Counting Crows
Eventim Hammersmith Apollo, London
twentieth October 2022
After a profession spanning thirty years and 7 studio albums, Counting Crows are again within the UK selling their 2021 EP Butter Miracle Suite One. Simon Reed joins a full Hammersmith Apollo to survey the motion.
The primary time I noticed Counting Crows was in 1994. They have been touring debut album August And All the pieces After, and the venue, London’s wonderful Shepherds Bush Empire, was bought out. I couldn’t get a ticket. I purchased one from a tout on the road for a three-figure sum. That was an terrible lot of cash for a gig ticket in 1994, however as Viagogo didn’t exist at the least the money went to any individual with a face. My seat was thus far within the gods I used to be in grave hazard of floating out of it. The band solely performed 15 tunes, two of which have been covers.
I don’t remorse it for one second.
That first album, and particularly that first gig, cemented a permanent love affair with Counting Crows and I’ve misplaced depend of the variety of occasions I’ve seen them since. The final one was in 2018, the final time they have been within the UK, headlining BluesFest on the O2 Area. It was a bizarre evening. Tickets have been unreasonably costly, with the end result that the highest deck was curtained off – by no means an awesome look. Counting Crows are many issues, however one factor they’re not is a blues band. This left a variety of folks within the viewers considerably confused and for the individuals who turned as much as sing alongside to the few tunes they knew, there have been a number of subsequent complaints on social media that the band ‘didn’t play the songs like they’re on the document’.
Anybody with even a passing acquaintance with Counting Crows is aware of the band ceaselessly reinterpret their very own materials once they play reside. It’s one of many issues I really like about them. However, in the event you’re not used to it, it may be considerably discombobulating. The marginally odd vibe might need had an impact on entrance man Adam Duritz too, as at occasions he appeared almost as perplexed because the viewers. As they closed, he made an indirect remark which implied we’d not ever see them on a UK stage once more; phrases I didn’t need to hear. BluesFest was the one and solely time I’ve watched Counting Crows and never been blown away. If what Duritz implied was true, it felt like a really unhappy method for them to finish.
Roll ahead a few years and it was thrilling to listen to that Adam was writing new music for the band. This new music become the Butter Miracle Suite One EP, launched in 2021. When the tour for Butter Miracle (which pleasingly did embody UK venues) was introduced, I used to be getting tickets.
At somewhat after 9, a well-recognized line up walks out onto the stage of the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo. The entrance 4 (plus keys and accordion participant Charlie Gillingham) have been with the band both from inception or very shut thereto. Stage proper is guitarist in a hat, Dan Vickrey. Duritz patrols the center and to his left is multi-instrumentalist David Immerglück. On the acute stage left stands David Bryson, an extra guitar in hand. On the second row, bass participant Millard Powers is sandwiched between Gillingham and drummer Jim Bogios. Powers and Bogios are comparative newbies. Having joined within the noughties, the rhythm part accomplished the present line up a mere 17 years in the past.
No two Counting Crows gigs are ever the identical and the set record revolves round an inordinate variety of songs within the again catalogue. It’s due to this fact no shock they open with Speedway, a music completely no person expects to listen to. It’s a little bit of a low-key begin to be sincere, however Exhausting Sweet follows, a fabulously jangly, poppy tune which permits the band to channel their interior REM. Earlier than I depart the picture pit, they play Mr Jones, the music which broke them worldwide all these years in the past. That is one they’ve radically re-engineered earlier than for reside efficiency, however not so right here. It’s just about as per the document, which ensures the gang behind me give it their all. Adam encourages them by holding the mic stand over our heads.
The remainder of the set is a wonderful mixture of previous and new. The brand new is taken care of by Butter Miracle, performed as meant, entrance to again, and not using a break. I think about in the event you’re unfamiliar with it, receiving shut to twenty minutes of recent materials dropped into the center of a efficiency may very well be encouraging queues within the bathrooms. Your loss folks. It’s glorious.
