Coun me in – Counting Crows play Pitt’s campus

Counting Crows

Sunday, Oct. 13

Petersen Events Center

$20 to $30…

Counting Crows

Sunday, Oct. 13

Petersen Events Center

$20 to $30

Summertime is officially over on the calendar but, for a small charge, you can live out some of its faded glory this Sunday. Counting Crows will arrive to pop the cork off the new Petersen Events Center in support of their newest summer-sticky release, Hard Candy. In some instances it might help you forget the chill in the air; other times you might look to the winter ahead.

While they never actually predict temperature, some of Counting Crows music does read like a weather report. There’s August and Everything After and Hard Candy, which spins tales of sunny summer stories. Then there’s Recovering The Satellites, carrying a chill worthy of pulling close the collar of your jacket. The forecast for Sunday can go in one of three directions.

Thirty percent chance of heavy sound. The Crows can rock out with the best of ’em. From the blaring tenacity of “Angels of the Silences” down to a foot-stomping bounce of “Hanginaround,” Counting Crows have the ability to get the Pete jumping. Even if they stick to their new tracks – such as the recent single “American Girls,” preformed without the vocal help of Sheryl Crow – it will still surely add some excitement to the air.

Thirty percent chance of mild rhythms. Since Hard Candy is the album being supported for the tour, its mid-range tempo will probably set the precedent for the bulk of the evening. Steady, poetic foot-tappers such as “If I Could Give All My Love To You – Or – Richard Manuel Is Dead” (maybe the longest title ever) and Candy’s title track coincide with the feel of some of their biggest radio successes, such as “Have You Seen Me Lately?,” “A Murder of One,” and “Daylight Fading.”

Thirty percent chance of lazy melodies. If Counting Crows want to slow things down, they have the proper artillery. Some of their biggest hits, such as “A Long December” and “Round Here” have been touching ballads. Singer Adam Duritz’s most reflective pieces sometimes downright crawl, like This Desert Life’s “Colorblind” and their newest album’s “Holiday In Spain.”

Thirty percent chance of unpredictability. Most likely, Counting Crows will opt to shift gears several times between the three settings their engine supports. They may even change their treatment of a popular tune, like when they occasionally reduce their epic “Mr. Jones” to molasses ooze for an encore. No matter what mood they’re in, or what mood you’re in, count on the Crows to give the Pete a proper grand opening.