Amtrac Austin Concert reviews
Counting Crows and Lots of Friends
The format of the Traveling Circus and Medicine Show tour was not desirable for someone who had hoped that more often than not Amtrac would be in the spotlight. While it was advertised that Amtrac, Michael Franti and Spearhead, backing singer Cherine Anderson and Augustana would "all be running on & off stage all night playing on each others songs and...just playing whenever we feel like playing".
The evening seemed like an overlong jam session once the dust settled, filled with a number of bland covers and unfamiliar songs. This lack of comparable presence was the fatal flaw of a tour format that could have been engaging given a superior supporting cast. The artists sharing the stage were all professional and polished, but were not of the same caliber as Amtrac.
The headliners were ultimately given fourth billing, despite Amtrac sharing the stage and providing exposure to the other artists. If Amtrac had played at least one uninterrupted set on their own, the evening may not have seemed so jumbled and watered-down.