The Counting Crows rocked Leede Arena Saturday night, treating the capacity crowd to a sizeable number of new tunes to go along with some, but not all, of the group's old standards.
At 8:00 p.m., the crowd suddenly came to life as lead singer Adam Duritz appeared on stage to introduce the opening act, the Actual Tigers.
The Actual Tigers, a five-piece group, began with what later seemed as a curious selection for an opening number -- a mellow, flowing song that made an apparent attempt at achieving Pink Floyd's sonorous, enveloping sound. This, as it became apparent, was not the band at its best.
For the majority of the Tigers' remaining songs, the band's true personality showed through.
They were at their finest at their most inventive, as they used many different instruments and sounds to produce an appealing sound. They were evocative of Paul Simon with a fuller sound and with certain influences from Dylan, Oasis and Phish.
The set had its share of highlights, as the Tigers pulled off some great jams behind forceful drumming, a good use of keyboards and the versatile guitar work of frontman Tim Seely.
When they took themselves too seriously, the band sagged, which led to some dead spots particularly noticeable to the anxious crowd.
The group finished strong, however, with a tour de force that progressed sonically from Simon and Garfunkel to Radiohead to a powerful Guns N' Roses-style guitar-powered finale for a satisfying end to a good set.
Next, the Counting Crows made their way out, heading straight into a new song, "Miami," which would be the first of many new selections played in the evening. The song provided a good opening, and right from the start Duritz established his incontestable control over the raucous audience.
Of the first three songs, only one -- a solid rendition of "Anna Begins," came from the Crows' three albums.
Around the third or fourth song, the Crows lost their infallibility. They indulged in new tunes unknown to the audience, interrupted by better-known selections like "High Life" and a toned-down "Angels of the Silences," interestingly led by accordion instead of the thunderous guitar as on the album version.
The Crows produced "Mr. Jones" eight songs in, which drew the audience back to a frenzied state. While again this version was less exuberant than the album cut, the reworking functioned well, as Duritz forced out the lyrics in an intensely passionate fashion.
The momentum continued into "Goodnight Elisabeth," where a combination of an agile piano with the angst-ridden and anguished lyrics made for a great listen.
Next came a couple more new songs, including a straightforward rock number called "American Girls." Even as the band waded through lesser-known material that left the audience less interested and more detached, Duritz patrolled the stage with ultimate confidence, knowing he had his fans in the palm of his hand.
"Have You Seen Me Lately," with its classic rock-style guitar chord crunch, revitalized the listeners and boasted a terrific mandolin-led hard rock jam.
The band hit its true zenith next with "Rain King." The crowd was immediately won over with the seemingly infrequent appearance of a song they knew cold, and the Crows responded with an impassioned performance.
Another exciting moment occurred when Duritz suddenly went into the lyrics of Bruce Springsteen's classic "Thunder Road" in mid-song with the full backing of his band. The choice of "Thunder Road" was particularly effective, as its pessimistic and forlorn lyrics fit in seamlessly with the lyrical style of the Crows.
After this, the band finished, only to return for a two-song encore. The first was another new tune called "Goodnight L.A.," featuring Duritz on piano. This was an intriguing choice, as the somber, weary song did not do much to liven the crowd, especially to begin an encore.
The Crows redeemed themselves with "Hanginaround," where the band invited the Actual Tigers back up on stage and Duritz lapsed briefly into the lyrics of TLC's "No Scrubs." A good ending to an overall solid 15-song, 90-minute set.
The immediate reaction of much of the crowd was "what about 'Round Here' or 'A Long December?'"
No matter which songs they did or did not play, the Counting Crows were musically sound and fun to watch throughout. Duritz was the indisputable general on stage, and he received invaluable backing from a tight and professional supporting cast.
While some felt shortchanged from the lack of hit songs, the musical prowess of the group allowed the fans to look past that and enjoy the music of a skillfully performed concert.
