{"id":1312,"date":"2009-08-01T20:00:22","date_gmt":"2009-08-01T20:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/216.71.127.204\/wordpress\/?p=1312"},"modified":"2015-10-15T16:44:45","modified_gmt":"2015-10-15T16:44:45","slug":"counting-crows-w-augustana-the-showgrounds-houston-tx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/2009\/08\/01\/counting-crows-w-augustana-the-showgrounds-houston-tx\/","title":{"rendered":"Counting Crows w\/ Augustana – The Showgrounds – Houston, TX"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
Written by Daniel Barker <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Aug 01, 2009 at 08:30 PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Image\"The Traveling Circus and Medicine Show made its way to Sam Houston Raceway Park in Houston, Texas on August 1st, 2009 and HMR was there to see what this was all about. We had heard some internet chatter about this show being more of an event than your standard straight forward 3 band show. The lineup has consisted of Michael Franti & Spearhead, Augustana, and Counting Crows but with Michael Franti having to pull out just recently in the tour due to appendicitis, we were left with the latter two acts. HMR have been huge fans of CC since the very beginning and were really attending for their sake only. Anything else would be merely icing on the cake. An August outdoor event in South Texas can be a very brutal ordeal if you are not prepared but with the help of a nice breeze blowing thru the track and the most benevolent SHRP staff there was no doubt that this was going to be a cakewalk.<\/p>\n

The San Diego based Augustana consist of Dan Layus-vocals, guitar, piano; Jared Palomar-bass, vocals; Justin South-drums; Chris Sachtleben-lead guitar, mandolin, lap steel; John Vincent Fredericks-piano, Hammond B3, vocals.\u00a0\u00a0 They are touring behind the April 29th, 2008 Epic release \u201cCan\u2019t Love, Can\u2019t Hurt\u201d. It seems they are best known for their single \u201cBoston\u201d which is primarily a wrenching vocal and piano piece by lead man Dan Layus.<\/p>\n

Fellow Californians, the Berkeley, California based Counting Crows current lineup consist of Adam Duritz-vocal, piano; Charles Gillingham-piano, organ, mellotran, harmonica, accordion; Dan Vickery-guitar, banjo; David Immergluck-guitar, mandolin, pedal steel, bass; David Bryson-guitar; Jim Bogios-drums. They are touring behind the March 25, 2009 Geffen release \u201cSaturday Nights & Sunday Mornings\u201d. An album with an interesting concept more suitable for an LP with side 1 upbeat and electric focusing on what Duritz described as Saturday night sin and side 2 mellow and stripped down relishing in post sin morning after regret and the glimmer of hope of getting better. To broaden the contrast, CC even chose to work with 2 separate producers for each side. The groups sophomore album \u201cRecovering The Satellites\u201d \u2013 Gil Norton on Saturdays and Indie phenom \u2013 Brian Deck on Sundays\u2026The album draws on the firmly established thematic threads that Duritz so boldly confronts with his lyrical genius wonderfully weaving them for the true fan. Many of which were here on THIS Saturday night\u2026What would their Sunday morning bring here in August and everything after???<\/p>\n

The circus show began with CC\u2019s \u201cCaravan\u201d with both bands on stage. A very appropriate opening number obviously but these are not small bands and the stage was full. The comfort and familiarity was evident from the start as the sound was tight and the vocal exchanges between Adam Duritz and Dan Layus were dead on. An explosive opener that set the pace for the night and had this reviewer smiling as it was clear that these two bands knew and respected each other very much. I don\u2019t know but the absence of the third wheel so to speak may have had a lot to do with it\u2026.not taking anything away from Franti. We at HMR wish a fast recovery and look forward to catching him very soon.<\/p>\n

The tour website made it clear that these guys were not messing around with the time but with an announced 7PM start time they did not get started until 8:15PM\u2026again more than likely due to the missing link. So by the time the show started the place was swelled with a very impressive crowd for SHRP\u2026.With everyone staying on stage the guys continued to breathe new life into CC tour standards. With the early standout by far being a truly amazing version of \u201cOmaha\u201d\u2026WOW!! HMR\u2019s hat is off to Dan Layus for his performance with AD on this piece. Exchanging verses, stellar harmonies on the chorus, and improvising thru out just had the crowd\u2019s mouth watering. It is abundantly clear that DL inspires AD and that he has taken the up and comer under his wing. Hopefully, AD can help that very talented young man dodge the many, many pitfalls that he has endured personally and in the biz\u2026and speaking of endurance\u2026AD looked better than HMR has seen in a long time…He was everywhere all night…very animated and appeared to be happy..not always the case with Mr. Duritz.<\/p>\n

To give everyone a chance to catch their breath, AD spoke on how everyone comes from a million bands in their business and it is sad that some very good songs just get lost along the way. A segue into a song from a band that Charles Gillingham and Dan Vickery were in prior to joining CC…\u201dFour White Stallions\u201d. The members of CC then got up and waived as they were going to take a well deserved break. I have to say that there was a very unpretentious folk festival feel the whole night as the performers would come and go off the stage at will\u2026With all CC songs to this point, Augustana settled in to treat the crowd to some of their tunes. As they kicked off with a cover of one of HMR Senior Editor Edge Ferranti\u2019s favorites\u2026Foghat\u2019s \u2013 \u201cI Just Want To Make Love To You\u201d, AD came back on stage with tambourine in hand and just went wild to the delight of everyone in eyeshot\u2026.<\/p>\n

