Most of us fondly remember the first act that we loved independently of our parents. We discovered them on our own and they spoke to us as individuals, meeting us as the people we were becoming, not the children still tied to the adults who raised us. They’re there for us at a time we needed them to forge our own identities. If we’re very lucky, they’re still there for us in the years that follow. For me that band was the Counting Crows. As a 13-year-old, I enjoyed singing along to “Mr. Jones” but I felt truly seen by “Round Here.” Yes, I was an angsty little thing! I got a copy of August and Everything After in my Santa sack and had it on repeat until Recovering the Satellites dropped in 1996. With the release of Hard Candy I was a little older and finally able to start seeing Counting Crows in concert. I developed a new respect for their artistry with every subsequent show, marvelling at the way frontman Adam Duritz could play with melodies and lyrics to make the songs I knew well feel fresh. That experimentation wasn’t to everyone’s taste, but I was here for it.
It was a case of first-world problems when I missed the last tour due to a holiday in Western Australia. So I was thrilled when Counting Crows announced they’d be a part of the ill-fated Bluesfest lineup for 2026. I counted my blessings when mercifully they weren’t a casualty of the collapsed festival. Before one of my favourites, I finally saw Kingswood. I say finally, because the Naarm/Melbourne act has been around for nearly 20 years, yet for some reason our paths had never crossed. Their blend of country, rock, and blues was the perfect foil for Counting Crows. Every member of the band has serious musical chops. I loved hearing the members harmonise and Fergus Linacre and Alex Laska trading off lead vocals. They had so much energy. It was the perfect entrée for the evening’s entertainment.
From the first notes of new track “Spaceman in Tulsa,” there was a different energy about this Counting Crows gig. It sounded so true to the album, a celebration of this new chapter. I thought perhaps Adam was sticking to the script just because this was a new song, but as the band moved into older numbers like “Hard Candy” and their breakthrough hit “Mr. Jones,” Adam stayed faithful to those recordings, even encouraging us to sing along as he held the mic aloft. We were all sharing a moment here, and it was glorious. Of course, Adam can never resist a little experimentation, but I think this show had a perfect balance between those sing-along moments and more creative sections.
The set was inspired. Counting Crows is a band with relatively few big hits. While they’re happy to tick them off for casual radio listeners, they’ve got time to deliver plenty of those favourites that more hardcore fans just don’t expect. The set is always changing, dependent on the vibe of the band and the audience. I was thrilled to hear so much from the fabulous 2025 album Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets! Then there were songs I’ve long held close to my heart like “Angels of the Silences,” “Goodnight Elisabeth,” and the stunning closer “Holiday in Spain.” You expect a band to fill your cup with a song that you already adore. It’s more surprising when they can floor you with a song you’ve ignored. “Washington Square” has never hit me before, but I felt it last night.
Counting Crows are such a good band. Five original members are still waving the flag, bringing a sense of camaraderie which is so special to witness. Adam is a force of nature, a little less angsty than he used to be but no less passionate. I got a little thrill every time Charlie Gillingham stepped out from behind the keys and picked up the piano accordion. David “Immy” Immerglück can seemingly play any instrument, but his turns on mandolin were highlights. I had so many moments though where I just marvelled at the sound as I bopped along in my seat.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Adam so humble, so grateful, as I did last night. He’s always been a man of few words, preferring to let the music speak for him. But he took a moment to pause and thank us for the support through all the years that has allowed him to continue making music. It was heartfelt, an acknowledgement of the magic we all felt in that room. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all my Counting Crows shows, but I have no hesitation in saying last night was the best of the bunch. Like a fine wine, they just seem to get better. Tickets to the rest of the Aussie The Complete Sweets! shows are rare, but if you can get yourself to a show I promise you won’t regret it.
30 March 2026 – Enmore Theatre, Eora/Sydney
1 April 2026 – Palais Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
2 April 2026 – Palais Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne
4 April 2026 – Fortitude Music Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane
6 April 2026 – Enmore Theatre, Eora/Sydney
Photo credit: Lauren Katulka
Last time around Richard was solo and acoustic, so I was excited to see him with a full band this time around. But before all that, Matt Cornell treated us with his musical stylings. I really appreciated his laidback blend of country and folk music. He’s such a talented songwriter, and honing in on his lyrics helped me truly appreciate what he was all about. I’m not sure he was the right fit for this crowd though. They seemed restless and so many of them chatted through his performance. Perhaps on a night sold on nostalgia, something more familiar would have been better received.
Or perhaps the crowd was just focused on the man they came to see, because they erupted for Richard Marx. “Endless Summer Nights” is the sort of song most artists would close with, but when you’ve had as many hits as Richard Marx you don’t need to keep anything in the tank. More smash singles followed, including “Take This Heart,” “Keep Coming Back,” and “Don’t Mean Nothing.” Richard informed us that he goes to enough shows to know what fans really want, and that new tracks would be kept to a minimum, to rapturous applause. I was thrilled to hear the new single “Last Thing I Wanted” though, a song which shows he still has a knack for crafting catchy tunes. He told us how thrilled he was that they’re playing it on stations that play Selena Gomez, when before he was only heard alongside artists like Bette Midler and Barry Manilow.
We all expected him to play “Hazard,” one of his biggest Australian hits. However, I’m not sure anyone anticipated Ronan Keating joining him on stage. I’m not sure the song really works as a duet, but the excitement Ronan’s appearance generated was something special. Personally, I was much more thrilled to see Jack Jones, the former singer of Southern Sons, on guitar for the night. I was in raptures when Richard told us he couldn’t let Jack go without hearing a little of “Lead Me to Water.” Jack’s voice sounds every bit as amazing as it did back in the day.
Another special moment came when Richard treated us to some of the many songs he’s written for other artists: the N*Sync song “This I Promise You,” Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father,” and Keith Urban’s “Long Hot Summer.” I didn’t realise Richard was behind these great songs, but hearing them sing them, it made perfect sense. I felt a little sorry for the folks who couldn’t quite hear when Richard became properly unplugged for “This I Promise You,” but honestly it was the best the audio sounded all night. The Enmore really has a lot to answer for in this regard. The performances of Richard and the band were on point all night, but the sound quality undermined their good work.
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Image used with permission from Heapsaflash
Thankfully we were all settled in for Andy Bull. I’d enjoyed the music I’d heard from Andy before, but experiencing it in a live setting brought it to another level. This is probably one of the larger venues he’s played, but he made it feel so intimate with his stories about the songs and sweet, self conscious manner. It takes a very special performer to fill a theatre with just a voice and some keyboards. Despite being excited about Joshua’s appearance, I was a little sad to see him leave the stage.