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The Lemonheads: O2 Institute, Birmingham – live review

The Lemonheads put in a rich, raw and riveting performance of their high-water mark It’s A Shame About Ray, alongside a typically brilliant Evan Dando acoustic set and choice selections from the band’s back catalogue. Sam Lambeth reviews

Evan Dando hunches across the stage dressed like a trucker that’s just truncated his long drive with a stop at a greasy spoon. If his jacket is wonderfully ragged, his voice is anything but – he spoons smooth, sorrowful baritone over the doleful The Outdoor Type and wistful Being Around.

Playing solo acoustic before a full band set, this is Dando’s bread and butter. Able to turn the likes of Skulls by Misfits into a delicate ditty and Into Your Arms into a lilting lullaby, his hangdog croon and carefree strumming just need a barbecue and a hot dog to complete the full effect. It’s almost a shame – if you pardon the pun – that the rest of the band have to join him. Almost. While Dando has dedicated most of his live career to performing most of It’s A Shame About Ray, tonight is a chance to hear The Lemonheads’ classic 1992 album in toto (minus Mrs Robinson, natch).

Ably backed by bassist Farley Glavin and Swervedriver drummer Mikey Jones, the trio intricately balance crunchy fuzz with beautiful restraint, something that made …Ray both a stellar example and an amazing outsider of the grunge movement it was released in. The beauty of the It’s A Shame About Ray is its deceptiveness – rarely has an album delivered such succinct, arresting vignettes that possess both sweet abandon and deeper resonance. The chiming Confetti spins sugary melodies while allegedly being about Dando’s parents divorcing. The sauntering, almost elegiac My Drug Buddy (“I’m too much with myself, I wanna be someone else”) feels sad and celebratory. The suitably fleeting Bit Part is a hymn of frustration and ignorance.

The bulk of …Ray was written in Australia and although tonight takes place on a rainy night in Birmingham, you can feel the sun-kissed pavements over the contemplative The Turnpike Down and the lazy afternoons of Hannah & Gabi. The latter half of …Ray is powerful, irresistible harmonies and chugging distortion making the punk rush of Alison’s Starting to Happen, the groovy Kitchen and the rollicking Ceiling Fan In My Spoon as strong a closing salvo as you will find.

The band leave the stage and Dando gets his biggest singalong of the night with Frank Mills, a song taken from the musical Hair that is perhaps now better known as a Lemonheads staple. A snapshot of a story over a strummed acoustic, it’s poetic, funny – Dando, for reasons unknown, says Frank resembles the drummer from “Shed Seven” as opposed to The Beatles – and heart-wrenching. The Lemonheads in a nutshell. The rest of the set is dedicated to choice cuts from Dando’s remarkably consistent, if disappointingly sporadic, back catalogue. Three songs aired from 1996’s Car Button Cloth – Hospital, Break Me and Tenderfoot – are bruised and beaten but retain Dando’s ear for melody.

Stove, taken from 1990’s Lovey, was perhaps the first sign Dando was switching from punk thrash to more fertile, fragile territory, and remains one of the most heartbreaking pieces of prose written about a kitchen appliance. Closing with 1996’s brilliant If I Could Talk I’d Tell You, Dando and the band are offstage before people have barely had a chance to clap. Still wonderfully askew, still in possession of shampoo agnostic hair and still controlling a room with his deep drawl, Dando reminds us of his gift for spinning songs of unassuming but powerful beauty.

The Lemonheads are touring the UK. For full details, visit their website .

All words by Sam Lambeth. Sam is a Birmingham-based journalist and musician. More of his work for Louder Than War is available on his archive . He also runs his own blog and his music can be found on Spotify .

Photo credit: Barry-Brecheisen – kindly provided by PR.

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Live Review: The Lemonheads @ Baltimore Soundstage — 11/26/21

“You and I travel to the beat of a different drum,” the opening line of the Michael Nesmith-penned “Different Drum” goes. And so can be said for Evan Dando, the creative force behind The Lemonheads. From the punk leanings of The Lemonheads’ Hate Your Friends to the pop masterpieces on It’s a Shame About Ray and Car Button Cloth , Dando’s musical trajectory has never been beholden to anything other than Dando himself.

And the music holds up now better than ever. Just around the corner from now, The Lemonheads’ seminal album, It’s a Shame About Ray , has its 30th anniversary. And it’s no wonder that you can drop the needle on either side and find a hook-laden charmer. Also in 2022 is the publication of Dando’s memoir, Rumors of My Demise , to be published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Now, I’ve seen The Lemonheads a few times over the years, the last time being at the 9:30 Club a few years back ( read our Parklife review of that performance ), but each time has been different and Friday night at the Baltimore Soundstage after great sets by Reagan Cats and Heyrocco, Evan Dando along with Mikey Jones of Swervedriver fame on drums and Farley Glavin on bass took the stage and immediately went from a cacophonous feedback drenched punch into “It’s About Time ” and then right into “Hospital” without a breath in between.

In his world-weary baritone, Evan Dando took a moment in between songs to mention how great it was to be back in Baltimore on Nov. 26. The last time I recall seeing him was a marathon 40-plus songs with just Dando and an old archtop guitar at the Metro Gallery. Even with the confines of the full-band set, The Lemonheads ended up playing over 30 songs. From a generous post-Thanksgiving portion of It’s a Shame About Ray , Come On Feel , and Car Button Cloth and even some Lovey . Add to that several fantastic covers, it was a recipe for some great rock ‘n’ roll.

One of the highlights of the evening was just before the end of the first proper set, The Lemonheads along with members of Heyrocco played a fun version of “Old Man Blank” from the Bevis Frond.

Evan Dando has a great voice that is perfect for those old Country tunes that were tucked away in the set list, whether it be John Prine’s “Sound of the Speed of Loneliness” or Lucina Williams’ “Abandoned” — which included a blistering solo by Dando. But I think it’s even more apparent when it’s just Evan Dando himself with either an acoustic or electric guitar, as he came out after the set to play an entire set, starting with “Hard Drive” from his solo album, Baby I’m Bored . I’ve always thought this song just sung with a guitar sans any other instrumentation was the best way to hear Hard Drive. And he ended his, well, second set with the Victoria Williams tune, “Frying Pan,” before leaving the stage only to return with the band to play the first encore of “The Turnpike Down” and “Confetti.”

Watch Evan Dando perform “The Turnpike Down” live at The Annandale Hotel in 2009 on YouTube:

But that wasn’t all! Evan, came back out to the stage, grabbed an acoustic guitar and ended the evening with the song “Frank Mills” from the musical, Hair — stepping away from the mic near the end and walking up to the lip of the stage to sing to the crowd the last lines, “I would gratefully appreciate if you see him tell him / I’m in the park with my girlfriend and please / Tell him Angela and I don’t want the two dollars back just him.” The perfect end to a fantastic set.

The Lemonheads just finished up their tour with the last stop in Boston on Nov. 27.

The set list included:

It’s About Time Hospital Break Me My Drug Buddy Great Big No Dawn Can’t Decide Left for Dead Tenderfoot (Smudge) Big Gay Heart Style Don’t Tell Yourself Bit Part It Looks Like You (E Dando) It’s a Shame About Ray Rudderless If I Could Talk I’d Tell You Down About It Sound of the Speed of Loneliness (John Prine) Stove Hannah & Gabi Different Drum (Michael Nesmith) Abandoned (Lucinda Williams) Old Man Blank (Bevis Frond)

SOLO: Hard Drive (E Dando) The Outdoor Type (Smudge) Being Around Into Your Arms Frying Pan (Victoria Williams)

ENCORE: The Turnpike Down Confetti

SOLO: Frank Mills

Here are more photos of The Lemonheads performing at the Baltimore Soundstage on Nov. 26, 2021. All photos copyright and courtesy of David LaMason.

The Lemonheads to Celebrate ‘It’s a Shame About Ray’ 30th Anniversary on Fall Tour

By Jon Blistein

Jon Blistein

Boston alt-rock stalwarts the Lemonheads will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their hit album, It’s a Shame About Ray , with a North American tour this fall.