After a few tunes, Augustana slowed it all the way down with their 1 million selling single\u00a0 \u201cBoston\u201d. Before starting the tune, DL took time to convey his admiration and respect for the members of CC and how grateful his band was to be a part of this event. After finishing the tune, there was a 10 minute intermission announced. At this point we were 11 songs in and if the second set proved half as good as the first it would be one hell of show\u2026<\/p>\n

CC came out to start the second half with the a song they rarely play live, the masterpiece \u201cAnna Begins\u201d and they were grateful enough to give the press another 3 songs for photo ops\u2026HMR was on it and Edge got some priceless shots… Make sure to take a look in the photos section!!! CC held the stage solo as AD would elaborate on the songs meaning thru either story or thru his unique performance interpretation. \u201cMiami\u201d was a standout with a thrown in impromptu opening on piano by AD\u2026As my friends and fellow fans Barrow and Wooden Leg stated\u00a0 – \u201cCC are not where they are by accident\u201d\u2026.These guys are 15 year performance veterans and prove it with every song. SHRP had the sound perfect\u2026which sometimes has been just the opposite…At some of the earlier shows this season, the best seat in the house, sound wise, was in the freaking parking lot\u2026way too loud\u2026 seriously.<\/p>\n

The boys from Augustana joined CC to play some more of their original songs like \u201cI\u2019m Still Not Over You\u201d and \u201cFire\u201d a ballad that DL wrote for his wife explain that he thinks about her in that short black dress when he sings it\u2026He then insisted that Adam had to think about a different girl in a short black dress when he was singing\u2026.the humor was not lost on any fan that has just vaguely kept up with the very public and active love life of AD. The guys then split up again leaving CC onstage for a couple more including \u201cLong December\u201d before joining them again for a funky \u201cWhy Should I Come When You Call\u201d with a beat box breakdown\/rap ending\u2026.followed by a Grand Ole Opry like circle bluegrass number \u201cRaisin a Rucus\u201d..If you have ever asked what exactly a rucus sound like you got your answer tonight—RIP John Hughes\u2026<\/p>\n

To close out the wonderful night of outdoor music, the guys pulled out every stop for an epic version of \u201cRain King\u201d\u2026 The arrangement was fresh and inspired. A trait that CC has always been admired for\u2026In fact the group purposely worked on several arrangements of each song the intended to perform for VH1\u2019s \u201cStorytellers\u201d series which resulted in the live double album \u201cGhost Across The Wire\u201d. They have been criticized immensely for playing alternate arrangements to their biggest hits on tour such as \u201cMr. Jones\u201d…Interestingly not played tonight as neither was \u201cRound Here\u201d – their #1 and #2 hits. That\u2019s balls\u2026In fact on the way out; HMR overheard some disgruntled frat type\u2019s disgust of being dragged to the show by their Twittering\/Facebooking\/Iphone in my face the whole show double-dates who only wanted to hear the one song. What a shame\u2026..This just reinforces why AD publicly admits to his loathing of the song.<\/p>\n

During \u201cRain King\u201d, this supergroup onstage was able to somehow blend in The Beatles \u201cWith A Little Help From My Friends\u201d and CC\u2019s \u201cGoodnight Elizabeth\u201d inside the powerful song somehow bring it all together and by the time the last chorus was being sang SHRP was standing room only\u2026With all this energy and attention, AD took time to rant about voting, community activism, etc., etc. Unique to The Traveling Circus and Medicine Show is that they work with only local outreach groups at every event allowing booths, etc\u2026On this night he highlighted The Galveston Bay Foundation with major post-Ike recovery needs to restore the ecosystem in the bay system so important to this area. Then the night ended with everyone singing Woody Guthrie\u2019s \u201cThis Land Is Our Land\u201d\u2026.<\/p>\n

This was a feel good event for the real music fan\u2026HMR wonders how you can get a feeling like you just sat thru an entire music festival when there were really only two bands the whole night. These guys were anti-ego and so unselfish focused on the music in the moment that it left HMR with a warm feeling usually reserved for the small club shows supporting a virtual unknown that you know is doing it for the sake of the song. Keep an eye out for Augustana…I will say point blank that Dan Leyus is going somewhere for sure\u2026a wonderful talent that had the best duo with AD since Jacob Dylan on \u201c6th Ave Heartache\u201d\u2026\u201dOmaha\u201d was amazing!!!!<\/p>\n

Thanks again to the professional staff at SHRP for being so helpful and allowing HMR to do what we do. This season SHRP has treated us like we are Rolling Stone\u2026Thanks as well to all the HMR friends that made it out\u2026 We will see you out again supporting live music.<\/p>\n

The set list for this night was:
\n1. Caravan
\n2. Mrs. Potters Lullaby
\n3. Omaha
\n4. Hard Candy
\n5. U Can\u2019t Count On Me
\n6. Four White Stallions
\n7. Sweet Virginia
\n8. I Just Want To Make Love To You
\n9. Stars and Boulevards
\n10. Boston
\n11. Anna Begins
\n12. Insignificant
\n13. Good Time
\n14. Miami
\n15. I Believe In You
\n16. I\u2019m Still Not Over You
\n17. Calm Me Down
\n18. Fire
\n19. Le Balet D\u2019or
\n20. Long December
\n21. Why Should You Come When I Call
\n22. Raise A Rucus
\n23. Rain King
\n24. Cecilia
\n25. This Land Is Our Land<\/p>\n

The show lasted approx 3 hours with a15-20 minute intermission.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Daniel Barker Aug 01, 2009 at 08:30 PM The Traveling Circus and Medicine Show made its way to Sam Houston Raceway Park in Houston, Texas on August 1st, 2009 and HMR was there to see what this was all about. We had heard some internet chatter about this show being more of an… <\/p>\n

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