I’ve seen The Lemonheads several times over the years, but beside those songs that remain hopelessly lodged in my brain it’s the seemingly unpredictable nature of the performance that keeps me coming back.
Billed as the It’s a Shame About Come On Feel Tour, the band recently played the 1992 album, It’s A Shame About Ray, as well as Evan Dando and company’s 1993 follow up, Come On Feel The Lemonheads — both records enjoying their 30 year (plus) anniversaries. But, as I soon discovered, the songs from those two records were far from the only offerings at 9:30 Club on Sept. 8.
After a fun and energetic set by enigmatic singer Cooper B. Handy (who also performs under the name LUCY), Dando, bassist Farley Glavin, and drummer John Kent took the stage. Things started off with the trio kicking off the evening with the first song on It’s A Shame About Ray, “Rockin’ Stroll,” followed by “Confetti” and the title track, but then the band slipped in Black Sabbath’s “Snowblind” with a particularly blistering solo by Mr. Dando himself. Then it was back onto “Rudderless.”
“I’ve been everywhere,” Dando mused. “I’ve been to the old 9:30 Club next to the Ford’s Theater. Creepy little alley, Man.” He went on telling the time he met Yoko Ono near the club. Watching Evan Dando, I got the sense music is such a huge part of his personality that it’s hard to contain.
As the band went through the first part (the It’s A Shame part) of the set, The Lemonheads seemed to get looser. Songs like “Bit Part” sounded great with a more gritty feel.
At the midway point, Glavin and Kent left the stage as Dando stayed to serenade the crowd with a string of Lemonheads tunes as well as several covers. From the Louvin Brothers’ “You’re Running Wild” and Gram Parsons’s “$1000 Wedding” to “Outdoor Type” and finally “Being Around” it felt like a separate show entirely.
As the rest of the band returned to the stage, The Lemonheads continued with the Come On Feel part starting with “Great Big No.” It was a pretty great night as Dando and company performed nearly every song these fans could have possibly wanted.
Watch the official music video for “If I Could Talk I’d Tell You” by The Lemonheads on YouTube:
I, for one, am hoping to hear more of The Lemonheads in coming months as word of new material, some of which penned alongside former Lemonheads bassist John Strohm, coming down the pike.
Here are more photos of The Lemonheads performing at the 9:30 Club on Sept. 8, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of David LaMason.
And here are photos of Cooper B. Handy opening at the 9:30 Club on September 8, 2024.
