Graham Nash and his current touring band made an August 24, 2024, tour stop at the pastoral, Point of the Bluff Vineyards in Hammondsport, NY. Nash last played the biophilic hillside concert locale for an evening of stories and song in 2022. A musical tent and ornate timber frame pavilion set the location for an evening of singer songwriter music and stories. Nash played songs from the Hollies, Crosby, Stills, and Nash (and Young), and a smattering of vital cuts from his deep and underrated solo career.

The 82-year-old Nash continues to release new music and since his last visit to Hammondsport, he has added two multi-instrumentalists to his group, with long time keyboardist Todd Caldwell. Both Adam Minkoff (drums/guitar/bass) and Zach Djanikian who contributed (guitar/bass/mandolin/saxophone/drums) replaced previous guitarist Shayne Fontaine. The four-piece band played studio standard renditions of Nash’s best songs and took the opportunity to stretch out when the song warranted it. The recent injection of youth into the band gave the songs a new urgency and spark.

Nash’s positive and loose vibe belied his age, and he stood stoically with thick silver hair and denim shirt unbuttoned across his chest. He sounded exactly like the voice you would expect to hear. While Nash sometimes moved down the scale into his bandmate Stephen Stills lower parts in the famous CSN three-part harmonies, his voice was still true. The lightly brushed patina and downturned melody lines only unavoidable dings of age to which Nash deftly compensated with pathos.

While the four-piece band began in a standard configuration Djanikian and Minkoff swapped around instruments throughout the night allowing Nash to stay on acoustic or stand at the microphone sans instrument and sing. Their easy flexibility a key to the success of many of the evening’s songs.

The show began with the Crosby, Stills and Nash number, “Wasted on the Way,” an appropriate commentary on Nash’s pervious band’s partnerships. This was followed by the smoky “Marrakesh Express,” hailing from the famous trio’s first album. Nash greeted the packed venue with, “It’ s a little crazy right now isn’t it?”, before playing a bombastic and always appropriate version of “Military Madness,” from his 1971 solo album Songs for Beginners.

An airy and regal, “I Used to Be a King,” from the same record followed, an inspired reading, with Nash’ reaching for the same lofty vocal heights as his younger days. A lustrous jam reveled itself paying homage to the original version of the song, while offering a contemporary look at its construction.

“Right Between the Eyes,” came next, a song that the Hollies had originally rejected, and Nash played with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young on the 1971 live record Four Way Street. This version was given a facelift with bass, mandolin and Hammond solos exploring Nash’s delicate melody in jazzier fashion than its previous acoustic incarnation.

Keeping the same group line up as “Right Between the Eyes,” Nash then told a known well-known story about the Hollies meeting songwriter Graham Gouldman, just before playing Gouldman’s song, the Hollies, “Bus Stop.” The songs famous power pop prelude invited the warm summer air of nostalgia to blow across the attentive crowd. The addition of mandolin an exciting addendum to the songs three-part harmonies.

A few honest words about Nash’s relationship with the departed David Crosby preceded a recording of their instrumental piece “Critical Mass,” segueing into an emotive version of “Wind on the Water,” that brought many of the crowd to their feet at its conclusion.

A crowd-pleasing version of “Immigration Man,” that kept the venom of its original intent was taken to highlight level because of the exciting instrumental prowess of Nash’s band. Nash retrieved the high chorus notes effortlessly and showed no inability to hit any of them. A performance that allowed a revitalized warhorse to be given a new lease on life.

Nash then revealed to the crowd that his next song was composed for musician Rita Coolidge. “Better Days,” yet another song from the stellar Songs for Beginners album followed, with Nash sat at the Hammond organ for the song’s recognizable and tension filled keyboard lick. The band marched with him in dynamic time, Nash’s voice a mixture of road weary hopefulness and optimistic fragility. An amazing version of classic cut.

The first set of music closed with a funky sing-a-long version of Stephen Stills, “Love the One Your With,” that spotlighted the deft harmonies and attentive details of Nash’s bandmates. The crowd rose to their feet in recognition, and Nash announced that they would be back in twenty minutes.

After the set break Nash returned with a sparce version of “Simple Man,” from, you know it, his 1971 debut solo record.  With harmonica rack around his neck and sat at piano he sang his autobiographical song with an unforced poignancy and delicate beauty. This second portion of the show exhibited an intimate quality and focused on Nash’s voice and harmonica work.

After “Simple Man,” another tribute to Stephen Stills followed with a solo acoustic version of CSNY’s “4+20.” Nash then sang a devastating version of the beautiful “Wounded Bird,” while standing solo at the microphone with only gentle accompaniment from the group. Nash cracked a harmonica joke remarking how easy it is to play a harmonica you just need to know how to “blow and suck,” … and if “you can’t blow, you suck.”

Then came a very welcome version of “Taken at All,” from the 1975 Crosby /Nash record Whistling Down the Wire, that kept Nash center stage at the mic with his harmonica. The group really made this song their own and exchanged smiles during the performance.

After this reflective musical interlude came an arresting version of “Prison Song,” from Nash’s 1974 Wild Tales album. Excellent playing by the band ensued while the song was given a heavier gait that its studio counterpart. Big windy blasts of harmonica and thick flashing guitar work bent the bars on this Nash “deep cut.”

It was at this point at the show that Nash and his band peeled of melody after recognizable melody and song from Nash’s 60-year career. These are the songs that built Nash’s career and that have embedded themselves into people’s hearts and lives. “Just a Song Before I Go,” “Cathedral,” and “Our House,” were each given focused exciting readings with Nash providing a commentary on the background of each song’s genesis.

Nash brought the house down and concluded the show with his most beloved and famous song, “Our House,” which despite its familiarity never fails to elicit a chill.

For the encore Nash brought out yet another towering composition in a cache full of hall of fame worthy songs. “Teach Your Children,” was a hopeful send off for the collective crowd and contained a message without an expiration date. Smiles and singing drifted across the grounds in the late afternoon sun, and for a moment, regardless of any external factors the optimism and promise of the age of Aquarius was tangible.

Before the crowd departed, Nash illustrated the years haven’t dulled his activism and his steadfast belief that music can still change the world. He showed that his can songs still bring people together and are still politically charged and even divisive at times. After a bit of commentary about the recent Democratic Convention, Nash and his mates closed the evening with a still lyrically relevant “Find the Cost of Freedom,’ and Neil Young’s “Ohio,”

The only knock I can say about the performance was the lack of new music. Nash has released two very good solo records in recent years, 2016’s This Path Tonight and 2023’s Now. I understand that most of the crowds are coming to see the “hits,” but Nash should know there are attendees that want to hear his current work as well.

While times and people change, unfortunately history does not, and Nash’s performances of his still important historical songs is artistic proof that we still have much to learn. Despite the divisions of current political orientation, one thing that cannot be debated is that everyone deserves to live a free and uncluttered life. Graham Nash knows this and his continued artistic optimism into his eighth decade is cause for celebration. The fact that Graham Nash still performs and creates at a high level after a 60-year career is also reason to celebrate his performance at Point of the Bluff Vineyards.