The Lemonheads will be performing the album in its entirety throughout the trek. Released in 1992, It’s a Shame About Ray marked the band’s fifth album, and its title track became a rock hit in the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. The band also garnered a ton of success with their cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson,” which was added to later pressings of the album.

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The 30th anniversary tour for It’s a Shame About Ray will kick off Nov. 17 at Mickey’s Black Box in Litiz, Pennsylvania and wrap Dec. 17 with a homecoming show at Paradise in Boston. The Lemonheads will receive support from Bass Drum of Death, On Being an Angel, former bandmate Juliana Hatfield, and Rusty, the Nils, on select dates. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, Aug. 12, with complete information on the Lemonheads’ website .

Along with the fall tour, the Lemonheads released a special 30th anniversary edition of It’s a Shame About Ray earlier this year. The record houses a handful of extras including an unreleased version of “My Drug Buddy” recorded at the radio station KCRW in 1992 with Hatfield, as well as demos being released for the first time on vinyl.

The Lemonheads Tour Dates

November 17 – Lititz, PA @ Mickey’s Black Box November 18 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre (with Rusty, the Nils) November 19 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop November 20 – Bloomington, IL @ The Castle Theater November 21 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room November 23 – Billings, MT @ Pub Station November 25 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) November 26 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) November 28 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) November 29 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) December 1 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) December 2 – Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) December 3 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) December 4 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) December 5 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) December 7 – Kansas City, MO @ Madrid Theatre (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) December 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue (with Bass Drum of Death and On Being an Angel) December 10 – Chicago, IL @ Metro (with Juliana Hatfield, On Being an Angel) December 11 – Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew’s Hall (with Juliana Hatfield, On Being an Angel) December 12 – Washington, D.C. @ 9.30 Club (with Juliana Hatfield, On Being an Angel) December 14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer (with Juliana Hatfield, On Being an Angel) December 15 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge (with Juliana Hatfield, On Being an Angel) December 16 – New Jersey, NJ @ White Eagle Hall (with Juliana Hatfield, On Being an Angel) December 17 – Boston, MA @ Paradise (with Juliana Hatfield, On Being an Angel)

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Concert review: the lemonheads/tommy stinson.

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Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL 05/10/2019

The evening’s program could strike some as an exercise in ‘90s nostalgia—The Lemonheads, with none other than Tommy Stinson serving as an opener? But quite to the contrary, these alternative icons not only put on a great show, they also demonstrated that they still have plenty to offer, even in an era removed from that of their initial, considerable success.

It was fitting for Stinson to open, since the band with which he first became known, The Replacements, ruled college rock airwaves for much of the ‘80s, breaking up in 1991, while Evan Dando’s band started getting big right before then, capitalizing on growing buzz by releasing hit album It’s a Shame about Ray in 1992.

Apart from The Replacements, Stinson is known for lending his bass chops to Guns N’ Roses for nearly 20 years, as well as fronting bands Bash & Pop and Perfect. He took the stage by himself and played a mostly acoustic solo set, though he strapped on an electric for a couple closing songs as well. Stinson used his time to great effect, belting in his punk/Dylan-esque voice and passionately strumming his way through garage-y, heart-baring tunes. Stinson gave an especially inspired rendition of the title track from Bang & Pop’s debut Friday Night Is Killing Me and was a charming performer overall, one who clearly wanted to work to earn the crowd’s admiration rather than rest on his considerable laurels—at the merch table, there were T-shirts on sale that read, in all caps, “Who the f— is Tommy Stinson?”

After a brief break, The Lemonheads hit the stage with remarkable punctuality. Accompanied by Chris Brokaw on guitar, Farley Glavin on bass and Lee Falco on drums, Dando led the band through nearly thirty songs. The performance was unimpeachable, if occasionally somewhat workmanlike—there was little acknowledgment of the crowd and almost no time in between songs, giving the show an oddly rushed feel, even though it was plenty long (and Dando even came back for an encore). But the song selection was hard to argue with, pitting Lemonheads classics alongside several covers, both ones that Dando has been playing for years as well as ones newly released on this year’s Varshons 2 .

The most effective covers were the country-tinged ones, including “Abandoned” by Lucinda Williams, “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness” by John Prine and “I Just Can’t Take It Anymore” by Gram Parsons (not to mention a surprise rendition of The Eagles’ “Take It Easy”). Dando’s voice has barely aged, but time has made his baritone timbre even richer, which suits these songs especially well. Dando also played covers he’s long been known for, the Misfits’ “Skulls” and “Frank Mills” from the Hair musical, as well as Chris Brokaw’s “My Idea,” which he covered on his solo album Baby I’m Bored . As for the originals, the classics were all there, and here, too, Dando’s seemingly ageless voice delivered all the pathos fans remember from the originals. And time hasn’t hurt his guitar playing, either—though Brokaw deftly handled most of the leads, Dando took a few scorching turns himself. Of course all the great singalongs were there—“It’s a Shame about Ray,” “Confetti,” “My Drug Buddy,” “Big Gay Heart,” “Down about It,” “Bit Part,” “Hannah & Gabi,” “The Outdoor Type” and others—just to remind you of what a hit-machine the guy is. But just as beloved as these gems were darker songs like “Rudderless,” “The Turnpike Down” and “Style,” as well as “Left for Dead” and “Stove,” both from 1990’s Lovey .

Dando himself remains a cryptic figure—it is unfair to a performer to try and interpret a singer’s affect, but it is sometimes hard to tell how much joy his own songs are bringing him. But looking around the audience, there is no doubt as to how much joy they still bring others.

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Duxbury's Juliana Hatfield jams with The Lemonheads at Boston shows

The band celebrates 30th anniversary reissue of 'it's a shame about ray' with two shows at the paradise.

MUSIC REVIEW: The Lemonheads, with Juliana Hatfield, Gang Green, Dec. 18 at The Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Ave., Boston

We may debate how exactly to categorize their music, or how consistent their live sets are, but the past weekend proved there is no doubt about the enduring popularity of The Lemonheads . The Boston band fronted by singer/songwriter Evan Dando concluded a national tour to mark the 30th anniversary of their most popular album, 1992’s “It’s a Shame About Ray,” with two sold-out shows last weekend at The Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Earlier this year, a special commemorative edition of that album was released.

Duxbury’s Juliana Hatfield, who was part of the Lemonheads lineup, singing and playing bass, for that signature album, has been playing a middle set on the tour, with various other acts opening the show in the first slot. On Saturday, On Being An Angel opened the show, while Beantown punk legends Gang Green opened Sunday’s soiree with a short but blistering and well-received set.

The Lemonheads’ own headline set was kind of a microcosm of their career, which is to say brilliant in some spots, ragged and confounding in others. This lineup included Farley Glavin on bass and Lee Falco on drums, with Chris Brokaw on second guitar for much of the set. Dando and his mates roared through at least 33 songs (by our count) in their 1 hour, 40-minute set. Saturday’s show included 36 tunes, but the word was that Sunday’s show started a bit late, so it might’ve been trimmed a bit. Regardless, the Lemonheads played as if they were double-parked, with the leader offering virtually zero between-songs patter, and often driving the band to quickly begin the next song, seemingly before the one they were doing was wholly over.

The Lemonheads began as a punk band in 1986, but by the time of their best album, their sound and Dando’s uniquely appealing songwriting had morphed into a quirky sort of alternative rock. There was still plenty of heaviness in the music, but Dando emerged as a singularly poignant singer, with lyrics of often candid personal reflection. Tall and good looking, Dando also became a kind of alt-rock matinee idol in that heyday of videos. It was a bit disconcerting to see Dando, now 55, with shoulder-length hair hanging over his face, with a salt-and-pepper goatee and a multi-colored T-shirt, leading the band from the shadows. The spotlights never found the reluctant star, which had to be by design.

