Despite illness canceling one show earlier in the week, the Counting Crows were in fine form during their Boston stop on the Traveling Circus and Medicine Show. Lead singer Adam Duritz started on the festivities with an extended PSA for the non-profits at the venue. Then the full company, the band plus Michael Franti and Spearhead and Augustana, came out for a rousing two-song introduction to the party. The Counting Crows took the stage on their own for the opening set that included a beautiful version of If I Could Give All My Love.

For their two sets, the Counting Crows covered a lot of ground, including a healthy dose of August and Everything After, Omaha, Mr. Jones, and Anna Begins. They brought out a rarity, the Nanci Griffith track Going Back To Georgia (which Duritz sang on and co-wrote), and from the new album When I Dream Of Michelangelo.

This was a fine, fine performance, and the format of the night, each band playing a shorter set intermixed with collaborations, actually worked. There was a seemless transition between sets. Some of the best songs were collaborative efforts, like Why Should You Come When I Call and a cover of Bob Dylan’s Just Like a Woman. The night ended as it began, with the full company on stage, pounding through a rousing version of Paul Simon’s Cecilia and the Crows’ own classic Rain King.

Augustana contrasted pretty sharply with the other bands by being an understated cross between Coldplay and Bob Dylan. Their two sets during the night where fine performances despite being low key pop affairs, giving the crowd a break from the frenetic energy of Michael Franti and Adam Duritz. Their music was mellow-bordering-on-emo, and their stage presence was completely swallowed up by the other bands. It was hard to see how they could carry a show on their own.

Playing the track Boston would have been pandering except it was the highlight of their set.

Michael Franti and Spearhead managed a level of energy during their two abbreviated sets that was unmatched by either of the other bands. Playing a mix of rock and reggae, and playing the musician and the master of ceremonies of a wild dance party, Franti was a force of nature on stage. The highlight of the night was a full company run through of their track Hello Bonjour.

For what it’s worth, they seemed to stick to a hits-heavy set, Say Hey (I Love You) and rousing version of Yell Fire!. Probably most everyone in the venue had never heard of Spearhead, but they converted fans tonight by the masses. They were hugely entertaining.

Tori Amos gave an exquisite performance, starting with a three-song whammy including a big, big version of Big Wheel. The Sinful Attraction tour rolled into Boston for the last U.S. stop showing no fatigue from the twenty-plus dates that came before. The show began and ended on a euphoric high. The setlist was heavy with American Doll Posse tracks and a big nod to From the Choirgirl Hotel.

There wasn’t much talking, aside from introducing the band, but just a seamless run through some of her best tracks, including a heavenly solo version of Silent All These Years on the Bösendorfer (during the Lizard Lounge segment). The new material was pretty, but simply couldn’t match the depth of her older tracks which was more obvious by her pairing Tear in Your Hand against Welcome to England (the new album’s first single). Of the new material, Flavor, stood on its own the best, bookended by two amazing performances, Space Dog and Hotel respectively.

She picked a lot of songs that really focused on her vocals and keyboards, shunting Matt Chamberlain’s drums and Jon Evan’s guitar parts to the background. Especially songs like The Power Of Orange Knickers and Digital Ghost which climaxed on her performance alone, the backing instruments very much seemed like an afterthought.

The surprise of the night was when Tori came out in her Santa persona (from the ADP album) to pound through throbbing versions of Raspberry Swirl and She’s Your Cocaine and Body and Soul during the encore. Holding a martini glass, Santa flicked her drink on the crowd in the front row. But here’s the thing, the costume change revived the energy of the show in a way I couldn’t have predicted. The collective vigor of the venue, including from Tori herself, took a huge upswing with Santa on stage, matching the power of Big Wheel in a way that nothing in between could hold a candle to.

Tori Amos setlist
Give
Big Wheel
Cornflake Girl
Bells For Her
Space Dog
Flavor
Hotel
Tear In Your Hand
Welcome To England
Jamaica Inn
Silent All These Years
You Know I’ve Gotta Go improv
Cool On Your Island
Lady In Blue
The Power Of Orange Knickers
Talula
Digital Ghost
Precious Things
Strong Black Vine
Encore
Raspberry Swirl
She’s Your Cocaine
Body And Soul

Heard two songs of their opening set for Tori Amos. The music seemed chill but didn’t make an impact. However, a couple people who saw the whole set only had rave things to report. We got a free sampler disc of their music so I will give it a listen.

