Counting Crows - Photo credit: Mosie Hillis

The Show

The sun was setting on June 21st as fans spanning generations funneled into Milwaukee’s Miller High Life Theatre to see Counting Crows’ Banshee Season Tour with special guest Dashboard Confessional.

Counting Crows

American rock band Counting Crows started with just two members in San Francisco in ‘91. In 1993, the now fully-formed group released their first full-length album with Geffen Records: August and Everything After. Since the inception of this album, Counting Crows have gone on to be nominated for a myriad of awards (The Grammys, American Music Awards) and put out six additional studio albums. With ten million monthly listeners on Spotify, Counting Crows has proven that some bands’ music speaks to audiences in a way that spans decades.

Dashboard Confessional

Hailing from Boca Raton, Florida, American rock band Dashboard Confessional was formed by Chris Carrabba in 1999. Since their formation, the group has performed alongside a myriad of pop-punk heavy hitters such as New Found Glory and Jimmy Eat World. Before special guest Dashboard Confessional walked onto the stage, Counting Crows’ frontman Adam Duritz came out and said a few words about the band and their friendship. Carrabba led a power-packed set complete with stacked vocals and high-energy instrumentals. Dashboard Confessional did a phenomenal job getting the crowd amped up and ready for the Counting Crows set.

Counting Crows

From the moment the band members stepped on stage, the crowd’s excitement was palpable. With people of all ages out of their seats, everyone in the venue was singing along and dancing as Duritz led the band into their first song, “Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby”.

Watching each member engage with the crowd, especially Adam Duritz, it was clear to see that they are all natural performers who cherish opportunities to interact with their fans.

Playing songs such as “Butterfly in Reverse” and “Round Here”, showcasing each of the band’s albums and using at least a dozen different instruments, there was never a shortage of spectacle to enjoy during the show.

The setting of the show may have been inside a seated theatre, but the vibe of the evening was much more akin to a neighborhood block party. Watching parents create memories with their children, singing along to songs like “Mr. Jones” that they had listened to as a family in the nineties and early aughts perfectly encapsulated the evening in my eyes.

Band Links

To keep up with each of the band’s latest news and to catch them on tour check out: www.dashboardconfessional.com and www.countingcrows.com

Counting Crows Setlist

Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby
Mr. Jones
Colorblind
Butterfly in Reverse
Omaha
High Life
Time and Time Again
Miami
God of Ocean Tides
When I Dream of Michelangelo
Round Here
The Tall Grass
Elevator Boots
Angel of 14th Street
Bobby and the Rat-Kings
Rain King
A Long December

Encore:

Hanginaround (with Dashboard Confessional)
Holiday in Spain

Photos by Mosie Hillis