If you’ve never been to a Counting Crows concert, you might innocently ask something like “What can I expect when the Counting Crows play at Borgata’s Festival Park Labor Day weekend?
Ha, you really have never been to a Counting Crows show. What to expect? Who knows?
Oh, sure, there will be Counting Crows music sung by Adam Duritz, but that’s about all you can say for sure.
A set list? They don’t use one.
Exact performances of their songs to match their recorded versions so you can sing along? Nope, they change them—and usually the lyrics—every show.
You’ll hear the band’s signature hits like “Mr. Jones,” “Round Here” and “Accidentally in Love”. Well, yeah on that one, but after that, there’s about 80 other Counting Crow songs they choose from.
The bottom line is that the Counting Crows have always been known for their live performances and their improvising on stage. It makes every Counting Crows show unique.
Take the set list. Duritz will work it out right before they take the stage September 5 at Festival Park by sending some text messages.
“It goes to the band, the crew and the opening band, if we’re good friends,” he tells USA Today in a recent interview.
At Festival Park, the opening band is Citizen Cope.
Of course, Duritz’s lyrical adventures does sometimes lead him far astray from the original lyrics, but then there is always a way back.
“I have a book of lyrics that sits behind me, under the piano,” he says. “It’s there to refer to in an emergency, or if I want to look at something before a song, but I can’t be referring to it during a gig.”
So even with the lyrics on stage, a Counting Crows show is a one of a kind experience, and it’s been that way since the band first broke out with the album August and Everything After in 1993. Touring and live performance always took a major role in the group’s history, the band has produced three live albums and encourages bootleg recordings of its shows. They are currently touring in support of their seventh studio album, 2014’s Somewhere in Wonderland.
“One of my guitar techs told me last year we have in excess of 80 songs in the rotation right now,” Duritz says. “The one real evidence of 20 years having passed is that we have all those songs to play every night. There’s a satisfying feeling in having created such a wealth of material.”
And with a unique show, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is offering some unique ways to experience Counting Crows at Festival Park September 5 including:
VIP Packages
Meet and Greet with Sound Check Package – $224.50
The package for the ultimate fan includes the following: one premium or general admission ticket to the show, a photo at the meet and greet with the Counting Crows, attend sound check, collectible autographed poster, $30 gift certificate to the Official Online Store, Somewhere Under Wonderland CD and an official VIP laminate.
Merchandise and Tickets Package – $129.50
The package for a night you want to remember includes the following: Premium or General Admission ticket to the show, $30 gift certificate to the Official Online Store, Somewhere Under Wonderland CD and collectible autographed poster.
BEVERAGE CABANAS
Private beverage cabanas are available with bottle service. For information and reservations, call 609.317.7249.
Doors open at 3pm with music by Sidearm, exclusively for ticket holders. Sidearm is a power trio with a diverse play list that includes everything from rock/pop/classic, rock/new wave/dance/r&b/funk/blues – they cover it all flawlessly.
Tickets for Counting Crows with Citizen Cope September 5 at 7pm at Borgata’s Festival Park are $49.50 and available here.