old curmudgeon of a lead singer yelled at the crowd halfway through the first song, something about tossing stuff on stage – crowd wasn’t deterred and continued to mosh properly – mix of 70s punk that I really like (“I Love Livi’” in the City”) and frat-punk that I really dislike (“More Beer”) – the heat was ridiculous and I was in inappropriate shoes: lost the energy to analyze and remember but, as far as I remember, they were good

can\”t go wrong blending surf into punk

relatively clean cut older guys – looked and sounded so California that I was awash in homesickness – reminded me very much of Offspring though maybe more skatepunk – made the huge mistake of never playing the song I love by them, “Gutters of Paradise,” the lyrics of which express the punk ethic that I most appreciate

after Ghostface Killah, found their new upbeat rap appalling and boring – but they quickly shifted “back to the 90s” and I was in heaven again: droning bass-heavy rap – I realize that my taste remains the same across genres: the dark and droning, whether metal, ambient or rap, will always captivate this girl

seemed to focus more on Wu-Tang stuff than his solo material – his voice is appealing, more boyish and winsome than other members – my memory of his set is unfortunately overshadowed by the silly 20-somethings next to us who were dying to start a fight with any willing fellow audience member – I pulled out my old teacher face and down-eyebrowed them – Wu-Tang’s still the only cult I’d willingly join

My wife and I recently attended a “Blue October” concert on saturday August 8, 2009 at the “Marquee Theatre” in Phoenix, Arizona. I also had the opportunity to share a few brief moments with the bands lead singer (Justin Furstenfeld) in the parking lot behind the “Marquee Theatre” he was in pain and asked me to open a prescription bottle for him for his wrist. Justin allowed us to take a few photographs of him with me and some other fans and also he did some autographs in his book titled “Crazy Making,” he also autographed some t-shirts for other fans as well. Justin talked about how he gets fined by some bible belt arenas for singing the word “Fuck” and they fine him $1,000 per word. I say they are not living up what they preach and are being greedy which is against the bible.

My wife took photographs of me with the rest of the band as well. I was able to get autographs and photographs of Jeremy Furstenfeld-Drums, Ryan Delahoussaye-Violin, CB Hudson-Guitar, and Matt Noveskey-Bass.

They are all very fan friendly as they exited the “Marquee Theatre” and came directly over to a group of about fifty or so fans. They talked to us, shook our hands, hugged some of us, talked about some personal and band issues going on. They are just a bunch of fun guys. They are still real people that have not yet been consumed by the fame.

I personally would recommend everyone going to a “Blue October” concert. The concert was full of energy and the band was able to hypnotize as they engaged with the crowd.

Jason Mraz spent the first few minutes on stage introducing his band, a unique way to get the party started. But it was a rippin’ party, complete with a short set from the back of the venue that gave the crowd back there some lovin’. Mraz is an awesome stage performer, with a beautiful range and a way of transitioning between ballads and long extended jams that feels natural and keeps the audience engaged from start (an introduction by Bushwalla) to finish (a lengthy goodbye to the audience just Mraz on stage by himsefl). There were no hiccups in the almost two hour set, highlighted by a soaring version of Only Human, a singalong of I’m Yours (complete with Bob Marley’s Everything’s Gonna Be Alright).

Marz stripped down to the bare essentials for a short set from the back of the venue, shown on the video screens in black and white for the benefit of the people in the front of the house. Included a spine-tingling version of At Last that segued into Sleep All Day. The band jammed while Mraz made his way back to the mainstage for an encore of Clockwatching (including a hint of the Charlie’s Angels theme song) and The Dynamo Of Volition.

Jason Mraz setlist
Fun, Fun, Fun
The Remedy (I Won’t Worry)
Make It Mine
Who Needs Shelter
If It Kills Me
Live High
Only Human
Unfold
Beautiful Mess
I’m Yours/Everything’s Gonna Be Alright
Butterfly
Back of the Venue
Lucky
Never Too Late
At Last/Sleep All Day
Copchase
Encore
Clockwatching
The Dynamo Of Volition

G. Love & Special Sauce spent the first half of their set as a credible jam band with a prevailing jazz feel. The songs weren’t especially memorable but the performance was surprising tasteful and their musicianship was stellar.

That all flew out the window half way through the set when G. Love introduced the song Booty Call. He asked the audience to vote for the clean version or the dirty version (as if the band was in any way prepared to sing the clean version…) The harmonica overload that led into the song was intriguing. The song was dumb and the chorus was obnoxious. And the rest of the set followed suit.

The next song was so stupid, I am here to offer the partial lyrics to the song: “Bring your own beverage Just make sure it’s cold.” The song is called, you know, Cold Beverage. WTF?!? It’s like G. Love is a 10-year old latch-key kid trapped in a man’s body, writing about stupid shit he does after school while waiting for his parents to come home.

Guess it wouldn’t be a G. Love & Special Sauce concert with Baby’s Got Sauce. Move over, Jimmy Ray, you’ve got competition for the lamest song ever to become a hit. Whatever cred G. Love built in the first 25 minutes was demolished in the second 25.