Cause I’m waiting by the phone…. Waiting for you to call me up and tell me I’m not alone.
Recognize the lyrics? They are from “Somebody to Shove”, the first song played by Soul Asylum at The Coach House last July 16.
In the ‘80s, after rocking myself with new wave, I drenched myself with alternative rock in the ‘90s and one of my favorite bands from the 90s is Soul Asylum. I never had the chance to see the Minneapolis alternative rock band perform live during their “Grave Dancers Union” heyday. So when I found out they were playing at The Coach House, I rushed to get the tix.
Grave Dancers Union, my first taste of Soul Asylum
“Grave Dancers Union” was their sixth CD that released in 1992 and became certified triple platinum. It was also my first taste of Soul Asylum. That album established the band as one of the most successful alternative rock groups in the first half of the 1990s. I still think they are underrated compared to Pearl Jam and Nirvana. Dave Pirner, front man of the band and a lyricist, was very energetic. Gone are his dreadlocks which reminded me of the days when he was dating Wynona Ryder.
The show was excellent, except in the beginning when the sound system drowned his voice because it was louder than his vocals. But Pirner and the band really pulled it off, and they are definitely a great live band. He has not aged a bit. In my opinion, he looks more attractive now with his short straight locks. Pirner is a gifted musician. When he strums his guitar, he makes it look as easy as a teenager texting on her cell phone. I also liked how he moved around and connected with the audience. One thing I noticed about Pirner is that he plays his guitar on the floor. I think this showcases that he really loves what he does.
Dave Pirner might be 50, but his vocal harmonies take me back to the golden days of alternative rock 20 years ago. In other words, his voice still sounds excellent. The band played all their classic mainstream hits including “Runaway Train”, “Somebody to Shove”, and “Misery”. My absolute favorite performance of the show was “Black Gold”. You can see the video above. For an encore, the band played three songs and one of them was Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes.” The audience loved it and they surely rocked The Coach House with the thunderous applause.
What do you think of Dave Pirner’s latest look?
Speak Your Mind