by photojournalist Dan Fernandez
Once again, we just beat the rain, and once again the hope of that rain cooling down the evening was a pipe dream. Despite the transition from a monsoon to an immediate heatwave that transpired on Sunday July 20, 2025, The BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida played host to an unforgettable night featuring the Counting Crows as part of their highly anticipated “The Complete Sweets Tour.” Joining them on the tour is the iconic heartland-indie crew Gaslight Anthem, setting the tone for an evening filled with nostalgia, new jams, heartfelt performances, and a perfect blend of rock & roll genres.
Warming up the stage, The Gaslight Anthem from New Brunswick, New Jersey, brought the fans a relatively mellow set compared to their more explosive performances of yesteryears. Despite taking a hiatus from 2015 to 2022, the band’s chemistry didn’t miss a beat as they displayed their remarkable range and ever evolving, authentic sound. Led by the charismatic Brian Fallon, who handles lead vocals and rhythm guitar, the band consists of Fallon, Alex Rosamilia on lead guitar, Alex Levine on bass guitar and Benny Horowitz on drums and percussion.
The Gaslight Anthem’s setlist featured an intriguing mix of their catalog and then some, including covers of Mother Love Bone and a Tom Petty song that refreshingly was not “I Won’t Back Down” or “American Girl.” As their set progressed, the energy in the room began to build as did The Gaslight Anthems tempo. The climax of their performance saw their long-time fans in the crowd come alive with favorites “Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts,” “The 59 Sound,” and “45” being played in succession, each song reigniting memories and delivering the essence of an old-school Gaslight Anthem show.
As the sun began to set the anticipation intensified while the audience waited for Counting Crows to take center stage. Formed in the early ‘90s, this San Francisco Bay Area band has remained a powerhouse in the Alt rock scene. Acclaimed for their dynamic live performances and emotional depth in their songwriting the Counting Crows have been masters of their craft since the very beginning. The band, compiled of rhythm guitarist David Bryson, drummer Jim Bogios, vocalist Adam Duritz, keyboardist Charlie Gillingham, multi-instrumentalist David Immerglück, bassist Millard Powers, and lead guitarist Dan Vickrey. Counting Crows gained immediate popularity and success with their first full album release “August and Everything After” in 1993 which featured their breakthrough hit “Mr. Jones.” The band has since seen remarkable success including numerous grammy nominations. Their sophomore album “Recovering the Satellites” reached number one on the Billboard 200 Chart, receiving global success and starting a chain reaction in which all but one of the bands subsequent releases reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. Counting Crows has since been recognized by Billboard as the Eighth greatest Adult Alternative Artist of all time selling well over 20 million albums. Their most recent album, originally released as a four song EP in 2021, was expanded with an additional five songs that would become 2025’s full length album release “Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets.” This release impressively marked their twentieth album or EP.
From the moment Adam Duritz stepped onto the stage, his distinctive vocals, which not only have stood the test of time but seem to have aged like a fine wine, coupled with his deep connection with their fans filled the venue with a familiar warmth. With a perfectly curated setlist Counting Crows brought a blend of their biggest hits, new releases, deeper cuts and even a few covers, including The Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil.” Each songs reach was amplified by the skilled lighting team at The Baycare Sound, who flawlessly employed ambient lighting, forelight, lasers and just the right amount of smoke to create a dreamscape of an atmosphere without being intrusive. The band’s ability to connect with the audience was evident, whether it was David Bryson standing on top of an amp for inarguably the most electrifying accordion performance that I have ever seen or Duritz sitting on the edge of the stage, staring into the crowds collective soul while crooning the iconic tracks, “Mr. Jones,” “Omaha,” “Round Here,” and “Long december.” The latter of which had the entire audience swaying in unison and singing along with their hands raised to the sky.
As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end, but not before the enchanting cap off to Counting Crows impressive nineteen song performance, spanning six of their studio albums. With the audience’s enthusiasm far from waning and a standing ovation echoing through the amphitheater the band took the stage once again, delivering a three-song encore featuring “Under the Aurora,” “Hangin’ Around,” and “Holiday in Spain” that brought the set to a euphoric close. After the encore Duritz lingered on stage for a few moments, playfully lip-syncing and dancing to the overhead music before expressing his gratitude for the unwavering fan support that has carried Counting Crows from hit to hit. When all is said and done Counting Crows and The Gaslight Anthems stop in Clearwater was the perfect way to end a Sunday and fuel the new week ahead.
