Chris Robinson and his As the Crow Flies bandmates are preparing to once again take flight at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York for two performances on December 30th and 31st. Marcus King Band, who’s frontman also performs in ATCF, will be on opening duties both nights.

As The Crow Flies made their debut this year with a 15+ date spring tour that began at the hallowed Capitol Theatre, so their return to the area is anticipated by both fans who were rocked by the band’s first show as well as those who missed it.

As The Crow Flies features Robinson on vocals and three additional players that saw time in the Black Crowes in the form of guitarist Audley Freed, bassist Andy Hess, and keys player Adam MacDougall. Robinson also chose to bring in longtime Chris Robinson Brotherhood drummer Tony Leone, as well as rising southern rock guitar hero Marcus King, to round out the original As The Crow Flies lineup.

Marcus King, the rhythm guitar player in As The Crow Flies and the leader of the Marcus King Band, recently commented on several subjects related to ATCF and the band’s initial tour. King touched on the band’s first ever performance at the Capitol Theater, what changed amongst the band members as the tour progressed, as well as what fans can expect when ATCF returns to the lighted stage later this month.

Marcus King Talks Reckoning With His Own Expectations, Focused Songwriting, & Calling Nashville Home [Interview/Photos]

Although the initial ATCF tour played to sold-out audiences and fans instantly clamored for future dates, the band was very much a work in progress from its outset.

“I feel really strongly about the fact we’re coming back to the venue where we did the first ever show, that for some reason, we also decided to video and record for people to listen to for years to come,” commented King regarding ATCF’s first visit to the Cap.

“That was such a poor example of what the band was really about. I don’t know if I speak for the rest of the group but that first night there was so much hesitation on my part and so much worry that I wasn’t going to be able to do the parts that Rich (Robinson) wrote any justice.”

“As I grew into myself on that tour I had to really get it into my mind that I was playing Rich’s parts but I was putting my interpretation on to them,” King said.

“As that tour went on I became much more confident with that idea while also doing my best to pay respect to those songs and the Black Crowes fantastic catalog of music.”

As Robinson, King, Leone, Freed, MacDougall and Hess hadn’t ever really played together prior to ATCF’s inception, they had to quickly become comfortable with one another from a live performance standpoint.

As importantly, the members of ATCF also had to get to know each other personally outside of the friendly confines of venue stages and greenrooms.

“A big part of that initial ATCF tour was all of us getting to know each other off the stage. There was this thirty-year age gap between some of us, so I kind of felt outside of the club at times,” explained King.

“We all got to know each other and that mutual respect was built and gained just through nights of us playing and trying to prove ourselves to each other.”

King expects things to go a bit smoother when ATCF reunites once again for their two late Decembers shows.

Said King, “This time we’re all going to be able to come out on the same page, so that should make for a very different show at The Capitol Theatre this time around.”

King will be pulling double duty at The Capitol Theatre as his own outfit, the sublime Marcus King Band, will be opening up for As The Crow Flies both nights.

The Marcus King Band firmly established themselves as southern rock and blues dynamo throughout the course of 2018.

The band hit the road with Tedeschi Trucks Band and Drive-By-Truckers on the Wheels of Soul tour this summer, they extensively toured Europe and they also played countless headlining gigs of their own here in North America.

The cherry on top of the proverbial musical cake for the Marcus King band in 2018 may have been the release of their third studio album, produced by David Cobb, Carolina Confessions.

The record more than proved that the Marcus King Band will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come in the rock, blues and jam band worlds.

Carolina Confessions also signaled the arrival of King himself as one of this country’s, if not the planet’s premier singers, songwriters, and guitar players.

Just two years ago, Black Crowes fans seemed destined to only be able to relive the band’s glory days via hazy memories of live shows gone by.

Fast forward to 2018 and now not only has Chris Robinson resurrected a Black Crowes project of his own, his brother Rich (Robinson) and former Crowes’ players Marc Ford and Sven Pipien, have done the same via their own outfit, The Magpie Salute.

As Christmas is still a few weeks out, perhaps fans worldwide could collectively make a wish to Santa asking for Chris Robinson and all the former members of the Black Crowes to reunite for at least one final, glorious ride.

Let’s face it, if the Eagles can get back together and Maroon 5 can actually be announced as the featured halftime Super Bowl performer anything’s possible, right?

Tickets and all information regarding the As The Crow Flies and Marcus King Band performances in Port Chester this December 30th and 31st can be found by visiting the Capitol Theatre’s website.

A collection of photos from As The Crow Flies initial tour this past spring can be found below.