The One With the Goo Goo Dolls Fan Club
OK, I like Goo Goo Dolls as much as the next guy. I even have two of their CDs. But at the Counting Crows-Goo Goo Dolls concert last night, there were these two guys sitting behind us -- arguably the most secure guys in the history of the planet -- completely rocking out to the Goo Goo Dolls. They stood up and danced irratically during every song, screaming and singing along. The guy sitting behind us said, "You'd think the President of the Goo Goo Dolls fan club would have better seats." I'm always glad to see people having a good time, but even I had to crack up at these guys.
The rest of the concert was phenomenal. The opening band, Augustana, was great, and the Counting Crows put on probably the best concert of the 11 I've seen. Forget everything you read on Ned/Ross' blog. This show was great.
It's really hard for me to explain my connection with Counting Crows music because it's much too personal. But, like I said before, it's the soundtrack of my life. At the time when each of the Counting Crows CDs came out, I felt that each one was written about my life at the time. I still can't listen to Recovering the Satellites because I'm afraid that I haven't quite escaped the person I was when I was 21. I'm happy, though, to report that I have almost completely escaped the person I was when I was 17. I'm not going to say much more about it then that because I know you'll all find it completely ridiculous that I have such an emotional tie to the music. That's what I think all songwriters should strive for though, writing songs that strike such an emotional cord.
The reason this concert had such an impact is because I think Adam Duritz is at the time in his life when he's reflecting over what those songs really mean to him. Each one was played with the emotion that I feel when I hear them, almost perfectly. They started with an acostic set that included my favorite song, Anna Begins, and the best version of Rain King I've ever heard with Raining in Baltimore mixed in and then moved to their electric set with songs such as Mr. Jones and Long December. Duritz was at his prime, telling funny stories and keeping the audience entertained. He told the story of how he wrote Long December, which I had never heard, and I thought added a lot to the presentation of what I think is their best "in-concert song." As he told who the song was about, he added, "And if you've listened to the song about a thousand times, I guess it's about you, too. I didn't understand that when I wrote it, but I understand it now." That song in particular takes me back to some specific memories of my early adulthood and has very personal meaning. To me, it is about me, and I thought that was a great lead-in to the song.
I thought the acostic set was phenomenal, mainly because I love the slowed down versions of the songs. Sang with such emotion, it's like they're being played just as they were meant to be. They played Hard Candy and Mrs. Potter's Lullaby, two songs I just love, and their covers of Big Yellow Taxi and Friend of the Devil. Usually they don't play much from This Desert Life, which explains the absense of some of the great songs from that album. The concert went so long that they incurred a fine for going over curfew and could play only one encore song, a song that reminds me of my mom because of the line, "But there's a couple of bananas and a bottle of booze."
Anyway, I thought the concert was excellent. The only thing that really bothered me were the people right in front of me who kept smoking pot, but I finally decided that it was fitting. What better memory during the soundtrack of your life than the thing you've spent most of your life trying to escape?
The rest of the concert was phenomenal. The opening band, Augustana, was great, and the Counting Crows put on probably the best concert of the 11 I've seen. Forget everything you read on Ned/Ross' blog. This show was great.
It's really hard for me to explain my connection with Counting Crows music because it's much too personal. But, like I said before, it's the soundtrack of my life. At the time when each of the Counting Crows CDs came out, I felt that each one was written about my life at the time. I still can't listen to Recovering the Satellites because I'm afraid that I haven't quite escaped the person I was when I was 21. I'm happy, though, to report that I have almost completely escaped the person I was when I was 17. I'm not going to say much more about it then that because I know you'll all find it completely ridiculous that I have such an emotional tie to the music. That's what I think all songwriters should strive for though, writing songs that strike such an emotional cord.
The reason this concert had such an impact is because I think Adam Duritz is at the time in his life when he's reflecting over what those songs really mean to him. Each one was played with the emotion that I feel when I hear them, almost perfectly. They started with an acostic set that included my favorite song, Anna Begins, and the best version of Rain King I've ever heard with Raining in Baltimore mixed in and then moved to their electric set with songs such as Mr. Jones and Long December. Duritz was at his prime, telling funny stories and keeping the audience entertained. He told the story of how he wrote Long December, which I had never heard, and I thought added a lot to the presentation of what I think is their best "in-concert song." As he told who the song was about, he added, "And if you've listened to the song about a thousand times, I guess it's about you, too. I didn't understand that when I wrote it, but I understand it now." That song in particular takes me back to some specific memories of my early adulthood and has very personal meaning. To me, it is about me, and I thought that was a great lead-in to the song.
I thought the acostic set was phenomenal, mainly because I love the slowed down versions of the songs. Sang with such emotion, it's like they're being played just as they were meant to be. They played Hard Candy and Mrs. Potter's Lullaby, two songs I just love, and their covers of Big Yellow Taxi and Friend of the Devil. Usually they don't play much from This Desert Life, which explains the absense of some of the great songs from that album. The concert went so long that they incurred a fine for going over curfew and could play only one encore song, a song that reminds me of my mom because of the line, "But there's a couple of bananas and a bottle of booze."
Anyway, I thought the concert was excellent. The only thing that really bothered me were the people right in front of me who kept smoking pot, but I finally decided that it was fitting. What better memory during the soundtrack of your life than the thing you've spent most of your life trying to escape?
posted by Rachel at
2:12 PM
3 Comments:
I've only seen the Crows twice (next to 11, that's pretty poor!) but those two concerts were the best and worst I've ever seen! :) The first time they were excellent (with the Wallflowers remember?) and the second time was at ROCKFEST 1997 (you have to say it in a macho voice, hence the all caps) and they sucked. They were all sorts of wasted. So Ned, I'd take Adam fat over stoned any day.
Did they play Omaha? I like that one. What's your favorite of their newer CD's?
By
Monica, at 1:58 PM
Actually, you have the order reversed. ROCKFEST was when I was still in high school (remember the crying car?) and Wallflowers was when I was a freshman. ROCKFEST was terrible.
I LOVE This Desert Life. Right now, it's my favorite of all their CDs. It changes though. I really like Hard Candy, but I don't think it's as good as the other three. They released a greatest hits CD last year that's good, too.
By
Rachel, at 7:51 PM
Oh right. I'll have to check out This Desert Life!
By
Monica, at 2:04 PM
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