Friday, October 23, 1998
Cracker concert crumbles fans’ composure
MUSIC: Intense interplay between band, audience creates a
rousing concert
By Brent Hopkins
Daily Bruin Contributor
As the multicolored curtains of the House of Blues parted late
last Wednesday, it wasn’t clear exactly what was in store. The bill
advertised Cracker as the headline act, but most of the six men and
one woman standing onstage looked more like fans than musicians;
they weren’t playing, and the man holding the microphone, Adam
Duritz of Counting Crows, wasn’t even a part of the band. Once he
introduced the augmented quintet, however, it became clear that it
was indeed Cracker onstage.
The men onstage may not have looked the part of rock musicians,
with their laid-back demeanor and sport coat attire, but they
certainly sounded authentic once they kicked into the growling
song, "Seven Days." David Lowery and company cranked out nearly two
hours of driving rock, with the occasional country number tossed in
along the way.
Warmed up by the New Orleans-style rock of the opening band,
Everything, the crowd responded well to Cracker’s angst-laden
tunes. Sometimes they moved, dancing like clowns to the annoyingly
needling "I Want Out Of The Circus." Sometimes the crowd sang,
accompanying Lowery’s sneering vocals on "Eurotrash Girl" and "Mr.
Wrong." Mostly though, they just yelled, calling out like drunken
mariachis throughout the evening.
Whenever the band found its way into a particularly potent
groove, heads went bobbing and feet went tapping. Diehard Cracker
fans did not go home disappointed, and lead singer and guitarist
Lowery did not let fan enthusiasm go unnoticed.
"Hey, you guys are a pretty good audience," Lowery said amid a
chorus of cheers between songs.
Of course, Lowery’s mind may have changed as the concert
progressed. Some fans, rather than enjoying the concert for its
musical entertainment, elected to toss playing cards at band
members onstage. Lowery seemed unconcerned at first, even joking
aloud about the collection beginning to pile up.
"Want to play poker? I’ve got a pretty good hand here," he
laughed, continuing to play. As the evening progressed, however,
the band’s patience waned as cards began to accumulate. Bassist Bob
Rupe began to throw them back into the audience, and Lowery hinted
at ending the concert if the cards kept showing up onstage. The
pace slowed a bit, and although the phantom hurler continued to
airmail the presents onstage, the band stayed put.
A much more welcome presence was that of Duritz. The charismatic
singer of Counting Crows ventured out to aid with backup vocals for
several songs, as did past-collaborator Joan Osborne. Whether
singing along, banging away at a tambourine or simply sitting
onstage with a bottle of beer in his hand, Duritz’s carefree
demeanor provided a nice counterbalance to the severely intense
figure of Lowery.
Guitarist Johnny Hickman’s nimble, fretboard fingerwork provided
another highlight. Whether wailing away like a ’70s guitar hero on
the jam tune "Been Around The World" or mimicking violin tones on
"Pictures Of Matchstick Men," Hickman displayed both versatility
and refinement in his solos. His subtle fills combined with
Lowery’s uncharacteristically melodic vocals on the introspective
"Big Dipper" made it the standout number of the concert, outshining
the more popular numbers.
Although the closing of the show suffered from Lowery’s
increasingly exasperated mood, Cracker did manage to close on a
high note.
Prior to the one-song encore, they launched into the familiar
opening of "Low," bringing cheers from the audience.
Rather than continuing, the music abruptly ground to a halt
following the outbreak of applause.
"L.A.’s really sophisticated, but you guys just want to hear the
hits. Come on, admit it," Lowery said, a tad overconfidently.
With this brief interruption, the band restarted and played on
with full energy.
Although the brief narcissistic interlude annoyed the crowd, the
music proved worthy of their time.
For a bunch of guys who look like accountants and high school
teachers rather than musicians, Cracker can turn out an exciting
live show.
It may be uneven at times, but the moments where the band locks
in and grooves together are well worth the occasional tepid song or
condescending remark.
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