Counting Crows at Turning Stone: Echoes of an Authentic Ache
Songs for the Restless Heart
Counting Crows have been one of my favorite bands since I was thirteen. Their songs always felt like late-night conversations with an old friend — vulnerable, meandering, and full of that bittersweet ache that only a few can conjure authentically.
This show at Turning Stone was only the second time I’ve seen them live, but it did not disappoint. I took my lady with me, and together we got lost in the stories, the melodies, and Adam Duritz’s unmistakable voice. He might just be the last great poet in rock music — someone unafraid to wear every emotion on his sleeve.
These songs have been the soundtrack to so many chapters of my life, and seeing them performed in person reminded me why they’ve stayed with me all these years.
Videos
Spaceman in Tulsa
Counting Crows opened their set with “Spaceman in Tulsa”—and it couldn’t have been a better choice. While it’s not one of their classic radio hits, it set the tone perfectly for the night: atmospheric, emotional, and full of that signature storytelling only Adam Duritz can deliver.
Hard Candy
Just a glimpse — but a moment is all you need.. This snippet captures the soul of the song in under a minute. It’s sweet, sad, and strangely alive.
Mr. Jones
It was a simple choice in lighting — nothing flashy, nothing overproduced — but it made all the difference. During “Mr. Jones” the lights didn’t just illuminate the stage… they helped tell the story.
Virginia In The Rain
Some delicate emotion and storytelling as they perform “Virginia In The Rain.“
If I Could Give All My Love -or- Richard Manuel Is Dead
A live take on one of Counting Crows’ most powerful songs, originally from their 2002 album Hard Candy.
The song was inspired by Richard Manuel, the pianist and singer of The Band, who passed away in 1986. His influence and tragic story echo through these lyrics.
With Love From A to Z
Just a glimpse, a fleeting moment — This isn’t the whole song, just a clip that caught my attention and reminded me why I keep coming back to their music.
“With Love From A to Z” feels like a letter scrawled on a road map, a song about searching for meaning across the miles, the letters, and the empty spaces in between. It’s one of my new favorite songs of theirs — a quiet kind of anthem that aches and soars all at once.
Miami
Sometimes you get what you want, and in the quiet after, you realize it won’t save you. That’s what “Miami” feels like to me — a song about love, fear, and that hollow echo of everything you thought would fix you.
This is the full performance of “Miami” — You could feel it in the air that night: the restless energy, the ache, the way the crowd hung on every line. But it wasn’t just the band on stage — the lights were a band member, too. They moved and pulsed with the music, syncing so perfectly they felt alive, like they were pulling us further into the song.
This was one of those moments you try to hold onto long after the house lights come up.
Washington Square
During their performance of “Washington Square“, Adam Duritz stopped the show to call out the drummer for missing the Christmas bells. A rare slip-up as the band handles well.
Big Yellow Taxi
The fan favorite cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi“, performed acoustically.
Round Here
“Round Here” was the song that introduced me (and countless others, undoubtedly) to the Counting Crows and helped me connect with their music on a deeper level. I had seen them live before, but they didn’t play it then — so finally hearing it live was a real highlight for me.
A Long December
For me, A Long December has that bittersweet pull — it feels like looking back at all the mistakes and small mercies of a year gone by, and somehow still finding a tiny ember of hope.
Rain King
Where “A Long December” is the quiet ache of reflection and hope, “Rain King” is the raw, electric joy of wanting — of needing — to create and to feel alive. Both songs show two sides of the same heart: one that aches, and one that burns bright with desire.
Holiday In Spain
I loved seeing them play “Holiday in Spain” live. It’s one of my favorite songs — an anthem about leaving behind pain, complications, and all the messy parts of life, even if just for a moment.
It isn’t really about a literal trip to Spain; it’s about the desire to step away from everything that weighs you down and find a little peace, if only in your mind.
The Night's Setlist
Hard Candy, Mr. Jones, Omaha, If I Could Give All My Love -or- Richard Manuel Is Dead, With Love, From A‐Z, Miami, Colorblind, Washington Square, Round Here, Rain King, Under the Aurora, Hanging Around, Holiday in Spain
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