The Counting Crows rock Cary

Counting Crows front man, Adam Duritz

The Counting Crows rocked Cary, NC last night in a show that ranged from funky, to funny, to poignant. The band delighted the mixed aged crowd. Teeny boppers were most excited when the Counting Crows touring partners Augustana took the stage.

In an interesting departure from the norm rather than having Augustana stictly open the show, The Counting Crows alternated mini-sets of three to four songs with Augustana. This created some frustration amongst older fans who bellowed for the Crows to come back. Augustana's lead singer, Dan Layus, handled the situation with adroit humor. "We just work here man, and if Adam Duritz, tells us to play three songs, we play three songs." The bands played together for a sweet Dylan cover and an off-beat, fun Beatles medley encore.

The Clarion Content's correspondent also enjoyed rapper, Notar. He was a cool, high energy, counterpoint to the Counting Crows style. He provided one of the poignant, touching moments of the evening when he dedicated one of his funky 311-style hip-hop jams to his aunt who had passed away the previous night. A stylish wordsmith, we will be seeing more of him in the future.

The Counting Crows themselves played some old favorites, including a funked up version of "A Long December," which the crowd loved. They closed with a lilting and lovely cover of the Woody Guthrie classic, "This land is your land, this land is my land." This was after an impassioned plea by lead singer Adam Duritz, "I don't care who you vote for just vote. America was founded on the premise that your right to express your opinion matters. I don't care what you think, I just care that you think."

All and all a damn good show.