ever seen at the Union Chapel before, stretching all the way back past the houses beside the old church. I guess that's what you get when you have a legend of Graham Nash's stature playing a relatively small venue for his first solo jaunt in the UK in years (in fact I'm not even sure he has toured solo here before). Secondly, the majority of the audience were of an older vintage, which I loved, it's nice to feel you are one of the young ones at a concert for once.
The length of the queue meant I only managed to actually get in the venue about ten minutes before showtime but luckily managed to secure my regular spot at the front, which I was thrilled about. The place was absolutely buzzing and I was lucky to find myself sitting next to a lovely and charming older gentleman who had left work early to get his front row seat (when someone at the venue asked if we would move for a young woman who had broken her leg and arrived just as the show was starting, he admirably stood his ground and refused, which I applauded him for - very cheeky of the Union Chapel I must say!).

It was actually really nice not to have a support act for once and people seemed to be still finding seats when Nash very unassumingly walked on stage with a smile and wave. Rather nicely not only was this an intimate show but it was also an acoustic one with Nash accompanied only by guitarist/producer Shane Fontayne, who worked with him on his new album This Path Tonight. I must admit, although a fine guitarist I could barely see him throughout the show because there was a camera filming the gig in front of me, but I could see Nash close up so really I was happy enough. He looked absolutely great too: a silver fox for sure, looking simple but stylish in a black shirt and slacks and his thick white mane.

I wasn't sure if this show was going to be a big showcase for his new album or a greatest hits show, since Crosby, Stills & Nash have essentially been doing the latter for years now I wouldn't have blamed him for skipping the old tunes for once but rather nicely it was a nice mix of both. He even started with a couple of Hollies songs, Bus Stop - one of their biggest hits - and King Midas In Reverse, the track that marked Nash's move from pop singer to serious singer-songwriter and eventually led him to leaving the band for brighter pastures thankfully for us. They both sounded great and were a perfect reminder of Nash's incredible legacy. It was a lovely way to open the show.

Nash went to continue the king theme for I Used To Be A King but Fontayne persuaded him instead to play the classic CSN track Marrakesh Express, so Nash told us to hold that thought for a minute. The song itself remains a wonderful and uplifting listen but it was definitely strange to hear it without Crosby's vocals at the very least: there is something completely magical that happens when the two of them (and Stills too of course) sing together but at the very least it was quite novel to hear it and other CSN songs tonight performed solo as Nash probably first wrote them. Nash and Crosby, formerly best friends, have apparently fallen out over Nash's recent autobiography with Nash stating that CSN will probably never perform together again because of it, which is very sad if true but you really never know with those guys, there's been so many rows and falling outs over the years plus there's a practically finished Crosby, Stills & Nash covers album waiting to be released for years now, it would be a shame if egos and arguments came in the way of them bringing their music to the world again. Nash actually alludes to this tonight telling us that he believes they could have produced so many more great records if the egos hadn't got in the way.

There are a good few more CSN and CSNY songs played throughout the show and again it's interesting to hear them in such stripped down form. Nash also uses the opportunity to play less obvious CSN tracks, such as Wasted On The Way (about the aforementioned egos coming between them and their art), Lady Of The Island (which actually sounds really lovely in its simplicity), Cathedral (actually a mainstay of the CSN shows but still nice to hear played so beautifully on the piano) and Just A Song Before I Go, rather nicely played as the second (and final) encore.

Nicely, despite the feud, there's also a few tracks from the three Crosby & Nash duo albums, Taken At All, Wind On The Water and Immigration Man, which he explains was about being refused entry to America during the height of the CSNY days. Not surprisingly he barely mentions Crosby except in passing and enthusiastically tells us "I can do what I want and it's kind of nice" but maybe not as convincingly as he'd like you to believe.

What I was most excited to hear though, having seen both CSN and Crosby & Nash live before, was some of Nash's solo songs particularly from his first two albums, Songs From Beginners and Wild Tales. Disappointingly there was nothing was Wild Tales (although apparently he has been playing tracks from this album on this tour) and just four songs from Songs From Beginners (which is an absolutely fantastic and underrated album that I highly recommend). The three we do get though sound incredible: I Used To Be A King, his song about his breakup with Joni Mitchell, Simple Man played on the piano, the anthemic and rousing Chicago and Sleep Song, which sounded gentle and lovely and is one of the highlights of the night for me.

Nash didn't overdo it with the new songs, playing just six in all and to be fair they fitted in with his classic material pretty well. In particular the title track and the moody and rather sad Golden Days (which must be about CSN) sounding fantastic. He also dedicates one of the songs (maybe Myself At Last) to his new, much younger girlfriend, who he amusingly calls by her full name, Amy Grantham (Nash divorced his wife of nearly 40 years earlier this year). She took the photo on the cover of his new album and it seems has been an inspiration to him becoming creative and recording again, which I guess is a good thing.

After a very pretty cover of The Beatles' Blackbird (CSN had been performing this song too in recent years) Nash of course leaves some of his most famous songs for a huge singalong at the very end. He tells the story of he and Joni out on a gloomy day in Laurel Canyon and buying the vase that led to him writing maybe his most iconic song, Our House, before rather sweetly dedicating it to her (Joni is still recovering after suffering a brain aneurysm last year sadly). Nash encourages everyone to sing the chorus which we all do gladly and it sounds glorious echoing around the church. Equally joyful is Teach Your Children  and with us all singing along all thoughts of Crosby and Stills are completely forgotten. 

There's no doubt there's something special and wonderful about hearing those three golden voices together, of Crosby, Stills & Nash, harmonising together, but it was also incredibly special to experience Nash going it alone in such an intimate venue. If all Nash has wanted is forget the excess of egos, politics and unnecessary embellishments and to strip it all down to the music plain and simple, then he managed to do that beautifully tonight. Now I just need to see Stills and Crosby (who it's rumoured is touring solo here next year) and compare notes!