Counting Crows

I can still remember walking into what was Menzies in Brentwood during a lunch break in the early 1990s and hearing the first three tracks on Counting Crows debut album " August and Everything After" . By track three - Mr Jones, I was at the counter buying a copy.

In the twenty years since, this has been one of my most frequently played albums. During that time I have seen them play at a variety of London venues. So when news came of them playing two London concerts a ticket was booked and I made my way to Hammersmith.

Counting Crows have only released one album of new material in the last decade. In a sense they have bought time by releasing live albums and a cover albums ( not of great interest to me). As a result the audience tend to be fans who go back some time. Not surprisingly the songs that are best received come from the early albums.

Round Here, Anna Begins and Rain King all from the debut album feature prominently in the set. After two hours the encore is rounded off with "Holiday in Spain".  A thoroughly enjoyable evening, singing along to a band that I've grown with over the last two decades.