They opened their set with the haunting “Round Here” and it included such songs as “Scarecrow” and “Colorblind,” as well as their signature tune “Mr. Jones,” where everybody in the audience was singing along with them, as vibrant lights dimmed from the Jones Beach stage.
Equally impressive were “Cover Up the Sun” and “Anna Begins.” Front-man Adam Duritz’ voice was mellow and nostalgic, as they brought their listeners on a trip down memory lane to the ’90s. They paid homage to the Grateful Dead with a tender acoustic version of “Friend of the Devil,” where the stage was graced in purple lights.
They closed with “Recovering the Satellites” and their Top 10 single “A Long December.” For their encore, Counting Crows returned to sing “Palisades Park” and “Rain King,” and Duritz went on to introduce his talented band-mates. “Thank you all so much for coming out,” Duritz said. “I hope you enjoyed K Phillips, I hope you enjoyed Rob Thomas and I hope you enjoyed us, because we enjoyed you. I hope you have a good night.”
Counting Crows received praise from fellow co-headliner Rob Thomas for “killing it” at Jones Beach, which Thomas shared via a post on his Facebook page.
The Verdict
Overall, Counting Crows were able to deliver at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater. Their live set garnered four out of five stars. Together with Rob Thomas, they were able to put on a strong co-headlining tour, that resonated well with their fan-base, especially their middle-aged fans.
For more information on Counting Crows and their tour dates, check out their website.