Counting Crows and +LIVE+ take stage together

The Island Now

After more than two decades and 20 million albums sold globally, the Counting Crows are currently celebrating 25 years of making music with their “25 YEARS AND COUNTING” tour along with special guest, the multi-platinum band +LIVE+. 

The Long Island stop on the tour will be at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 6:30 p.m.

“The nice thing about having 25 years of music to celebrate and seven studio albums we absolutely love to choose from is that we can play a different show every night,” said Crows’ vocalist Adam Duritz. “The nice thing about touring with +LIVE+ is that we (are getting) to spend yet another summer with old friends who play great music.”

+LIVE+ vocalist and guitarist Ed Kowalczyk echoed those sentiments: “We are freshly reunited and performing with a confidence and ferocity that we can’t wait for people to experience. The fact that we (are) sharing the stage once again with the incomparable Counting Crows is icing on the cake!”

Known for creating unique and innovative concert experiences year after year, the Counting Crows are recognized as one of the world’s preeminent touring live rock bands.

Comprised of Adam Duritz (vocals), Jim Bogios (drums), David Bryson (guitar), Charlie Gillingham (keyboards), David Immergluck (guitar), Millard Powers (bass) and Dan Vickrey (guitar), the Counting Crows exploded onto the music scene with their multi-platinum breakout album, August and Everything After, in 1993.

The band released their seventh studio album, Somewhere Under Wonderland, in September 2014, which earned critical acclaim as one of the “band’s best,” scored a top 10 debut, and was recognized as one of the group’s “stronger works” (USA Today), claiming a spot on Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Songs of the 2014 list with the track “Dislocation.”

Originally from Pennsylvania, +LIVE+ features Kowalczyk, as well as Chad Taylor (guitar, backing vocals), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass) and Chad Gracey (drums, percussion).

The band has sold over 22 million albums worldwide and earned two No. 1 albums, Throwing Copper and Secret Samadhi.

Their song catalog is filled with such gems as “Lightning Crashes,” “I Alone,” “All Over You,” and “Lakini’s Juice,” which live on today as classics on rock radio.

Throwing Copper produced the band’s biggest single, “Lightning Crashes,” which was No. 1 at modern rock radio for ten consecutive weeks. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and eventually surpassed sales of ten million albums sold, with Rolling Stone honoring the album with placement on their “1994: The 40 Best Records from Mainstream Alternative’s Greatest Year.”

Secret Samadhi (1997) immediately shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and eventually went double platinum. The release of the platinum-selling The Distance to Here (1999) turned +LIVE+ into an international powerhouse and moved the band from arenas into stadiums. +LIVE+ has been and remains today a global concert juggernaut.

The reunited original lineup of +LIVE+ has released their first new music since reemerging in 2017 with 26 shows in five different countries, including major festivals such as Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza and Arroyo Seco — a run of arena dates with Guns N’ Roses and solo headlining shows.

“Love Lounge,” the band’s first new single in ten years, debuted in June on RollingStone.com, with Ryan Reed calling it “thunderous” and noting that “Kowalczyk alternates between a muted, bluesy rumble and a full-throated roar on the track, singing over psychedelic guitar leads, swooshing hi-hats and layers of distortion.”

“Love Lounge” lyrically explores the dichotomy of love and fear. The track, produced by Taylor and mixed by Tim Palmer, also features the two touring members of +LIVE+, second guitarist Zak Loy and second drummer Robin Diaz.

“This is the first time I was asked to produce and engineer +LIVE+, and ‘Love Lounge’ was a monster track to capture,” says Taylor of the song recorded at the band’s Think Loud Studios in their hometown of York, Pa. “I wanted the band to sound raw and tight like our early days at CBGB’s.”

Kowalczyk said the following: “I kept saying to everyone that we needed the first release of our comeback to be a ‘face melter’ in terms of energy and vibe. We were coming back from a very long break and I didn’t think it was time for a five-minute, mid-tempo meditation.” 

Fans can catch this new act and purchase tickets to the “25 YEARS AND COUNTING” concert by going to jonesbeach.com or livenation.com.

Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater is located at 895 Bay Parkway in Wantaugh.

 

 

Share this Article