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The Lemonheads did 19 tunes before they got to the album, which was then performed in its entirety, in order. After a couple of loud rockers, where the sound mix was being adjusted, Dando and the trio delivered an unexpectedly stunning cover of John Prine’s “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness,” where the anguished nuances of his clear baritone showed his voice is in prime form. Later on, the pulse of “Break Me” was so ferocious it seemed like an avalanche of beats. Right after that, the more moderate pulse of “If I Could Talk, I’d Tell You” merged rock muscle with the singer’s vulnerability.

A solo segment, with Dando on acoustic and electric guitar, was mostly a highlight, although he does have a Dylan-esque tendency to mumble his lines. “The Outdoor Type,” a cover from the band Smudge, was a particular treat. Dando singing about how he’s not an outdoorsman seemed especially confessional, over the most frenetic rhythm he could conjure up solo.

The tunes from “It’s a Shame About Ray” got the predictably biggest crowd response, with Hatfield appearing on bass for most of the tunes. The jangly folk-rock style guitar textures of “Confetti” was compelling, and then of course “It’s a Shame About Ray” had the crowd of almost 1,000 happily singing along. The Lemonheads gave the title cut a visceral foundation, almost a Foo Fighters-level of thunder, for a deft contrast to Dando’s sweetly crooned vocal. The band subtly pushed the tempo faster and faster on “My Drug Buddy,” and their punky roots were in glorious form on “Allison’s Start to Happen.”

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One of the keys to Hatfield’s rock is the way her innocent waif’s vocals work in contrast to her harder-rocking melodies and the often world-weary candor and poetry of her lyrics. Having her open solo with just her guitar loses much of that contrast. “Everybody Loves Me But You” was a tenderly affecting song to open her set, but she didn’t seem confident in her voice. Hatfield’s hit “My Sister” found most of the audience joining her, which seemed to bolster her and focus the set. Her 2020 tune “Christmas Cactus” hit the bull's-eye of balancing vulnerability with hard-won wisdom, and “I Got No Idols” ended her 35-minute set with the kind of deeply throbbing rock that provides her best framework.

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The Lemonheads “It’s A Shame About Ray 30th Anniversary Tour” – O2 Ritz, Manchester, 8/10/22

October 12, 2022
International Concert Reviews , UK Concert Reviews
by Paul Evans Photographer/Writer

“Tortured Genius Springs To Mind When I Think Of The Captivating Lemonhead Frontman, Evan Dando”

It’s 30 years since the release of former cult favourites, The Lemonheads’ seminal fifth album and tonight is my chance to hear the wonderful fusion of punk and Byrdsian jangle of “It’s A Shame About Ray” in full for the first time in 30 years. I mention former, as tonight’s gig at the O2 Ritz in Manchester is a sell-out. Not just any sell-out either, it’s bursting at the seams. It appears that everyone who has bought a ticket is here which is not always the case. Support tonight is from Oxford, Mississippi’s, Bass Drum of Death .

Formed in 2008, the three-piece Bass Drum of Death are back after a brief lull. Their modest blueprint of two guitars and drums deliver wave after wave of heavy distorted melodies haemorrhaging into polished heavy garage guitar and pounding drums. It’s a blistering set and the venue is already packed and responds well to the onslaught. There’s quite a few fans who know the band and are singing along, hands raised. Their new album “Say I Won’t” is out early next year and the echoes of the Jesus and Mary Chain , BRMC and the Ramones I hear tonight have placed it on my to buy list.

Bass-Drum-of-Death-Ritz-Manchester-October-2022-ef

Tortured genius springs to mind when I think of the captivating Lemonhead frontman, Evan Dando. I’ll be honest, the last time I saw the band five or six years ago, the glorious songs shone through, but his voice was weak and I was disappointed. The nineties heart throb strolls onto the dimly lit stage without his band and tunes up his acoustic guitar ready for a stripped back acoustic set. He’s lost none of his laid-back cool, but I’m wondering which version of the supremely talented Evan we’re going to see and hear tonight.

The frontman does like a cover version and there’s a few on show in the first part of the show. There’s the Michael Nesmith cover “Different Drum” , from The Lemonhead’s 1990s favourite “Spanish Dishes” ; The Smudge cover “Outdoor Type” from 1996 album “Car, Button, Cloth” ; The Misfits “Skulls”; Townes van Zandt’s “I’ll Be Here in the Morning” all interspersed with Dando originals such as “Ride With Me” from “Lovey” ; “Being Around” from “Come on feel the Lemonheads” and the haunting “Hard Drive” from his solo album “Baby I’m Bored” . There’s no need to worry as his smooth, powerful and sorrowful voice is back to its best, the crowd singing along in the darkness of the blue\purple lights to the mournful “The Outdoor Type” and reflective “Being Around” . He loses his jacket, swaps to a battered electric guitar and we’re straight into the tours billed full album.

“Right let’s do the album, thanks very much for coming out tonight” states the enigmatic frontman and he introduces his band of bass, Farley Glavin and drums, Mikey Jones (from Swervedriver ). To be fair, I’ve seen the band performing most of “It’s A Shame About Ray” plenty of times over the years and after hearing the quality of the acoustic set I’m well-up for a slice of nineties nostalgia tonight. Memorably, I can picture myself with long hair, wearing denim and a fake fur coat watching the Lemonheads joined by the album’s original bass player, Juliana Hatfield , in a muddy field somewhere in the 90s. Now that was a gig.

Lemonheads-Ritz-Manchester-October-202d2r

Up tempo album opener, “Rockin’ Stroll“ continues the frantic pace before the trio immediately launch into the chiming and addictive crowd favourite “Confetti” . The alluring harmonies and chugging, distortion of “Alison’s Starting to Happen” entice the now bouncing, throbbing crowd into a nostalgic singalong. I walk upstairs and it’s three deep on the balcony, something I’ve not seen for a long time. “Kitchen” is cool and intricately balances bruised and beaten fuzz with Evan’s beautiful vocal melodies perfectly. “Ceiling Fan” is effervescent, whilst “My Drug Buddy” is both dejected and triumphant. Many of the audience singing along to every word. All as it should be then. The biggest crowd singalong saved for album finale “Frank Mills” , from the musical “Hair” . The trio race through the album in less than half an hour. I’m guessing because of the early curfew. The melodic genius of each song shining through with the frontman still able to control a room with his deep baritone brogue and imposing presence.

The third set of the night is devoted to further Lemonhead classics and Evan reminding us even further of his gift for choosing obscure cover versions. There’s Smudge ’ s “Tenderfoot” and John Prines “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness” , but there isn’t “Mrs Robinson” . No surprise really, given Evan’s previous thoughts, but there is “Rick James Style” , “The Great Big No” and “Dawn Can’t Decide” from “Come on Feel The Lemonheads” , all fitting and brilliantly performed replacements, the bands stunning performance on offer tonight perfectly capturing the irresistible nostalgic allure of the songs.

The band leave Evan standing alone on the stage before the crowd have had a chance to cheer as the final song finishes and he bizarrely performs the allegedly cursed Hungarian Suicide Song ‘Gloomy Sunday’ Acapella. Famously covered by Billie Holiday and the Associates on their album Sulk there is something truly dark and beautiful about this song, but it is a bizarre ending to a glorious gig. I guess I wouldn’t have The Lemonheads any other way though.

1/ The Outdoor Type

2/ Being Around

3/ Hard Drive

4/ I’ll Be Here in the Morning

5/ Different Drum

7/ Ride With Me

8/ Rockin’ Stroll

9/ Confetti

10/ It’s a Shame About Ray

11/ Rudderless

12/ My Drug Buddy

13/ The Turnpike Down

14/ Bit Part

15/ Alison’s Starting to Happen

16/ Hannah & Gabi

17/ Kitchen

18/ Ceiling Fan in My Spoon

19/Frank Mills

2/ Hospital

3/ Break Me

4/ Tenderfoot

5/ Speed of the Sound of Loneliness

6/ It Looks Like You

7/ Rick James Style

8/ The Great Big No

9/ Dawn Can’t Decide

10/ Gloomy Sunday

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Lemonheads celebrate 30 years of ‘It’s a Shame About Ray’ album with concert tour that stops in Cleveland this weekend

Published: Nov. 17, 2022, 11:10 a.m.

