I wasn't there but saw him with CSN last year and he was pretty rough then. Funnily enough I was just listening to the CSNY outtakes available from Bigo

http://www.bigo.com.sg/

...and there are some backing tracks with no vocals, which, as we know, were mostly played by Stills in a veritable overdub fest - and they are quite brilliant. Perfect parts for the song and an object lesson in arrangement construction (mind you, that out of tune lead guitar on the final album version of "Wooden ships" still sounds crap). I've always been a bit dubious about his rampant ego, but these tracks show how good he was (is?).

More, please.

I was at his Sheffield gig on Saturday and after seeing him on Later the night before I was a little wary of his voice, although, saying that, I still thought he came over very well on the programme and much more humble than I expected. At the gig itself his voice wasn't at its strongest but he made up for it with much effort and the acoustic set was great despite him having a mini paddy over a damaged finger nail after a couple of numbers! Suite Judy Blue Eyes was awesome! The electric set was another thing altogether though. His playing was spot on but it never really got going and the crowd was very subdued which didn't help. Seemed to end a little abruptly too with no Darkstar which, as has been mentioned on here before, he'd played at a previous gig. I am a huge CSN&Y fan but had not bothered with any of them live before as I figured their best was a long long time ago. That is almost definitely true, although Neil Young early this year (my first time) can hardly ever have been better I'd wager. Anyway, glad I bothered and just need to tick off Crosby & Nash now for the set!

On leaving gigs early though a mate and I decided to revisit our youth a couple of months ago and go and see Def Leppard/Whitesnake. Oh dear! The night started badly as we couldn't get parked so missed the opening act Thunder and lost the opportunity to off load the two spare tickets our wiser friends gave up the chance of. Finally walked into the arena a couple of Whitesnake songs in so missed Fool For Your Loving - STILL a classic in my eyes (pre the American years version I should add). Coverdale does still have charisma though and we ended up enjoying them despite the short set with no encore. Then on to the Leps. Now bear in mind that they were the first rock band i ever saw live and was absolutely mad for the debut album when it came out although I gave up on them before the next album and hadn't bothered with them since. Well, they were shite! With a capital S! Was in Subway across the street six songs in and probably tucked up in bed 60 miles away before they'd come off stage. Tragic.

The observation regarding the comparatively large foreheads of Still's backing band is priceless.

There's a lesson to all live bands: If your performance is poor then discerning members of your audience will be less forgiving of your other shortcomings.

Well, I can only repeat what I said a week or so ago, he was terrific at SB Empire. Perhaps his voice has deteriorated as the tour has gone on, but it was very strong two weeks ago.

The acoustic set was much better than the electric though, that's true.

As for walking out of a gig halfway through, I did that quite recently at Newton Faulkner. I only went at a mate's suggestion, and he was awful, and what's even worse, very smug with it. I couldn't bear it and left.

You should have stayed. I would have carried on reading to the point you reached the exit.

As for Stephen Stills, I'm sorry I couldn't make it that night, I was otherwise committed or I would have been.

As you may or may not know he's recovering from an operation for prostate cancer something my dad had and I'll just say unless it visits your family's door it's very hard to explain just how much it will throw you the sufferer, your family and friends. Its not a topic most men indulge in, say as opposed to women and breast cancer.

I say this because he had his operation in January, I leave it to you to look up the side effects, which include erectile dysfunction, (you are correct) and incontinence etc. We've lived it in our family so I know all about it.

2 things come to mind,

1. His friends took him out on tour within 4 months of his operation for which I say fair play to them.

2 He had the courage to go out by himself on this tour with his body still in recovery and get back to work. That was brave.

His voice is shot to shit, so definitely is his body, and if he can get some form of therapy in his recovery by doing what he is doing I say good on him.

My dad gave up smoking cigars after his operation. When I read what the side effects of his treatment were, (he didn't tell me), I took him up the town and bought him a packet of Hamlet. Life is too short and I wouldn't be too hard on Stephen Stills.

Great review though.

I take your point - the reference to the effects of his illness was a cheap shot. As I'm sure you appreciated it was not intended to be an objective review.

I admire anyone who copes with and comes back from that type of blow - I won't trade parental medical histories but I know how this type of illness can effect all concerned. In my (partial) defence, in the interview that he gave where I saw it mentioned, I thought that Stills himself dealt with the subject, and side effects, in a fairly crude way. As you say life is too short, and there is maybe a distance from the events in my case that gives rise to a black humour that I certainly would not have indulged in or appreciated at the time. I remember that every reference to the illness that appeared in the media at the time - and inevtiably there were many - made me feel physically sick. For that I apologise.

I agree that it was a brave move to go out on tour so soon. Whether it was entirely fair to the fans who paid to see him is another matter.

There was clearly a lot of goodwill amongst the audience on Wednesday night - myself included - but I for one could not sustain any interest in what was actually happening on stage. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" was great, but I suspect that that was based on history rather than that night's performance. My main reaction was disappointment, and I had a long drive home.

I'll probably go and see him again the next time he plays - hopefully in Vicar Street. See you there? Bring your dad.