Review + Photos
Last night at in Atlantic City, Counting Crows kicked off their Butter Miracle Tour at Etess Arena in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The show marks the band’s return to touring since restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted, as well as their first tour in support of new music since 2014. With a new EP fresh off the presses, the alt-rock royals are back in action.
Singer-songwriter Matt Sucich started things off. Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz personally came on stage to introduce both supporting acts, singing praise for them in the process. Sucich released his brand new studio album Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself back in March. He treated fans to some new songs, and closed with his signature hit “Montauk.” Sucich is an authentic slice of Americana. Hopefully the stages he performs on will keep getting bigger.
Seán Barna band took the stage next. Accompanied his stellar band, Barna brought a different energy from Sucich’s acoustic set. The performance sported catchy, thoroughly-written songs. The whole show was supremely tight.
His last album was 2017’s Pictures of an Exhibitionist. Now, Barna is prepping to reveal his forthcoming LP An Evening at Macri Park. An openly Queer artist, Sean is setting out to blaze more trails in rock ‘n’ roll.
Counting Crows opened with “Round Here,” and frontman Adam Duritz was visibly misty-eyed as he finished up the final verse. From there, the band played a balanced set of hits and deeper cuts. They also introduced the crowd to “Elevator Boots” and “The Tall Grass” from their new EP Butter Miracle, Suite One.
During the first chorus of “Mr. Jones,” Duritz pointed the mic toward the crowd and let them belt it out. Other highlights included “Omaha,” “Washington Square,” “A Long December,” and more. They closed out the set with their seminal classic “Hanginaround” which had the whole crowd on their feet singing every word.
Not to leave fans hanging around for too long, the band returned for a three-song encore of “Palisades Park,” “Recovering The Satellites,” and “Holiday in Spain.”
Counting Crows are undoubtedly one of the most important bands in alternative rock, and it’s good to have them back.
They have a stable full of songs that have stood the test of time, and fans are thrilled to be hearing them live again.
The band’s new EP Butter Miracle, Suite One was released on May 21. A second EP – Butter Miracle, Suite Two, is coming imminently. Together, the two releases will combine to form Counting Crows’ eighth studio album.
Counting Crows’ last album – 2014’s Somewhere Under Wonderland – hit No. 6 on the Billboard 200.
The Butter Miracle Tour wraps up on October 5 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.
Counting Crows – Live Photo Gallery:
