The Counting Crows' Traveling Circus Starts Thursday

Counting Crows' front man Adam Duritz is a pretty creative guy (follow him on Twitter). Seems he's concocted a new fun touring extravaganza for his rock band The Counting Crows called the The Traveling Circus Show.

Adam writes "I know you're all used to showing up at 8:30 or 9PM for concerts that started at 7. It's understandable. You're there to see YOUR band and you're showing up when you think they're gonna play, right? Well, starting on Thursday July 16th at Marymoor Amphitheatre in Redmond, Washington, that's all going to change.

Ladies and Gentlemen, at 7:15PM, when the curtain goes up on *The Saturday Night Rebel Rockers Traveling Circus & Medicine Show*, *Augustana* AND *Counting Crows* are all going to be walking out onstage together and that show is going to start with EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US onstage singing and playing our brains out. We'll do a few songs together and then it may be *Counting Crows* that plays the first set alone. I don't know exactly how the shows going to run every night. It'll definitely be different a few days later in Friant, CA when *Michael Franti & Spearhead* join up. It'll probably be different every night. The only thing I know for sure is that EVERY show on this tour is going to start with EVERYONE onstage together and we're going to all be running on & off stage all night playing on each others songs and playing songs all together and basically just playing whenever we feel like playing. So you get my point, right? GET HERE ON TIME! Cuz when the curtain rises...THE CIRCUS BEGINS!"

Seems like fun for the bands, but are audiences ready for a smorgasborg of musical acts dipping in and out of their own songs, other bands' songs, crazy covers and more? Will any momentum be built? Maybe. The band warmed up over the weekend with The Hold Steady, the Jayhawks and other bands in beer-sodden Minneapolis. The fun starts this Thursday in Bill Gates' backyard. Tour dates for the Traveling Circus Show are here:

07.16.2009 Redmond, WA - Marymoor Amphitheater
07.17.2009 Goldendale, WA - Maryhill Winery
07.19.2009 Friant, CA - Table Mountain Casino
07.21.2009 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
07.22.2009 Temecula, CA - Pechanga Resort & Casino
07.24.2009 Henderson, NV - Red Rock Resort, Spa & Casino
07.26.2009 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theater in Berkeley
07.29.2009 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater
08.01.2009 Houston, TX - The Showgrounds at Sam Houston Racepark
08.03.2009 Austin, TX - Austin Music Hall
08.04.2009 Grand Prairie (D allas), TX - Nokia Theater at Grand Prairie
08.06.2009 Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage Theatre
08.07.2009 Orange Beach, AL - The Amphitheater at the Wharf
08.08.2009 Tunica, MS - Harrah's Casino
08.11.2009 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
08.12.2009 Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheater
08.14.2009 St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheater
08.15.2009 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
08.17.2009 Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
08.18.2009 Miami, FL - Bayfront Amphitheater
08.20.2009 North Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
08.21.2009 Charlotte, NC - The Uptown Amphitheatre at The Music
08.25.2009 New York, New York - Hammerstein Ballroom
08.26.2009 Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theater
08.28.2009 Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Casino
08.29.2009 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
08.31.2009 Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion
09.03.2009 New York, NY - Rumsey Playfield at Central Park Summerstage
09.05.2009 Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion
09.06.2009 Canandaigua, NY - CMAC