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Counting Crows, Live, and Collective Soul are a Triple Threat Line-Up! A Kweevak.com Rock Report by Rich and Laura Lynch
To find a line-up as potent as the Counting Crows, Live and Collective Soul you would have to look 60 miles south along the Hudson River to the Bronx to find Jeter, A-Rod and the one they call Godzilla. Still, the concert in Wappingers Fall, New York was a monster undertaking and it did take place in a baseball stadium that is home to the Hudson Valley Renegades. On August 25, 2007 more than 5,000 rock and roll renegades braved scorching heat and humidity to participate in the "Rock ' N' Roll Triple Play of 2007" that has been touring minor league ballparks across the U.S. since late July.
 Adam Duritz was a bundle of energy during the Counting Crows impressive set! Collective Soul, Counting Crows and Live are musically diverse and different from each other, yet all three are described as American alternative-rock era groups. All were founded in the 1990's and each have enjoyed the ups and downs of success since their formation. In 2007, the bands formed a dream-team and scheduled a summer series of live shows at baseball stadiums in the midwest and east coast portions of the United States. In 1993, the song "Shine" penned by Ed Roland became an underground radio hit. Atlantic Records took notice and Collective Soul was born as a major label band. Despite mainstream success, Collective Soul struggled financially in the early years due to a bad business deal but they eventually got things straightened out. Collective Soul has sold millions of records and has built a solid reputation as an energetic live act. Their latest CD Afterwords was released in August 2007. Right from the start, the Counting Crows focused on cultivating their live shows, which helped them grow their fan base. August and Everything After was their debut album which blossomed and brought the Counting Crows worldwide fame and recognition with the help of MTV. With a few roster changes over the years, the Counting Crows continued to release standout records supported by relentless touring. Today, they are still flying high and their new CD Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings is scheduled to drop in the fall of 2007.
 LIVE's Ed Kowalczyk on stage in Wappingers Falls, New York. Live is known and respected for their anthemic rock songs with Zen tendencies. Throwing Copper is their biggest selling record to date and was also their big breakthrough album. Since then, Live has continued to issue insightful and innovative records and they have steadily increased their following. Live has global appeal especially in Holland, Europe and beyond. Live is currently working on a new CD with a tentative release date of 2008. Fans of various ages arrived early to Dutchess Stadium for a triple play of 90's rock. Many were tailgating in the parking lot beforehand and musical strains of all three acts were merging in the air as we strode to the entrance of the field. Since the show was taking place in a baseball stadium the national anthem was played before Collective Soul took the stage promptly at 6:30 p.m. Collective Soul came out swinging, making ample use of their lead-off status in the opening innings. They played an energetic, eight-song set that included lots of hits and one new song "Hollywood" - a catchy rocker from Afterwards - their recently issued seventh studio release.
 Ed Roland fronts the Collective Soul collective. Ed Roland is a lively lead singer and guitarist. Roland prowled the whole stage, sang with expression and performed a few shenanigans with his mic stand. Ed was able to engage the crowd - even those sitting in the bleachers - with clapping and encouraging people to sing the hook lines to some of Collective Soul's most popular songs. Yet, Collective Soul is more than just its front man. Lead guitarist Joel Kosche combined with guitarist Dean Roland to deliver driving riffs and luscious leads. Rhythym team Will Turpin (bass) and Ryan Hoyle (drums) propel tempting tempos that pack plenty of punch. Collective Soul played a strong set alive with spirited interpretations of their songs with some interesting changes. Highlights included a creative version of "Run" and the crowd pleasing "Shine". Between sets, members of the Counting Crows did quick PSAs for the local charities that were on site. Next at bat was Live, who stepped up to the plate and rocked the home of the Renegades with the hard-hitting "All Over You". Live connected with the crowd immediately. Their set was a varied mix of anthemic sing-a-longs, contemplative compositions, edgy rockers and melodic numbers. Live's cover of Johnny Cash's "Walk The Line" contrasted power packed drumming and guitar riffs with the reflective refrain of the Man in Black's time-tested number. As lead singer Ed Kowalczyk described it was "a good version of a great song".
 Dean Roland helps provide the crunchy hooks found in Collective Soul songs! "Wings" from the album Songs From Black Mountain (2006) combined melodic perceptive lyrics with soaring guitar leads and it had a crowd-pleasing catchy hook. "River" also from the forementioned record flowed on lush lyrics and a lilting refrain. Live hit it out it of the park with "I Alone" with its potent riffs, rhythms and powerful refrain. The band was all over the stage for this one, jumping and running around, very animated. The song also included a rap about the world needing more love and bringing the troops home which saw Ed begin a cosmic chant of "love" and the crowd complied by filling the stadium with the postive mantra. Another grand slam for the band was the closer "Lightning Crashes". Folks held their cell phones up for lights, singing, and responding enthusiastically to Live's effectiveness and energy. Live's clean-up act was a commendable mix of classics from Throwing Copper (1994) and more current songs that covered all the bases of their impresseive recording career. The last licks of the night were provided by the Counting Crows who took the stage a few minutes after nine. Fans were eager with cell phones held high - energized by a few bars of "Lean On Me" which the Crows chose as their uplifting entrance song. Adam Duritz greeted the crowd and stated that they learned a bunch of old songs that they have not played in a while. He also mentioned that thier new record Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings would be out soon and opened the set with the first single - "When I Dream of Michaelangelo" - which was a colorful reflective piece featuring poignant piano parts.
 LIVE was at home in a live setting! Adam was clearly slimmed down from when we saw him last in Hershey, PA., abundantly energetic, moving around the stage and quite talkative, often rapping between songs about the new album and the origins of their music. The set was a mix of up-beat fan favorites and moving, melancholy material. Even Adam painted "Perfect Blue Buildings" as a mopey song about being miserable. Before the band played "All My Friends" Duritz mused about relationships gone bad and how all his friends have grown up while he seems stuck in time. The song was serious with a sullen overtone. "Hard Candy" was also executed with emotion. The Counting Crows presented alternative interpretations of some of their songs, including an acoustic version of "Miami" and "A Long December". The band was in good form, highlights of the inning included the popular "Mr. Jones" and "Hang Around". The Counting Crows delivered a solid performance that was diverse and entertaining. Combined bills are good opportunities for bands to play to and win over new audiences. Collective Soul, Live and the Counting Crows was a great combination and it would be fun if they continued to tour as a team in the fall, playing indoor venues which are better suited for sound. The acoustics at Dutchess Stadium were average but there were fluctuations and phase shifts in the quality and volume of the music during all three sets but overall the show was still a championship caliber presentation!
 Adam surveys the crowd of 5,000 plus who gathered in the outfield. Related Links: For more information on the COUNTING CROWS, LIVE, and COLLECTIVE SOUL and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- countingcrows.com | collectivesoul.com | friendsoflive.com
 Originally Published: 09/01/2007 on Kweevak.com |
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