Evan Dando and the Lemonheads perform Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Grog Shop (Photo by Barry Brecheisen)

Gary Graff, special to cleveland.com

Thirty years on, Evan Dando feels only pride about his band the Lemonheads’ fifth studio album.

“It’s a Shame About Ray” was, at the time, an alternative to the alternative. Though certainly part of the then-burgeoning modern/alt-rock scene, its jangly melodicism was kindred in spirit but something entirely different, sonically, from the domineering likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam or the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But “...Ray” held its own, giving the Lemonheads a Top 40 (No. 36) and gold-certified album.

Part of its legend, meanwhile, was the post-release addition of a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson,” which Dando and company (with new bassist Nic Dalton replacing Juliana Hatfield) had been recruited to record for a 25th-anniversary celebration of “The Graduate.” The track gave the Lemonheads a Top 10 Alternative Airplay hit and gave the band a brush with mainstream attention.

After putting the Lemonheads on ice in 1997 Dando reactivated the group in 2005 and has kept it going, though it’s been 16 years since it has released an album of original material. And this year the Lemonheads are on the road celebrating “...Ray’” 30th anniversary, playing it in its entirety (though without “Mrs. Robinson”) and allowing Dando, 55, to uncharacteristically bask in some glory from his past.

The band performs Saturday at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights.

So does “It’s a Shame About Ray” feel like 30 years ago? Thirty minutes? Three hundred years?

Dando: There ya go (laughs)...I couldn’t tell ya. I still enjoy it a lot. The songs are a little bit timeless, I think, so for me, it really works. And playing it is really fun. Getting old and playing rock ‘n’ roll is perversely fun, it really is. There’s something not quite right about it, but it is just a lot of fun.

What perspective do you have on the album three decades later?

Dando: I think it was just being in the right place at the right time. We got very lucky with the alternative rock explosion we all worked hard to make happen. Everybody we hung out with in, like. ‘87 was selling out (concerts) -- Babes in Toyland, Superchunk. It was like, “Whoa, what’s going on here? This is (messed) up!’ We were all like, “This is definitely not gonna last” so we just enjoyed the fat of the land.

Did you feel like you or the band did anything different, creatively, to make the music more accessible?

Dando: We got a little more consistent, maybe. We learned some basic things like the record’s got to have more of a theme to it rather than be schizophrenic. “Lovey” (in 1990) was like that, no thread at all. When we made (“...Ray”) it was a really fun kind of creative time. We were willing to try stuff out. It was like, “Let’s pull out all the stops, really go for it this time.”

The title track got you your first significant radio play.

Dando: That was like a catchphrase among friends -- we just kept saying it to each other. I finally wrote the song. It’s so hard to figure out what that song’s about, actually. It’s not happy; something wrong’s going on. But all the syllables seemed to fit right and it made sense at the time, so I didn’t think much more about it than that.

And then there was “Mrs. Robinson.”

Dando: That was a real rough one. This was our first record with Danny Goldberg as president of Atlantic. He was like, “This has got to go gold, I don’t care what happens,” kind of like old-school showbiz. So what happened was these Japanese people wanted to buy the rights to the Betamax tape (rights) and get kids into “The Graduate.” So the deal was like, “Get the Lemonheads to do ‘Mrs. Robinson’ and put it on the video for Japan.’ We were like, “OK...we’ll do it,” so it was gonna be just a new version on the video. But then they put it out as a single. We didn’t want that to happen at all. It was weird to have it hit like it did.

Do you still have ambivalent feelings about it?

Dando: Yeah, I think so. It was like old-school show business hijinks. We got caught in the middle of it, and it was bigger than us, so... who cares. Luckily Mary Scorsese helped everything by putting it in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” It makes sense...it embodies all that sleazy 90s (expletive). That makes it alright.

Juliana Hatfield played bass on the album before Nic Dalton joined the band, which was notable.

Dando: I love playing with her. She’s amazing. She’s great. She’s got this classic personality; she does eventually like to have fun, which is lucky, but it’s, like, a struggle. But I love playing with her and she’s gonna do some (dates) on this tour, so hopefully, we’ll jam together a little bit.

You also had Jeff “Skunk” Baxter from Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers play on the song “Hannah & Gabi.” How did that happen?

Dando: The Robb Brothers (producers) brought in all kinds of people who were cool. It was so exciting when he came in. He was, like, an Amtrak policeman at the time; he showed us his badge, put his gun on the (control) board. He had a little bit of attitude, but he was so cool and I loved him.

What else stood out about the sessions?

Dando: Greenblatt’s! (deli) It wasn’t far from the studio (Cherokee in Hollywood), and the album had a lot to do with turkey sandwiches with Russian dressing and matzo ball soup. It kept us going. We’d eat a bunch of Greenblatt’s and get to talking, and a lot of times we couldn’t do anything ‘cause we were in such hysterics. And the people who owned it had these amazing stories. We just loved it.

What’s next on the Lemonheads’ agenda?

Dando: We’re gonna do a new record, that’s the next step. We’ve been quiet enough, so we’ve gotta make some noise -- some real noise. We have, like, three-quarters of it spoken for; we just have to get in there and do it, after this tour. And I’ve been trying to write this book, a memoir type of thing. I’ve been doing it for a while; it feels like it’s the weekend and I have a 300-page term paper to turn in on Monday (laughs) -- “Is it done yet? Is it done yet? Where is it?!” It’ll be done when...I finish it.

The Lemonheads, Public Squares and the Tufted Puffins perform Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 216-321-5588 or grogshop.gs.

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The Youthful Melancholy of the Lemonheads

By Amanda Petrusich

Closeup of Evan Dando's face with one hand held up to the left side partially covering one eye.

In June, 1992, the Lemonheads released “It’s a Shame About Ray,” the band’s fifth record, and its first to garner international renown. The album featured the singer and guitarist Evan Dando, the bassist Juliana Hatfield, and the drummer David Ryan. Five months earlier, Nirvana’s “Nevermind” had landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and so-called “alternative rock,” as it was then known, was reaching a commercial zenith. I first learned about the Lemonheads through that most potent nineties triad: the group had been featured in Sassy magazine’s “Cute Band Alert,” it had a video in heavy rotation on “120 Minutes,” MTV’s late-night dumping ground for stuff too weird or grating for prime time, and Dando had scored a cameo in the film “Reality Bites,” in which he coolly ended a conversation by saying, “I’m Audi 5000.”

The Lemonheads were getting big. Dando, the band’s chief songwriter, had even appeared on “Regis and Kathie Lee” to promote the album. “This is a young, giant star,” Regis Philbin announced. Dando ambled onstage, wearing a tan secondhand jacket. “This is in,” Regis said, fingering the threadbare lining and nodding. “See, I’m out, I’m just totally out.” At one point, Dando described his mother, who was sitting in the audience, as “cool bananas,” which intrigued Regis. “It just means cool bananas,” Dando explained. (Was anyone ever so young?)

This month, “It’s a Shame About Ray” is being reissued with bonus material, including B-sides, demos, and radio sessions, and in April the Lemonheads will be performing these songs at a handful of tour dates. In the thirty years since its release, I have come to think of “It’s a Shame About Ray” as a perfect album. Certainly, there are records more sophisticated, more dangerous, or more expert, yet there are few so exquisitely self-contained. Dando’s songs are saturated with a kind of directionless longing—a troubling, inescapable sense that there’s more out there for him. Often, his protagonists are walking around waiting for something interesting to happen. For most writers, it’s extraordinarily difficult to catch and hold feelings of pathos, idleness, hunger, a kind of hazy but manageable melancholy. Dando’s songs are short (many are under or around two minutes), with choruses and hooks so easygoing, so suffused with nonchalance, that it feels as though they must have arrived fully formed and without struggle.

