Counting Crows Clock MJ Lenderman Tributes In North Carolina

Counting Crows brought their The Complete Sweets Tour! to MJ Lenderman's home state of North Carolina this week. Frontman Adam Duritz honored Lenderman by working lyrics from “Wristwatch” into his band’s performances of “Round Here” on Tuesday in Charlotte and then again last night in Raleigh.

“Wristwatch” is featured on MJ Lenderman’s superb 2024 album, Manning Fireworks. Duritz and company’s musical shout-out to the singer-songwriter came after MJ Lenderman & The Wind covered Counting Crows’ “A Long December” live in England last November and then again in Asheville on December 20, 2024.

Both versions of “Round Here” were performed late in Counting Crows’ sets in North Carolina. Adam Duritz often improvises lyrics towards the middle of the song from the band’s debut album, 1993’s August And Everything After, backed by keyboardist Charlie Gillingham while the rest of the group stays silent.

In North Carolina, Duritz and Gillingham used the section for the “Wristwatch” homage. The vocalist belted out lyrics from the song before the rest of Counting Crows came back in to finish “Round Here.”

Watch footage of Adam Duritz singing “Wristwatch” during Counting Crows’ “Round Here” performance in Raleigh captured by CaseyMagic and shared by PhishOnPhilm below:

Counting Crows with support from The Gaslight Anthem continue The Complete Sweets Tour! on Saturday, July 19 in St. Augustine, Florida. The North American leg concludes on August 23 before the band heads to Europe.