Grammy shmammy. If not for the Counting Crows’ energetic opening set, the show’s headliner, Grammy winner John Mayer, would have left the 20,000 or so fans pretty disappointed.

Although this tour comes on the heels of the less-than-awe-inspiring 2002 release of Hard Candy, the Crows kept the crowd counting the hits with classics from their breakout album August and Everything After and the solid but less popular follow-up, This Desert Life.

Dreadlocked lead singer Adam Duritz set the show’s momentum, smoothly segueing between somber favorites such as “Raining in Baltimore” and “Anna Begins” to lively renditions of “Hangin’ Around” and, of course, “Mr. Jones.” Druritz’s ease on the piano and in engaging the crowd left John Mayer with a hard act to follow.

The problem with the show wasn’t in Mayer’s performance, but in an overall mismatch of styles. Although Mayer’s instrumental talent was evident with some impressive guitar solos, his sweet, mellow ballads were a disappointing denouement of the first half of the night.

A 2003 Grammy win doesn’t change the fact that Mayer is more suited to hold the interest of a smaller, nightclub crowd. But, in a large venue like this amphitheater, the Crows deserved to headline.

Not to say people weren’t pleased with Mayer’s set. The man next to me on the lawn, for example, was actually pleasured by a lonely 30-something woman during “Your Body is a Wonderland.” Now that’s what I call award-winning.

-AMANDA JUNKER