Dando, who is now in his mid-fifties, is hunky in a dopey-yet-strapping, I-rolled-off-the-couch-like-this way; in the nineties, he became an alt-rock pinup, appearing on the April, 1993, cover of Spin shirtless and golden-skinned, and with his tongue in the model Adrienne Shelly’s mouth. In a 1994 profile of Chloë Sevigny for this magazine, Jay McInerney described the Lemonheads as “considered either very cool or really bogus” and referred to the creation of an anti-Dando fanzine called Die Evan Dando, Die , thus named “presumably because he is too cute and his songs are too catchy.” (Sevigny, who is featured in the video for “Big Gay Heart,” a track from the album “Come On Feel the Lemonheads,” is one of several celebrities to appear in the band’s videos: a forlorn Johnny Depp stuffs his belongings into a grocery bag and takes off in the video for “It’s a Shame About Ray”; Angelina Jolie makes out with Dando as his defeated girlfriend looks on in “It’s About Time.”)

Dando was brought up in Back Bay, a historic and moneyed neighborhood in Boston. His mother was a model, and his father worked as a real-estate attorney. As a teen-ager, Dando attended the private Commonwealth School, where, in 1985, he started a band called the Whelps, which later evolved into the Lemonheads. The inaugural lineup included the bassist Jesse Peretz (who went on to direct films and television shows) and the singer and guitarist Ben Deily. The trio’s first record, “Hate Your Friends,” was released on the Boston-based independent label Taang! Records (an acronym for “Teen agers are no good”), which specialized in local punk and hardcore. “Hate Your Friends” may sound jarring and cacophonous to anyone chiefly familiar with the band’s sweeter, late-career output, but nonetheless it’s tuneful and energetic. The Lemonheads signed with Atlantic Records and released “Lovey” in 1990. Since then, the band has had more than forty members. Dando once described it as “kind of like a collective.”

“It’s a Shame About Ray” eventually went gold, yet for a while it seemed as though Dando himself might not survive the decade. In 1995, the band was scheduled to play at the Glastonbury Festival, in England; Dando arrived two hours late and was booed off the stage. (He later told the Guardian that he had been in bed with two women and a bag of heroin.) He admitted that he had smoked crack and damaged his vocal cords during the sessions for “Come On Feel the Lemonheads,” telling Q magazine, “I went to the throat doctor and I told him I’d been smoking crack and he said, ‘Don’t do that, man. That’s dangerous.’ ” After that, rumors that he was dead would periodically circulate, but Dando ended up outlasting many of his contemporaries.

The Lemonheads have not released new material since “The Lemonheads,” in 2006. (That lineup included the bassist Karl Alvarez and the drummer Bill Stevenson, both members of the punk-rock band the Descendents, with contributions from Garth Hudson, the organist for the Band, and the singer and guitarist J. Mascis, of Dinosaur Jr.) In 2009, the Lemonheads released a covers record called “Varshons.” On it, Dando takes on Townes Van Zandt’s “Waiting Around to Die.” Unlike Van Zandt, who sounds heartsick, frayed, and desperate, Dando gives a performance that is practically jaunty. That album was followed, nearly a decade later, by “Varshons II.” In the years since, Dando has been promising to release new songs, but they have yet to materialize.

“It’s a Shame About Ray” was recorded at Cherokee Studios, in Los Angeles, and produced, at Atlantic’s suggestion, by the Robb Brothers. In the nineteen-sixties, the Robbs (Dee, Bruce, Joe, and Craig) had briefly served as the backing band on “Where the Action Is,” a variety show hosted by Dick Clark, but by the early seventies Bruce, Dee, and Joe had become more focussed on production. They opened Cherokee in 1972, and during the following decade worked on a series of remarkable records, including Steely Dan’s “Pretzel Logic,” David Bowie’s “Station to Station,” and Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall.”

The Robbs recruited some unexpected players for the “Ray” sessions, including Jeff (Skunk) Baxter, a guitarist turned defense consultant who had been a founding member of Steely Dan and a guitarist with the Doobie Brothers. It is almost impossible to imagine a band less germane to the dishevelled alt-rock vibe than Steely Dan, yet Baxter’s pedal-steel parts on “Hannah and Gabi”—a pretty, fragile song about being a terrible partner (“I’m out wandering around / You’re but one thing I’ve found”)—are warm and rubbery, giving the song a lilt that recalls Gram Parsons. The acoustic demo included on the reissued record, which features only Dando on vocals and acoustic guitar, is listless by comparison.

“It’s a Shame About Ray” is the only album by the Lemonheads to feature Hatfield, who is a dynamic and beguiling artist on her own; her soft, almost childlike vocals on “My Drug Buddy,” a loping, breezy ode to the person you call when you want to get high but don’t want to be alone, give a potentially devastating track an unexpected airiness. In fact, much of “It’s a Shame About Ray” should be devastating—these are songs about being young and lost, “like a ship without a rudder’s like a ship without a rudder’s like a ship without a rudder,” as Dando puts it—but isn’t. Since that record’s release, Dando has remained spacey and carefree despite the nihilism that plagued his Generation X cohort. He never wanted to be a pop star. At times, it has seemed as though he barely wanted to be a professional musician. The reissue of “It’s a Shame About Ray” closes with an echoing, acoustic demo of “Confetti,” a song that addresses being the less interested party in a romantic entanglement. It’s a minute and fifteen seconds long. Dando doesn’t need much time to say his piece: “He kinda shoulda sorta woulda loved her if he could’ve / He’d rather be alone than pretend.” ♦

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Coming out of Boston, Massachusetts, US, The Lemonheads are an alternative rock band, finding popularity in the 90s following the grunge explosion, re-emerging in 2005 to critical acclaim.

Led by Evan Dando, The Lemonheads moved their early sound of Hüsker-Dü influenced punk rock towards catchy, lo-fi rock full of pop sensibilities, also displaying Dando's love of country-rock in its tone. They have become cult figures in the world of alternative rock, building a loyal following of fans, alongside respect from fellow illuminates like Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis.

In the late 80s, The Lemonheads released a number of recordings on various independent labels, focussing on a hardcore punk sound but didn't gain any substantial success outside of their cult following. It was after joining Atlantic Records in 1990 that the band were to find widespread acclaim, through their album, "Lovey," a more melodic and dynamic record than what had come previously. This was followed by 1992's "It's a Shame About Ray," their breakthrough album, which gained significant momentum through their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs Robinson," with the Lemonheads being tipped for big things following its release. Dando had become a minor celebrity after this success, with his personal life and battle with drug addiction becoming widely publicised.

After recovering from addiction, "Car Button Cloth" was released in 1995, featuring a new lineup, including former members of Dinosaur Jr. The album received mixed reviews and the band were unable to generate the success they had with previous efforts, which led to an indefinite hiatus.

However, Dando reunited The Lemonheads, releasing their self-titled album in 2005, which reignited enthusiasm for the band. The Lemonheads embarked on several tours following this, finding a resurgence of popularity in the music world. In 2009, they released "Varshons" an album of covers including tracks by Gram Parsons, Wire, Christina Aguilera and GG Allin, which was released to positive critical acclaim.

Live reviews

Seeing The Lemonheads live will take you back to a place in time where ripped, faded jeans were in style and music about youthful angst and the slacker’s boredom filled the airwaves of the college radio station.

Although some of The Lemonheads’ songs might harp on the topic of teenage boredom, they are far from boring live. The band rolls through their setlist at a rapid pace, playing through hit after hit. This intense speed of performance allows them to cram in all our favorite tunes into the setlist.

Main songwriter and lead singer, Evan Dando, still performs his classic grungey, alternative rock music we love so much with the same amount of vigor he always has. The band’s performance is usually simple and straight forward, using very little theatrics, but their strong-suit is their catchy songwriting, and any additive substance of theatrics would take away from their raw, sincere performance. The music always has an energetic feel with Dando’s ever changing chord progressions and blaring guitar solos. The setlist spans across their whole career, but after having celebrated their 20th anniversary of the critically acclaimed album, It’s a Shame About Ray, they have been recently including a larger selection from this hit record.

