Poughkeepsie Journal: Graham Nash turns Levon Helm Studios into 'Our House'

The spirit of Woodstock was strong in the Hudson Valley Sunday night, as a musician who performed at that iconic festival gave an intimate yet rousing performance in the town that gave the 1969 gathering its name.

Graham Nash, well-known from the bands Crosby, Stills & Nash and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, performed at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock. The two-hour concert showed that, more than 45 years later, the legacy of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair remains relevant, tangible and accessible.

Nash, with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, performed at Woodstock, which was held in August 1969 in Bethel, Sullivan County. The venue for Sunday night's gig was the home recording-studio operated for decades by the late Levon Helm, who performed at Woodstock with the Band. And in the audience was Arlo Guthrie, a western Massachusetts resident who also performed at Woodstock.

Wearing a denim shirt, jeans and nothing on his feet, Nash played acoustic guitar, harmonica and electric keyboard, accompanied by guitarist Shane Fontayne, who performs in Crosby, Stills & Nash. Fontayne's atmospheric guitar playing added color and texture to Nash's performance, which featured songs that he has been associated with for decades - "Teach Your Children," "Wasted on the Way" and "Our House" among them.

Nash's hair was gray and wavy. His voice was crisp and clear. He immersed himself in his songs, revealing a passion and an intensity that showed how, for the performer and the audience, songs played over and over during his career have endured and remain a popular culture touchstone.

Nash also showed that, in addition to his iconic status as a musician who performed at Woodstock, he continues to embody the sense of community and sharing that helped define the famous festival and played a pivotal role in its succeess as a crowning achievement for the 1960s counter-culture.

Nash's concert was a benefit for Levon Helm Studios, the estate of which, in the wake of Helm's 2012 death, has been working to pay off a nearly $1 million mortgage.

"What a place," Nash said from the stage, about Levon Helm Studios, which in the past has hosted Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, Mumford & Sons and Jackson Browne, among numerous notable names. "What vibes this place has."

Nash's set list included, "Marrakesh Express," "Immigration Man," "Military Madness," "Chicago" and more.

He chatted between songs, sharing stories that offered a peek into his songwriting process and insight into his band mates, known for years by the first letter of their last names.

Among the stories Nash told:

- Neil Young, moments before Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was about to take the stage at England's Wembley Stadium, was so nervous that he placed two harmonica holders over his head.

- Nash wrote the song, "Our House," after having breakfast one morning in southern California with songwriter Joni Mitchell, with whom he was involved romantically. The couple passed an antiqute store on the rainy morning, Mitchell purchased a vase she saw in the window, they arrived home, she cut some flowers for the vase and he made a fire.

That set the stage for the song's opening lyrics, Nash said: "I'll light the fire/You place some flowers in the vase/That you bought/Today."

Nash told the story before referencing Mitchell's health, which has declined dramatically in recent months.

He said Mitchell is "Awake, alert. They expect a really great recovery from her."

- Nash also told the story of writing his song, "Simple Man," about breaking up with Mitchell. On the day they parted ways, he wrote that song in the morning and planned on playing it that night during a previously-scheduled concert at Bill Graham's famedFillmore East venue in New York City.

As he took the stage, Nash saw Mitchell sitting in the third row.

Nash kicked off the show with a driving rendition of the tune, "Bus Stop," a song released by the Hollies, the band he was in prior to Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Show-stopping performances included "Our House," the vocals for which Nash, at points, turned over to the audience of more than 150 people for a rousing sing-along.

Another poignant moment occurred when he and Fontayne dueted on "Blackbird" by the Beatles. The room during "Blackbird" remained still as Nash sang with a voice that has changed little in six decades.

Nash seemed visibly pleased with the crowd, the venue and the overall evening. And it won't be long before he returns to the Hudson Valley.

A photographer as well as a musician, Nash's work, along with the photos of three other photographers, including Elliott Landy, will be featured in a show at Fletcher Gallery in Woodstock. Nash said he will be in Woodstock Aug. 29 for an opening reception.

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