I’m not the least bit ashamed of my love for the 90s. The majority of the decade was good to me. High school into college, meeting my wife, Jeff Buckley, and so on. The tour that made it’s way through Indianapolis last night hit all my nostalgic buttons. The fact that all three artists/bands have legitimate catalogs and respectability made it even more enticing. No Vertical Horizon or Tonic nonsense at the Vogue, no sir.
Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando came out first for a brisk 30-minute acoustic set that hit the various points in his career. Dando still sounds and looks – down to the hoodie he had on — exactly the same as he did 20 years ago. Though it felt like he was playing a game of beat the clock, the noteworthy songs still managed to hit. Into Your Arms, My Drug Buddy, and the irresistible Confetti elicited the greatest response. Dando did his job and left.
Minneapolis’ Soul Asylum was up next. I’ve never been a huge fan of the band but I do respect them. They managed, in 1992, what most regional rock acts hope for – to break out after years of paying their dues. Can’t fault them for that. And the four-piece does have several excellent tracks that are, unfortunately, overshadowed by the specter of their biggest hit, Runaway Train. I have no proof, but I’d think they’re beyond tired of playing that one now. At least they seemed bored with it last night.
The set, though nothing life-changing, was solid. Opening with Somebody to Shove was a good way to get the juices flowing. Of the classic tracks, I was most impressed with the rousing Misery and the melancholic Without a Trace. New song Gravity had some nice punch, too.
Fountains of Wayne wrapped up the evening with a nice mix of songs from all five of their albums. If you’ve spent any time reading this site, you know I’m a power pop junkie. Fountains of Wayne are one of the modern day perfectionists of the form, so their appearance in Indy offered an extra jolt for me.
Everyone has their favorite FoW songs, but for my money they hit all the big ones — Denise, Leave the Biker, I’ve Got a Flair, Bright Future in Sales, and, of course, Stacy’s Mom and Radiation Vibe. You could make a case for the omission of Red Dragon Tattoo or Hackensack, but then there wouldn’t have been space for keepers like Mexican Wine or Joe Rey. The biggest reaction was for a sing-a-long Hey Julie, which featured a handful of audience members on percussion.
None of the performances broke new ground, but they all succeeded in entertaining. As I, too, get older, I’m even more appreciative of indie pop acts that keep the train rolling. Keeping up with all the new stuff can be so exhausting.