POP MUSIC Reviews : Vigorous CS&N; Spice Up the Oldies

“We have all been here before . . . .”

That’s a dangerous line for Crosby, Still & Nash--an act whose stock in trade for years has been living in the past--to sing these days. But on Thursday at the House of Blues, in a rare intimate show kicking off the trio’s 25th anniversary tour (which includes a return to Woodstock for the 25th anniversary of that landmark festival), it was much more than mere “Deja Vu” all over again.

Sure, the show was dominated by oldies, including “Marrakesh Express,” “Helplessly Hoping” and “Wooden Ships,” but CS&N; and their four-man backing band played and sang with new vigor. The famed harmonies weren’t as tight as in the old days, but these guys were rocking perhaps harder and rawer than ever, from the opening “Love the One You’re With” to the encore duo of “Woodstock” (of course) and “Carry On,” with Steve Stills’ blues-rock guitar leads especially energized.

Also encouraging was a handful of new songs, scheduled for an upcoming album. None are up to the level of the old favorites, but there was also a sense of energy and purpose here far above most anything CS&N; have done (together or separately) since the glory days.

Maybe it’s the prospect of being one of the few veteran acts that will be on the otherwise youthful Woodstock lineup, but whatever the reason, this was a spirited, nostalgia-transcending return to relevance. Welcome back, guys.