The Black Crowes @ Olympia, Paris

When The Black Crowes imploded in 2013, the breakup felt definitive. Years of internal tensions finally boiled over into public acrimony, with Chris and Rich Robinson seemingly incapable of sharing either a stage or a vision for the band's future. The subsequent years only reinforced that impression. Various side projects emerged, former members moved on and Steve Gorman's brutally candid memoir appeared to close the book on one of American rock's most turbulent success stories.

Then, in late 2019, came the unexpected announcement. The Robinson brothers would reunite to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Shake Your Money Maker. Like so many plans from that period, the tour was promptly derailed by the pandemic. Three years later, however, The Black Crowes finally arrive in Paris with their momentum intact and a sold-out Olympia ready to welcome them back.

Any lingering doubts about the reunion's legitimacy evaporate quickly. Whatever disagreements may still exist behind the scenes, they remain invisible on stage. Chris Robinson continues to be one of rock's great frontmen, a charismatic whirlwind combining the flamboyance of a circus ringmaster with the swagger of a seventies rock star. Opposite him stands Rich Robinson, his more reserved and stoic counterpart, anchoring the songs with the riffs and textures that have always formed the backbone of The Black Crowes' sound.

Some longtime fans may lament the absence of former members such as Marc Ford, Steve Gorman, Johnny Colt or Jeff Cease. That sentiment is understandable. Yet the musicians currently occupying those positions perform their roles with professionalism and conviction. More importantly, this has always been the Robinson brothers' band, and their chemistry remains the central attraction.

Unsurprisingly, the evening revolves around Shake Your Money Maker, performed in full and in sequence. More than thirty years after its release, the album has lost none of its potency. Opening with "Twice As Hard" immediately sets the tone, and the quality rarely dips thereafter. Classics such as "Jealous Again," "She Talks To Angels" and "Hard To Handle" receive predictably enthusiastic responses, but one of the pleasures of the format is hearing deeper cuts like "Thick N' Thin" and "Stare It Cold" restored to their proper context.

The celebration does not end there. Once the debut album has received its due, the band broadens the scope to encompass the rest of its catalogue. "Thorn In My Pride" and "Remedy" remind everyone just how strong the follow-up records were, while selections from later albums demonstrate that The Black Crowes' story extends well beyond their breakthrough. A rousing rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Rocks Off" provides the perfect encore, a nod to one of the band's most obvious influences and a fitting conclusion to an evening steeped in classic rock tradition.

For a group whose history has been defined as much by conflict as by music, there is something undeniably satisfying about seeing The Black Crowes operating at this level again. Whether this reunion ultimately leads to new material or remains centred on the legacy years is impossible to know. What is clear tonight is that the Robinson brothers have rediscovered something that seemed lost for a very long time.

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