A relaxing, entertaining evening awaited fans last week when Counting Crows brought their Banshee Season Tour to Arizona Financial Theatre on Thursday. The longstanding Bay Area rockers took 30 years of music and curated a multi-act setlist that had a little something for everyone.
British folk singer Frank Turner provided the opening support for the night, eschewing his full band setup for a mandolin enhanced acoustic performance that put his powerful vocals front and center. As with many performers that visit Phoenix in the dead of summer, Turner was absolutely appalled at the extreme heat and expressed his embarrassment at having to wear shorts on stage to compensate for the high temperatures.
The heat didn’t slow down the energy of his set, however, and he cracked jokes and told stories between songs- including dedicating “The Work” to his wife of four years. After nearly an hour onstage, Turner made a graceful exit having won the hearts of old and new fans alike.
One thing about Counting Crows is that they are consistent- and after three decades, that’s exactly what we want from them. Don’t let the dramatic light show overwhelm your senses because it’s the setlist of stellar songs that will pull your focus every time.
“Mr. Jones” was only the third song in the list for the night (a power move by the band) before jumping into “High Life”, “Black and Blue” and so much more. They even threw in a few carefully selected covers by Taylor Swift and Joni Mitchell before the conclusion of the main act.
The band returned to the stage for a highly demanded encore, bringing out Turner for a duet rendition of “Hanginaround” before closing the incredible night with “Holiday in Spain”- the perfect kickoff for the upcoming long weekend.
Check out all the photos from the show!
Story and photos by Olivia Khiel