The band’s short and sweet style of performing is what makes them so great. They have a direct way of performing their music and they don’t need superfluous instrumentation or theatrics to get their energy across. You can expect to have a great time rocking out to classics such as “My Drug Buddy” or you might even here the unique, fast-paced rendition of “Mrs. Robinson”.

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The Lemonheads last night, St. Andrews Hall, Detroit. Really, this is Evan Dando's band and Evan Dando's voice is as smooth a tenor as there is, has not lost a bit of its evocative, (with a touch of melancholy), power...always with that hint of country and Graham Parsons sitting on his shoulder. This touring band is skilled, a 27 song assault that had no small talk to bridge what was effectively one song melting into the other in a stream of consciousness set. "It's a Shame About Ray" was the centerpiece album sampled, but this is a guy, Evan, and a band that has made covers of other material as strong as their own, Suzanne Vega's 'Luka' and the punked up version of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson", which was not played. When others describe the Lemonheads, you hear words like, punk-rock, power rock, alternative rock, power pop and "college radio darlings". What they do is distill feelings, and not explain them to you. When I read about who Evan Dando 'spiritually' hangs out with; Juliana Hatfield, Oasis, Yo La Tengo, Lucinda Williams, Graham Parsons, The Dandy Warhols, and that several years ago, (for Detroit fans), he sang lead vocals on an MC5 tour, you realize this is a complex guy who sings in a voice that runs up and down your spine. He hit a road bump in the 90's with drugs, but there was no evidence of that last night. What was evident, as the audience filled in as harmony on the third encore song, "Into Your Arms", The Lemonheads are a compelling show, with perfect execution of songs, and the heart of Evan Dando is shrouded outside of giving you what you came for.....

Here are my thoughts on the show:

- We’ve been to the Underground a number of times now. I’m not convinced their sound system is the best, but there were no noticeable issues. It still sounds a little off to me though.

-The band is what you can come to expect of one that’s main draw is music it originally released over two decades ago. I assume everyone else is there like me, to hear music they loved in their youth, with no expectations that it be performed to the level that it once was. All in all it was pretty good.

-Anytime you see a show where the average age of the concert goers ticks up close to 40 or more (I’m 44), it really becomes a crap shoot as to what you might get. Crowd behavior wasn’t too bad at this show, but there were still a few people who obviously don’t get out of the house much in this way. For whatever reason, one guy was absolutely obsessed with a walk way where they ask you not to stand. He was really bothered by this. Also, there always seems to be that one couple who get really drunk and then try to reclaim their youth by dancing around quite wildly into everyone else’s space. There’s one at every show.

Oh lucky me, Lemonheads shows last year three.

Early - Polished and wholesome affair

Mid - Functional shindig, thanks Nick Saloman

Late - Total mess, as expected. Soothing. Felt sorry for most of the audience, Mikey and Farley.

It's easy to enjoy the music of someone that has their ups and downs when the downs don't make the album, but harder when they're in your face and you've paid good money for a ticket. If you're going to a show then recognize it's a bit of a gamble, and take comfort that you're not the type to go and see an endlessly reliable act.

That third show was f-ing awful though.

Show was good, lots of different songs from different albums. Concert cut short though when a crowd member threw a T-shirt up on stage (didnt hit anyone). Evan stomped off 7 songs short of a full set. Disapointing anti-climax ending which kinda made the whole show suck. Whole band was in good form though. Very upbeat. Felt like a Lemonheads concert and not Evans backing band. But as always with him, the shows are very unpredictable. Which is great when he is in a good mood. Last time he played Copenhagen we got a 3 hour set. An element of risk is always to be expected.

I thought this was quite a small venue for a big-ish band, but then I guess their appeal may be "more selective" than a few years back.

The Limelight was packed out and the band shuffled on in their lo-fi way, starting off with Hospital and a "best of" set, Rudderless, Into your arms, It's a shame about Ray etc.; also a couple of Evan's solo tracks.

Great singalong to Frank Mills in the middle of it too.

They did Teenage Kicks with big smiles on the faces before the encore.

They seemed to enjoy themselves and so did we!

This was the second time in two years that I have tried to see Evan/Lemonheads.

Both times the show was cancelled.

This time I drove 4 hours to see the show and it is cancelled due to "food poisoning" 1 hour after Tommy Stinson finished his warm up "set". What a joke.

People were throwing beers at the stage after they announced that the show was cancelled. Aura is an amazing venue, I was impressed the facility. Too bad the artists were a no show.

Great is not the word, that has to be used her. To meet The Lemonheads after all these years ( I am a big fan from 1987) was like a time travelling and...I think it was like the same for Evan Dando too. I love him, his music, his poetry, his talent, and his honesty to be always the man, that he really is and not just a rockstar. I hope...that somehow will be possible to see Lemonheads at least one more time live. Thank you, Evan! Love you!

* 1 af 5 * Vanvittig dårlig og uengageret performance. Der må være behov for enhver håndøre og de to musikere klarede 45 minutter inden hovedmanden tog de sidste 12 minutter alene på scenen, ironisk nok noget af det bedste lydmæssigt. Lyden var også jævnt ringe og mudret og om det var musikerne eller mixerne eller begge der fejlede?

I saw them back in 1996 or 1997 it was a top gig the band was on fire for halloween and so were we!Dando was disguise in a beautiful spiceman with all thoes little pots of spices ducktaped to his shirt and pants.we spiced up the night later on..but thats another story..hope to see them again someday!

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On the edge with The Lemonheads in Brighton

THE LEMONHEADS + BASS DRUM OF DEATH + ALEX LIPINSKI – CHALK 10.10.22

Formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986, alternative rock band The Lemonheads entered the wider public consciousness with their 1992 breakthrough album ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’. Its success was bolstered by a hit single, a brisk and punky cover of the Simon and Garfunkel classic ‘Mrs Robinson’, which reached the UK Top 20 and firmly established the band amongst the post-grunge scene of the early 1990s.

A vehicle for the talents of longtime singer and songwriter Evan Dando, the lineup has been fluid and constantly changing over the years. Despite a hiatus between 1997 and 2005, there have been ten studio albums, along with various collaborations and solo projects. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their most celebrated release, the band are busy touring. We catch them at Chalk in Brighton, towards the end of the UK leg. Tonight’s show is eagerly anticipated, and long since sold out.

It’s an early start, so I need to get a shift on to catch tonight’s support acts. I’m sorry to say I miss the beginning of the set for singer-songwriter Alex Lipinski , whose stage time is 6:15pm, slightly challenging for anyone coming here from work. The large room is filling slowly as I arrive, though there are still plenty of open spaces. I rather like what I do hear. He has a sweet tone, and his songs are poignant and wistfully reflective. He accompanies himself on guitar, switching between a left-handed Telecaster and an acoustic. The final number, ‘Closing Time’ is particularly impressive, with his voice really soaring. Alex is promoting his recent album , ‘For Everything Under The Sun’, which I’d be interested to check out.

Alex Lipinski setlist: ‘Coyote’ ‘Going Nowhere Fast’ ‘Dandelion Blues’ ‘Lonesome Train’ ‘When Will I Be Home’ ‘Closing Time’

alexlipinski.co.uk

Next up are Bass Drum of Death , who take the stage at 7pm. A three-piece from Oxford, Mississippi, they’ve been around since 2007 and have had some admirable success getting their energetically grungy songs placed on film, TV and video game soundtracks. A quick glance on Spotify confirms that ‘Crawling After You’, which featured on ‘Grand Theft Auto V’, has clocked a creditable ten million plays.

House right, John Barrett is the lead vocalist, shaking a shock of curly hair. He plays a fancy looking blue guitar, a vintage Greco, and seems to have his signal split between a Fender combo and a Bassman stack, giving him an absolutely massive sound. House left is John’s brother Jim, thrashing a Jazzmaster guitar and providing some impressive backing vocals, augmented with a bit of processing. Centre stage, drummer Ian Kirkpatrick is getting a vigorous workout thundering around the kit. First number ‘I Wanna Be Forgotten’ opens with a particularly lengthy and determined snare roll.

