MUSIC REVIEW: Counting Crows, Summer Pops, Liverpool

Jul 9 2008 by Mike Torpey, Liverpool Daily Post

Adam Duritz of Counting Crows performs at The Liverpool Summer Pops 2008 _320

ADAM DURITZ has famously described himself as cute, quiet, funny and sad.

As frontman of Californian rockers Counting Crows, the man with the dense black beard and truncated dreadlocks has become an instantly recognisable figure.

His band’s 17-year career has seen them notch up platinum album sales, see their songs used on movie soundtracks and perform at the Academy Awards.

And they were bang on form last night in what was one of only three UK shows in a marathon world tour to promote their first album in six years, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings.

There were, of course, moments when Duritz frustrated the Arena crowd. He habitually forgets lyrics, switches tempo mid-song and stretches improvisation.

But the 43-year-old can rock with the best of them and in guitarists Dan Vickrey, Dave Immergluck and long-time cohort Dave Bryson, plus keyboard player Charlie Gillingham, he is flanked by outstanding musicians.

Performing a mix of songs from the new album with staples from an extensive back catalogue, the Crows blitzed through a 90-minute set that began with Omaha before tracks like Hard Candy, Hanging Tree and the psychedelic Recovering the Satellites set the scene for arguably the evening’s highlight, Good Time.

Duritz moved onto piano as the crowd took over the backing vocals to A Long December and Mr Jones brought the few still seated to their feet.

Earlier, Brooklyn five-piece The Hold Steady went close to stealing the Crows’ thunder with a sizzling performance.

The five-piece are on the brink of a major breakthrough, and their well- crafted songs of lowlife characters, lost love and the search for redemption were reminiscent of a young Bruce Springsteen – and certainly in that league. Remember their name.