All concert photos by Zeke
I made the rare trip to Key Bank, Post Gazette, Star Lake place in Burgettstown. I usually skip shows out there but then I was thinking, I’ve gone to west coast to see shows, this is closer. I made it there in less than an hour.
I went to see The Counting Crows. I’ve wanted to hear them live for 25 years. I’ll admit that I’m not a big fan but love their songs on the radio and the 3 or 4 records of theirs I have.
I was expecting a nostalgia fest due the concert celebrating their 25th anniversary. With much excitement and little expectations I waited for the opening act – Live. I’ve actually seen Live/lead singer Ed Kowalczyk many times. Somehow I even caught them at the Benedum of all places.
Both Live and Counting Crows shockingly have mostly all original members. In this day and age, that is refreshing. How a band can go as high as these two did and then fall off while staying together is astounding.
They kicked things off with All Over You showcasing Kowalczyk’s soaring vocals and the band as fierce as they were but also tight like men that have been playing together for thirty years. I finally got to hear Selling the Drama, which they had skipped in 98. Their 13 song set was as long and powerful as most headliners.
Crow’s frontman Adam Duritz had stated in an interview with The Post Gazette’s Scott Mervis that, “There are some songs where I just don’t play them on the nights I don’t want to play them.” He proved to be a man of his word.
They skipped charting Billboard songs: Einstein on the Beach, Accidentally In Love, Big Yellow Taxi, Angels of The Silences, Daylight Fading, American Girls, A Murder of One and Friend of the Devil.
Don’t take this as a complaint though. Despite not knowing the first seven songs, I was amazed. I was thoroughly in the palm of their collective hand. Nothing could have prepared me for the power, immediacy, and the intimate feel I had in the concrete soulless shed that is Key Bank Pavillion.
The extended raps that preceded the songs and bands’ obvious love of the music made a connection not just to me, but to the mostly full house (guessing 15,000+). One would think that skipping the hits in favor of newer and lesser known songs would disappoint such a large crowd, but they were taking the trip with me.
When they finally did get to the hits, they just fit in. Hell they even put two non-hits in the encore sandwiched around Rain King. Clearly they played what they felt and the show was better for it.
The Crows have turned a casual fan into a die hard. I’ve spent the weekend diving into their 25 year catalog. It’s almost cool I missed these album cuts the first time as I can discover them for the first time now.
Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby
Hanging Tree
Omaha
Daylight Fading
Miami
Colorblind
God of Ocean Tides
When I Dream of Michelangelo
Round Here
Recovering the Satellites
Goodnight L.A.
A Long December
Mr. Jones
Hanginaround
Palisades Park
Rain King
Holiday in Spain
