Noblesville, Indiana
Photos and Review by Hadyn Mayes
On the calm summer night of June the 23rd, the vibes were warm and friendly at Ruoff Music Center as patrons patiently waited for an epic night of music. The night would be filled with a wonderful blend of alternative rock and Latin-infused rhythms as Counting Crows opened for musical legend Santana.
I enjoyed watching the fans laughing and drinking in the hours awaiting Counting Crows, many of whom were sporting t-shirts from previous tours and even some bought that day!
When Counting Crows took the stage, they were met with a standing ovation and screams from fans in the pit all the way out to the lawn. They 0pened with the 2002 hit song “Hard Candy.” This song set the tone with introspective lyrics and melodic riffs.
Adam Duritz’s voice was in top form as he led the band through a very well curated setlist. Many of the classics such as “Round Here” and “Mr. Jones” were met with a full crowd sing-along. Some of the deeper cuts such as “A Long December” were met with fans swaying and listening almost in awe of the band. Some of them were even tearing up and hugging their partners.
Duritz made sure throughout to have lots of crowd interaction, from friendy banter to encouraging sing-alongs by holding the mic out to the crowd. He made sure to go to both sides of the stage and even sit at the very front of it to bring an all-inclusive feel to the massive venue.
The guitar riffs David Immergluck, Dan Vickrey, and David Bryson were on point. With many points of complimentary chords and stand out solos, they added great melodic power behind the voice of Duritz.
Overall their set was a joy to watch and they were met with standing ovation once again at the end of their closing song “Hanginaround.” Fans seemed to thoroughly enjoy the set list and the wide variety of emotions it evoked.
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