The previous has illustration from each Counting Crows album bar Underwater Sunshine, and there are many classics. Charlie Gillingham comes ahead with the accordion for Omaha, one other huge hitter from August And All the pieces After. The viewers are immense and I’m transported again to 1994 and my rarefied air seat at Shepherds Bush Empire. I’m not ashamed to say it will get me a bit emotional.
Actually, there are a couple of occasions tonight once I seem to have somewhat grit within the eye. It occurs once more throughout a very glorious rendition of Recovering The Satellites. There’s an prolonged guitar solo on the finish courtesy of Dan Vickrey. Duritz leaves the stage for it and I’m wondering if one thing is up. Fortuitously, he’s again when it’s over. “You understand how I walked off there?”, he asks. “It seems actual fucking dramatic. Fact is, I simply don’t have something to do in that bit”.
David Immerglück has loads to do and he performs absolutely anything with strings on it appears. Tonight, he alternates between electrical guitar, lap metal and mandolin and he even performs bass on Exhausting Sweet tune Butterfly In Reverse. Immerglück actually comes into his personal although when he and Duritz carry out Jackson C Frank’s stunning music, Blues Run The Sport. Simply two spots, Adam’s voice and David’s twangy acoustic guitar. Chic.
It’s the beginning of a triumvirate of acoustic songs, concluded with Once I Dream Of Michelangelo from the Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings album, after which one other cowl; the Grateful Lifeless’s Buddy Of The Satan.
The acoustic stuff is beautiful however everybody loves a banging rocker and it is available in Rain King. It’s one other music from the debut album, and it’s one performed at nearly each Counting Crows present. For many years it’s had a barely completely different remedy with breaks within the choruses. It’s designed to encourage crowd participation – and it receives loads tonight. It additionally historically segues into and out of a canopy of Springsteen’s Thunder Street; however tonight, once more they play it straight. Perhaps they noticed the feedback about their final London look.
The primary set closes with A Lengthy December. It’s one other go to to the Recovering The Satellites album and it options Adam enjoying a swiftly wheeled-out upright piano, while Charlie Gillingham dons the squeezebox for a second time. Adam doodles a bit on the piano earlier than hitting us with the principle chords. There’s an awesome response and for the umpteenth time, I‘m reaching for the person dimension tissues.
Of the three guitar gamers out entrance, solely David Bryson on our proper is a real founding member of the band. He’s understated. Usually enjoying acoustic components and infrequently enjoying nothing in any respect, he typically leaves the guitar pyros to Immerglück and Dan Vickrey on the opposite facet of the stage. He does, nevertheless, get to start out the encore; the opening notes to Spherical Right here – opening observe on August And All the pieces After, and a Counting Crows anthem. As quickly as these notes ring on the market’s a roar which may in all probability be heard in Fulham and very quickly, Adam is holding the microphone out to the viewers once more. He will need to have sung this music 1000’s of occasions however it nonetheless sounds prefer it did the primary time I heard it 29 years in the past.
Jim Bogios begins the second encore, Hanginaround from behind the equipment. It’s a joyous tune at the very best of occasions however is given an actual get together ambiance now by the viewers participation and somewhat improvised cameo in flip from every member of the band. The present closes, as nearly each Counting Crows present does, with Vacation In Spain; or as Adam put it: “Our lullaby to you”. All of us sing alongside and I’m dewy eyed all through.
“Whenever you spend 30 years on the identical stage with your folks you understand you’ve acquired good buddies”, says Adam on the very finish. He introduces his buddies to us and the band collectively take a bow. Then he conducts the viewers in a verse of California Dreamin’ off the PA, earlier than clearly, unambiguously and loudly declaring: “WE WILL BE BACK!”
I can’t let you know how good it’s to listen to these phrases.
You’ll find Counting Crows on their web site and on Fb, Instagram and Twitter.
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All phrases and pictures by Simon Reed. His web site Musical Footage is right here and you’ll go to his writer profile for Louder Than Battle right here. He tweets as @musicalpix and is on Instagram at musicalpictures.co.uk
