From the first second until long after returning home from the Counting Cruises concert yesterday at Amphi Park Ra'anana, the voice, words and melodies of Adam Duritz, the band's lead singer, continued to burn the heart.
The ardent fans of the American band, which was founded in 1991 in California, and have been following it since the release of its first and masterful album "August and Everything After" (which sold more than 7 million copies, in the days when albums were still sold) got what they wanted plus VAT.
The performance, brought to Israel by Bluestone Live Nation Israel, opened with the first song from that album, "Round Here", one of their best songs of all time. And that's it, the magic happened: people on their feet singing all the complex lyrics, some in a nostalgic trip to the days who still allowed themselves to get so excited, to feel so much, and in front of them were miserable security guards in a desperate effort to seat the audience.
A nostalgic trip.
The Counting Cruise in concert in Ra'anana, photo: Alon Levin
Nobody sounds like Counting Cruise.
Their music can be defined as Bob Delaney folk-rock, alternative rock with country touches at times - but all of these will not be able to accurately describe the unique sound, which is mainly characterized by Doritz's heart-rending voice.
And that's even before we focused on the deep lyrics and metaphors that are hard to find in popular music.
The performance was like a long Duritz monologue.
He didn't sing the songs but spoke them from the inside out.
The audience believed him and was his captive from the first second.
As the crowd sang the tunes, Doritz improvised along with them almost without touching one of the originals.
It was a work in the making.
He rarely spoke to the audience throughout the performance, no "Arab Tov, Ra'anana", almost no link sections or stories about the songs.
The biggest enigma at the show was the singer himself: the 58-year-old Doritz has all the ingredients to be another aging and somewhat pathetic rock star: he's chubby, bald and sweaty.
The most anti-rock star imaginable.
Without the dreadlocks that characterized him, he looked like just another person on the street that you wouldn't give a second glance.
But as soon as he started singing, there was a sense that he was not someone passing by on the street, but someone sitting in it: a beggar of love, completely exposed, without ego and so, so beautiful.
More like a long monologue.
Adam Duritz and Counting Cruises, photo: Alon Levin
The experience was overwhelming.
It was not an entertainment performance, as often happens when it comes to pop rock music.
Doritz does not come to please the ear.
And this is how the show will look: no pyrotechnics, no davinis, no crazy lighting or videos backstage.
is nothing.
As I say - that's how I am.
With the fat, hoarseness and sweat.
And the audience took with both hands.
As Mr Johns says in the band's most famous song: "We all want to be big stars, but each for a different reason".
It is hard to say that a hit followed a hit, since most of the band's albums did not receive sufficient exposure in Israel.
Moreover: listening to this band is active, one that activates the head and heart.
It was clear to the audience that he too, a bit like Duritz himself, is no longer 20 years old, and he too already has a bit of a belly and a bit of wrinkles, we didn't come to enjoy, we came to feel.
In the set list, there were also songs that were known even to those who are not ardent fans, such as their performance of Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" and as mentioned ""Mr Johns.
The least powerful moments of the concert were actually in the performance of the new album, "Butter Miracle", which deviates from the band's familiar sound.
The theatrics and drama that reminds a bit of the band Queen did not flatter them.
The adaptations were largely faithful to the original, which also does not suffer from an excess of originality.
Nor did a mandolin or accordion solo add or detract from the show.
Without "good evening, Raanana" and a bunch of davinisms.
The audience at Amphi Park was refreshed by the performance of Counting Cruises, photo: Alon Levin
Although it is actually a one-man show, who could easily let success get to his head, it seems that he has no ego at all: the show is not called "Adam Doritz and the Counting Cruise Band".
On the contrary, the name of the band is much better known than the name of the singer.
And just to emphasize the point, Doritz wore a shirt with a Lou Reed print to the show.
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