It’s lively stuff, as you might expect, although there are some surprisingly poppy melodies in amongst the fuzzy guitars. I’m impressed by the big riffing and insistent beat of ‘Left For Dead’, and Jim turns in a stunningly effective backing vocal on the recent single ‘Say Your Prayers’, aided and abetted by the electronic harmonies in the magic box at his feet. They close with ‘Crawling After You’, which sounds exactly like you’d imagine for the soundtrack of a high-adrenaline video game. If this is your sort of thing, Bass Drum of Death have a new album due out in 2023, and an extensive back catalogue to explore in the meantime.

Bass Drum of Death: John Barrett – vocals, guitar Jim Barrett – guitar, backing vocals Ian Kirkpatrick – drums

Bass Drum of Death setlist: ‘I Wanna Be Forgotten’ (from ‘Bass Drum of Death’ 2013) ‘Nerve Jamming’ (from ‘GB City’ 2011) ‘Just Business’ (from ‘Just Business’ 2018) ‘Velvet Itch’ (from ‘GB City’ 2011) ‘Head Change’ (unreleased, from forthcoming album ‘Say I Won’t’ ) ‘Left For Dead’ (from ‘Rip This’ 2014) ‘Say Your Prayers’ (single, 2022) ‘Shattered Me’ (from ‘Bass Drum of Death’ 2013) ‘Lose My Mind’ (from ‘Rip This’ 2014) ‘Get Found’ (from ‘GB City’ 2011) ‘Crawling After You’ (from ‘Bass Drum of Death’ 2013)

www.bassdrumofdeath.com

It’s approaching the 8pm stage time for the main act of this evening, The Lemonheads . I’m in my customary spot, leaning on the barrier at the front, and it has suddenly become a lot more crowded. The people around me are clearly devoted fans, and are very excited indeed. From reports of previous shows on the tour, we can expect a solo acoustic set from Evan Dando first, and sure enough he appears, toting a Gibson acoustic, to wild applause.

My first impression is that our hero is somewhat disinhibited tonight, to say the least. Something of a pin-up back in the day, he looks wild and dishevelled, and is clad in a not particularly flattering blue smock dress adorned with a floral decorative trim. Worryingly crazy eyes stare through the long, shampoo-averse hair plastered over his face. He seems in an exuberant mood though, singing along theatrically to the intro music, Ella Fitzgerald’s recording of Cole Porter’s ‘Miss Otis Regrets’.

The solo set starts promisingly, with the amusing lyric of ‘The Outdoor Type’ and the excellent ‘Hard Drive’ from the 2003 solo album ‘Baby I’m Bored’. It’s almost as though Evan has got bored playing it though, as it breaks down untidily, segueing to a few bars of Penetration’s ‘Don’t Dictate’. Maybe someone has reminded him that with the looming 10pm curfew he needs to hurry up, as ‘Being Around’ is performed at a wildly varied tempo with some comically fast strumming. He’s clearly in the mood for mischief, shaking his head in an exaggerated way so as to be singing away from the microphone during an otherwise well-executed cover of Richard Thompson’s ‘Dimming Of The Day’. This disregard for conventional mic technique must be frustrating for the audience further back, and it flares up again during ‘Favorite T’. Where I’m standing everyone is singing along anyway, though they need to be on their toes as Evan throws in a random acapella burst of The Smiths’ ‘This Charming Man’ for good measure.

A few more covers complete this section of the show, its conclusion announced with a big strum out by Evan and a rather impressive forward roll across the stage, thankfully completed without accident or injury. He switches to a venerably road-worn double cutaway Les Paul Junior, and is joined onstage by Farley Glavin, slinging a red Jaguar bass, and drummer Mikey Jones. Together they commence a playthrough of the classic ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ album, in order, much to the delight of the crowd.

It starts well, with the addition of the band imposing a bit more structure to proceedings. Bassist Farley looks serious and focused, the Donald Ross Skinner to Evan’s Julian Cope. Mikey, in recent years also the drummer for Swervedriver, is fluid and powerful around the kit. It’s hard not to be moved by the languid melancholy of the album’s title track, which must be an all-time classic of the indie and alternative canon. ‘My Drug Buddy’ has a similar vibe, though a particularly loose attempt at a guitar solo did detract slightly from its beauty.

Evan addresses his audience between songs in an indistinct mumble. It’s probably as well, as he’s having a rant about Paul Simon in what sounds like rather uncomplimentary terms. I’m not sure what his beef is with the writer of the song that made The Lemonheads famous, although I remember at the time that Evan was miffed about the record company including ‘Mrs Robinson’ on subsequent re-pressings of the album. Evan’s happy to acknowledge Paul Simon’s work though, and gives us a quick burst of ‘April Come She Will’ by way of balance.

The highlight of the second half of the album comes with the big barre chords of the excellent ‘Alison’s Starting To Happen’. At its conclusion, some of the people around me are screaming for it to be played it again, but we move on down the track list. By the end of ‘Kitchen’, Evan seems to have got bored and wants to go off-piste again, much to the alarm of his bandmates. They leave him to it, and we get solo extracts from The Sex Pistols’ ‘Pretty Vacant’ and Johnny Thunders’ ‘One Track Mind’. We’re back on course with a lively rendition of ‘Ceiling Fan In My Spoon’, and the band leaves the stage briefly while Evan conducts a crowd singalong of ‘Frank Mills’, a cover from the musical ‘Hair’ that concludes the album.

One of the crowd has spotted me taking notes, and suspecting I’m a writer, is keen to convey his enthusiasm for the experience. “This is freedom. You don’t see this anymore. You’ve got to herald this. It’s on the edge and beyond the edge.” At this point Evan is behind the drum kit, accompanying himself on a solo rendition of The Eagles’ ‘Lyin’ Eyes’.

The band returns, augmented by the addition of Nick Saloman (The Bevis Frond) on a stunningly retro Burns Flyte guitar, shaped like a rocket. His amp rig features two Carlsboro Stingray heads, which make me feel very nostalgic indeed, and it quickly becomes apparent that he is an awesomely talented player. He completes three numbers as a special guest, including two covers of songs by The Bevis Frond, which I really enjoy. Leaving to warm applause, he receives a glowing tribute from Evan, describing him as having “…defined the late 80s psychedelic movement of England”.

Moving on as a three-piece again, Evan seems agitated during ‘Hospital’. He’s lost his guitar pick, and doesn’t seem to notice a whole row of them in a holder on his mic stand. A friend watching from the photographers’ pit directs him to it, and as a reward gets to strum the strings while Evan fingers the chords. There’s some vigorously applied wah wah on ‘Break Me’, whose title seems prescient. There’s a problem with the equipment, and Evan is quickly overtaken by what I imagine to be a mixture of paranoia and frustration, bizarrely thrashing his unplugged (and still live) lead against the stage and the kick drum head. There’s a buzzy hiatus, with much plugging and unplugging of effects, before the now desperate frontman manages to topple a Marshall stack whilst tugging to disentangle an alternative lead. It’s all a bit of a shambles, and there’s some booing from sections of the crowd.

Having watched Evan trash all his own gear, Nick Saloman comes on and gamely offers him use of the beautiful Burns Flyte. I’m concerned whether it’ll make it through unscathed, but Evan seems to have got it back together enough to play a few more songs. There’s a tasty wah solo on ‘Style’ and a lively romp through ‘Stove’. The 10pm curfew is looming, and somehow we’ve made it to the end. By popular demand, Evan leads a crowd singalong of ‘Big Gay Heart’, then drops the mic and disappears backstage.

