Road Trip: Gin Blossoms in Dallas!!!

Hi again! I'm a little behind on my blogging, but last weekend I went down to Dallas to see the Gin Blossoms play. They were a huge influence in the alt-pop music scene of the 90's, & remain one of my all-time favorite bands. Sadly they disbanded after two great albums because of the suicide of a close friend & band member. Well, after about 10 years I guess they were ready to pick up the pieces and make another record. They released Major Lodge Victory in August last year, & are currently out playing some supporting dates.

I LOVE this record and it is probably my favorite Gins album yet. The songwriting is terrific, & with the harmonies and great arrangements really capitalizes on their strengths and unique style. It is really warm, upbeat, & a pleasure to listen to. The amazing thing is that it picks up EXACTLY where the last one left off--it sounds exactly like the album they would have made in 1996; at first it was like a time machine taking me back to my 20s. (To any critics who said last time that they were just trying to be commercial or "of the minute", put that in your pipe & smoke it). After 10 years, they still have their own very distinctive sound. You can hear the record in its entirety on their website at http://www.thegins.com/, & it's available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, etc.

The Rockhouse in Dallas was kind of an odd choice for the venue, but show was terrific! They opened with Alison Road & closed with Hey Jealousy. There was one encore that included Mrs. Rita & Cajun Song. The band sounded great live (unlike some I have seen that sound better in the studio), & I could tell they were really enjoying playing together. Robin Wilson still has that great crystalline voice that sounds just as good live. It was great fun to see them in such an intimate setting. They were gracious and friendly after the show: I got to buy the band a round of drinks, shake hands and get my tshirt autographed!! Check it out!

You can find more about the Gin Blossoms at their official website, http://www.thegins.com/,or, or their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/ginblossoms. If you get a chance to see them on tour i'd definitely go for it.

THANKS GUYS for a great time!!