Tuesday, August 08, 2000
Counting Crows, Live mesh well
Concert review
By Chris Varias
Enquirer contributor
Live and Counting Crows, the two sides of all that is sensitive and generic in modern rock, make a good match at the top of a bill. The two bands — one anthemic, the other poetic — played Riverbend Sunday night.
Live is ready-made for arena rock. Vocalist Ed Kowalczyk would begin singing in plaintive voice, or perhaps a quiet falsetto, while lead guitarist Chad Taylor would strum gently. Tension and volume would build through the verses, until arriving at the chorus, when Mr. Kowalczyk and the band would give it their all.
Counting Crows, which went on last, is a heartland bar band with a coffeehouse lead singer. Their instrumentation, which includes accordion, mandolin and piano, would signal Americana or alt-country, but the result was lite FM. Their lead singer, Adam Duritz, writes and sings in a way to match his band's languid arrangements.
Even though they played only 10 minutes longer (Counting Crows played for an hour), Live outplayed the Crows. One highlight was one of their arena anthems, “All Over You.”
Mr. Kowalczyk was a shirt-removing, face-contorting ham, but Mr. Duritz's annoying quotient scored a bit higher.
Mr. Duritz went for the self-pitying sentiment. For the encore he coupled Oasis' “Live Forever” with Counting Crows' own “A Long December.” No doubt he selected the Oasis tune because it rhymes one of his favorite sensations to sing about, “pain,” with his favorite meteorological metaphor for said sensation, “rain.”
“A Long December” is about as slow as would be expected for a song of that title. After the final note, Mr. Duritz said goodbye to the crowd and reminded people to vote, as if his medleys were a call to join the political process.
The best moments of the show, the crowd would say, were when the bands combined forces. Mr. Duritz joined Live on “The Dolphins Cry.” Then, before Counting Crows' encore, everyone from Live, the opening band Galactic and several other roadies, relatives and hangers-on joined the Crows in singing their new single “Hangin' Around.”
'Safe Place' aims to save infants
Festival controversy continues
Robbery suspect hails taxi, fails getaway
Jewish leaders say Lieberman optimistic choice
Tristate calls pick 'inspired'
Weekend parties serve conversation
Hackers taking advantage of Netscape hole
Butler Co.'s $35M+ jail project on track
CPS mulls levy request amount
More than money needed for tower
Reading program pays off
Snowden opponent quits post on panel
Survey finds support for CPS
Taxpayers kick in $250,000 for art at Bengals' stadium
Lazio taps Cincinnati funds for campaign
Man faces murder charge
Money will be returned to city
Scootering through summer
Six up for police top job
Teachers tapped for awards
Grants help buy police vests
Hidden weapon lawsuit revised
Mother wins Kenton Co. lawsuit
School bells ring for early start
Clooney's TV work victim of his success
Counting Crows, Live mesh well
Fort Wright loses power after crash
Get to it
Pig Parade: I Squeal. You Squeal. We All Squeal for Ice Cream.
Tristate digest
