Counting Crows & Live
July 18, 2018
Pepsi Center – Denver, Colorado
Words by: Tyler Hypnarowski
Cover Photo by: Mark Tepsic
On an evening celebrating the illustrious career of the Counting Crows, the “25 Years And Counting” Tour had a much bigger meaning for the opening band, Live. Sure, they were happy to support their long time friends and musical collaborators in Counting Crows, who toured together in 2000 before Crows’ singer Adam Duritz appeared on Live’s 2001 track “Flow”. But after 2009-2016 saw a hiatus turn into an ugly split between singer Ed Kowalczyk and his bandmates in Live, this tour marked the first extended run of shows for the recently reunited group after a handful of festival dates in 2017. It was clear from their positive energy and the tightness in their music that the group of childhood friends from York, Pennsylvania were genuinely happy to be back making music together again.
Live wasted no time getting the Denver crowd to their feet by opening up with the smash hit from their 1994 Throwing Copper album, “All Over You”. Shortly after came “Pain Lies On The Riverside” and “The Dolphin’s Cry”, with the former allowing the band’s rhythm section to show off a bit of their funky side, a unique trait that helped set Live apart from other rock bands of their time. Much like who they were opening up for, Live’s catalog is full of deep cuts that to many are right on par with their hit singles. They busted out a notable few including their alternative ode to small town America “Shit Towne” off of Throwing Copper, and “The Beauty of Gray” from their 1991 debut Mental Jewelry.
In just a 75 minute set, Live was able to pack a punch, making an arena show actually feel like the big rock show they were once all intended to be. The final few songs were highlighted by four more tracks from Throwing Copper including “Selling The Drama” “I Alone”, “White, Discussion” and of course, the mega hit “Lightning Crashes” to close the show. The group seemed to be in good spirits all night, with guitarist Chad Taylor running around stage all night and Kowalczyk bantering with the crowd about everything from Wednesday nights to York Peppermint Patties. With the energy of the run they are on now, paired with the prospect of more new music on the way to go along the catchy brand new single “Love Lounge” which they treated the Mile High crowd to, the future appears very bright for Live. Pretty impressive for a band celebrating “34 years and counting” since they first came together as young teens in 1984.
The evening’s headliners certainly had a lot to live up to after a strong showing from their cross-country pals. Contrasting the heavy guitars of the opening set and in true Berkeley fashion, Counting Crows began their show with “Miss Potter’s Lullaby”, the mellow, strolling-through-a-sunflower-field single from 1999’s This Desert Life. To commemorate the 25 year occasion, Adam Duritz spoke to the crowd in a “storytellers” like fashion before a number of songs, giving insight on how they were written or their meaning. Before they dove into the accordion-driven “Omaha”, Duritz even mentioned spending time in Denver during his childhood while moving around the country with his military parents. Further adding to the connection between the Crows and the Centennial State that goes back to the four show they played here in 25 years ago, including three shows at Denver’s Ogden Theatre and a gig at The Fox Theatre in Boulder.
The band hit upon nearly every album they’ve put out since then, from “Anna Begins” and an extended version of “Round Here” from the 1993’s August and Everything After all the way up to “Scarecrow” and “God of Ocean Tides” from 2014’s Somewhere Under Wonderland. In between those eras is where some of the band’s finest work resides, and the setlist reflected that. An uplifting “Recovering The Satellites” from their 1998 album that bears the same name was followed up by the biggest hit from that same release, the ever poignant “A Long December”. Throw in “Miami” and “Rain King” and the night sure does document quite a career. It can be argued the band doesn’t quite have the fervor in their playing that they did in 1993 or even 2013, but Counting Crows continue to put on a solid live show, even if it may be better suited for theaters or smaller halls.
It’s been a long run for both bands, who together could have easily taken up over an hour of FM radio back in 1999. An evening of musical nostalgia always brings a certain buzz to any venue, and the home of the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, and Colorado Mammoth certainly had a great feel inside it Wednesday night. But while most of the fans were focused on the throwbacks and last 25 years, I’d bet both bands are as much focused on the next quarter century.
