Adam Duritz
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Counting Crows
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Counting Crows
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Counting Crows
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Counting Crows guitarist Dan Vickrey
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Counting Crows vocalist Adam Duritz
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Hollis Brown
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Hollis Brown
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Hollis Brown
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Hollis Brown
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Hollis Brown
photo by Patrick O'Hagan
Hollis Brown, a blues rock band, took the stage first opening for the Counting Crows at Nashville’s newest venue, Ascend Amphitheater, last week. They were fine musically…until they decided to bring out their song entitled “John Wayne.” Suddenly the lead singer took on a very Neil Young-esque style of singing, which if we are being honest is never pleasing to the ears.
The type of people you might expect to attend a Counting Crows concert in Nashville, were exactly the people who showed up. Although they mostly showed up late, trickling in until the main act hit the stage with the venue never quite feeling full until then.
One really neat side note was the fact that Adam Duritz, lead singer of the Counting Crows, was standing at the side of the stage during the opening act and was there to introduce Citizen Cope, the next band to play. I’ve only ever seen that kind of humility once before when Dave Matthews came onstage to introduce the Lumineers, when they opened for him a few years back.
So after the little Neil Young stunt, and just when I thought the bands would have to get better….they didn’t. I had heard the name Citizen Cope before, but never really knew anything they did. I understand why now. The band came on stage and everyone seemed to be fine, except the lead singer. His opening guitar strums weren’t in time with the beat that his competent band was supplying him. His playing and singing was slurred and delayed the entire performance. He was also sporting a dreaded man bun, and I do mean dreaded in every sense. At one point he did say he was thrilled to be in Nashville, though in a very monotone voice.
Finally it was time for the main act, which at this point I was concerned about after seeing the two openers. The Counting Crows however were good. Adam Duritz was down to earth and funny in-between songs. His signature dreads look resembles someone wearing a furry wolf hair from afar. Which makes me think their merch team should definitely make Duritz hats for fans.
The Counting Crows played a long, solid set. Their song “Mercy” seemed to have a little extra twang, but it was their Nashville show. Duritz seemed happy to let the fans have their way, encouraging people in the audience to sit or stand, “whatever you feel like doing,” he said.
The August 7 stop in Nashville was part of the “Somewhere Under Wonderland” tour, named after the band’s most recent album. The Counting Crows finish their tour in Oklahoma in October.