Photos by Andy Argyrakis

The 60th anniversary of Graham Nash’s vast body of work was received so warmly, it got extended as “More Evenings Of Stories & Songs,” which made its way from the super intimate Old Town School Of Folk Music to the larger but still snug Cahn Auditorium on the campus of Northwestern University.

Fellow Evanston venue Space presented two shows, and in terms of the closer, it brought fans of multiple generations a mixture of solo selections, the folk super group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and even a hint of his British Invasion band The Hollies. 

Nash is now 82-years-old, yet that didn’t stop him from rotating between vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano and organ, all while providing two acts’ worth of material in as many hours, dating back to the early 1960s.

The double Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and a sturdy three-piece band started on the CSN notes of “Pre-Road Downs,” “Wasted On The Way” and “Marrakesh Express,” then moved towards his own “Military Madness” and “I Used To Be King.”

The Hollies’ “Bus Stop” served as a lighthearted flashback prior to the more topical leanings of the Crosby & Nash pair “To The Last Whale​.​..Critical Mass/Wind On The Water,” and “Immigration Man,” plus their was a nod to another bandmate, Stephen Stills, via “Love The One You’re With.”

After intermission, “Simple Man” casually greeted attendees, although make no mistake, the headliner was as articulate as they come, which was also obvious throughout “Wounded Bird,” CSN’s “Cathedral” and “Prison Song.”

“Just A Song Before I Go” was preceded by a hilarious tale of being dared into an extemporaneous writing session, “Our House” had roots in Nash’s relationship with the iconic Joni Mitchell and “Teach Your Children Well” found the crowd becoming a choir.

The wisdom kept flowing in the encore thanks to “Chicago,” “Find The Cost Of Freedom” and “Ohio,” each penned through the lens of the Vietnam War, but nonetheless offering timely reminders that “we can change the world/ re-arrange the world” in the ongoing pursuit of social justice right here and now.

For additional information on Graham Nash, visit GrahamNash.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Cahn Auditorium include The Mountain Goats (Oct. 17); Richard Thompson (Oct. 24); Rickie Lee Jones (Oct. 30); Laurie Berkner (Dec. 7); Josh Ritter (Dec. 13) and Los Lobos (Dec. 14). For additional details, visit EvanstonSpaceMusic.com.

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