It’s been an interesting evening. Some people are ecstatic, and some clearly disappointed. I meet my friends on the way out, one of whom is reading out tweets from patrons who have left early, grumbling that it’s the worst gig they’ve ever seen. Free thinking visionary? Misunderstood genius? Drug casualty in-waiting? I must admit I rather enjoyed the show. In a sometimes bland world of slickly presented entertainments, it was refreshing to revisit the chaotic spirit of grunge. And what a back catalogue!

The Lemonheads: Evan Dando – vocals, guitar Farley Glavin bass, vocals Mikey Jones – drums, vocals

Evan Dando acoustic set: ‘The Outdoor Type’ (Smudge cover) ‘Hard Drive’ (Evan Dando song, from ‘Baby I’m Bored’ 2003) ‘Being Around’ (from ‘Come On Feel The Lemonheads’ 1993) ‘Dimming Of The Day’ (Richard Thompson cover) ‘It’s About Time’ (from ‘Come On Feel The Lemonheads’ 1993) ‘Favorite T’ (from ‘Come On Feel The Lemonheads’ 1993) ‘ Backstreet Girl’ (Rolling Stones cover) ‘Your Home Is Where You’re Happy’ (Willie Nelson cover, from ‘Creator’ 1988) ‘Withered And Died’ (Richard Thompson cover)

‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ set – (all from ‘It’s A Shame about Ray’ 1992) ‘Rockin’ Stroll’ ‘Confetti’ ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ ‘Rudderless’ ‘My Drug Buddy’ ‘The Turnpike Down’ ‘Bit Part’ ‘Alison’s Starting To Happen’ ‘Hannah & Gabi’ ‘Kitchen’ ‘Ceiling Fan In My Spoon’ ‘Frank Mills’ (cover from the musical ‘Hair’ )

Full band set: ‘Old Man Blank’ (featuring Nick Saloman – The Bevis Frond cover, from ‘Varshons 2’ 2019) ‘The Great Big No’ (featuring Nick Saloman – from ‘Come On Feel The Lemonheads’ 1993) ‘Lights Are Changing’ (featuring Nick Saloman – The Bevis Frond cover) ‘Hospital’ (from ‘Car Button Cloth’ 1996) ‘Break Me’ (from ‘Car Button Cloth’ 1996) ‘Into Your Arms’ (from ‘Come On Feel The Lemonheads’ 1993) ‘If I Could Talk I’d Tell You’ (from ‘Car Button Cloth’ 1996) ‘Style’ (from ‘Come On Feel The Lemonheads’ 1993) ‘Stove’ (from ‘Lovey’ 1990) ‘Big Gay Heart’ (from ‘Come On Feel The Lemonheads’ 1993)

www.thelemonheads.net

The Smiths track was “What Difference Does It Make?”…and it was the white SG he started the full band but with, switching to the Les Paul later. He also tried Pretty Vacant but the band wasn’t having it 😂 other than that I’d say the review is bang on 👍🏻

Thanks for your comments Ennis.

Certainly a very fair and interesting review. Considering a lot of long-time fans who went thought he was just blind drunk and a berk, and it was all rather sad. But also, this really doesn’t happen in rock’n’roll anymore – everything is so fu***** slick and perfect. It’s almost refreshing to leave uncomfortable, if a little worried, for Evan.

Thanks for your interest Nick.

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The Lemonheads announce ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ 30th anniversary tour

Evan Dando's band will hit the road in September

The Lemonheads have announced plans for a 30th anniversary tour of their 1992 album ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’.

Evan Dando’s band will hit the road for a series of UK and Ireland dates kicking off in Dublin on September 22.

The tour, which will see the band perform the record in its entirety, will also include stops in Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and a stop at the London Roundhouse on September 30. It will wrap up in Southampton on October 12.

Tickets for the shows are on sale now and can be purchased here . You can view the full list of dates below.

General sale is now open for all dates, which show are you getting tickets for? pic.twitter.com/reZeDmTnNn — The Lemonheads (@TheLemonheads) July 13, 2022

Following that, the band will also play a series of North American dates in November.

Tickets for those shows, which you can view below, go on sale tomorrow (August 12) and can be purchased here .

“I just want anyone and everyone to know that Jawbreaker are pussies. Fact not my opinion,” Dando said in a tweet at the time before following it up. “Or rather they aren’t the Bruce Springsteen’s of alternative rock that they pretend to be. I’ll meet any of them any time for a fight, let’s go.”

Before that, Dando also lost his wallet but after it was handed in at a local supermarket he returned to give a free in-store performance .

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The Lemonheads Return with New Single “Fear of Living”: Stream

Frontman Evan Dando has also announced a 2024 solo tour

The Lemonheads are back with a new single titled “Fear of Living,” the band’s first new music since 2006. Stream it below.

Frontman Evan Dando played all of the instruments on the power pop track, which was recorded and produced by Apollo Nove at A9 Audio in São Paulo, Brasil. “Fear of Living” features a catchy guitar riff and carpe diem lyrics from Dando, who sings, “Life is short and unforgiving/ I only fear the living.”

In a statement, Dando recalled co-writing the song with the late Dan Lardner of QTY: “I met with Dan in 2022, he sent me ‘Fear Of Living,’ I added some riffs and things, and he said he liked it. I shall miss you, Dear Prince, ever the most dignified person in the room.”

According to a press release, Dando is currently working on more new Lemonheads music. In the meantime, the group will head into the new year with a three-date residency at The Space in Chicago, where they will celebrate the recent 30th anniversaries of It’s a Shame About Ray and Come On Feel The Lemonheads . Get your tickets here .

Get The Lemonheads Tickets Here

After that, Dando will embark on a US solo tour kicking off on February 7th in Baltimore. It’ll feature stops in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping up in Fort Collins, Colorado on March 9th. Willy Mason will serve as the special guest on all dates. See the full itinerary below.

A Live Nation pre-sale will begin on Wednesday, November 15th (use access code BACKSTAGE ) ahead of the general on-sale slated for Friday, November 17th via Ticketmaster .

Once tickets are on sale, you can also find them at StubHub , where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

The Lemonheads’ last studio album of all-original music was 2006’s The Lemonheads . Since then, they have released a pair of covers albums: 2009’s Varshons and 2019’s Varshons 2 .

The Lemonheads 2023 Tour Dates: 12/29 – Evanston, IL @ The Space 12/30 – Evanston, IL @ The Space 12/31 – Evanston, IL @ The Space

Evan Dando 2024 Tour Dates: 02/07 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery * 02/08 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall * 02/09 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle * 02/10 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl * 02/13 – Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits * 02/14 – Orlando, FL @ The Social * 02/15 – Tampa, FL @ Crowbar * 02/16 – Pensacola, FL @ The Handlebar * 02/17 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Chelsea’s Live * 02/19 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (upstairs) * 02/20 – Austin, TX @ Parish * 02/21 – Dallas, TX @ Trees (downstairs) * 02/23 – Taos, NM @ KTAO Solar Center * 02/24 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launch Pad * 02/25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge * 02/27 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah * 02/28 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy + Harriet’s (indoors) * 02/29 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room * 03/01 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy Theatre * 03/02 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall * 03/04 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios * 03/05 – Seattle, WA @ Triple Door * 03/08 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall * 03/09 – Fort Collins, CO @ The Armory *

* = w/ Willy Mason

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The Lemonheads: O2 Institute, Birmingham
Birmingham O2 Institute. Monday 27th September. The Lemonheads put in a rich, raw and riveting performance of their high-water mark It's A Shame About Ray, alongside a typically brilliant Evan Dando acoustic set and choice selections from the band's back catalogue. Sam Lambeth reviews.
Live Review: The Lemonheads w/ Juliana Hatfield
Evan Dando fronts The Lemonheads at 9:30 Club on Dec. 12, 2022. (Photo by Mickey McCarter) Thirty years ago, The Lemonheads released their most successful album, It's A Shame About Ray.On Monday evening, they rolled into the 9:30 Club on the album's anniversary tour, with support from longtime indie singer-songwriter (and sometime Lemonhead) Juliana Hatfield and the young band On Being An ...
Live Review: The Lemonheads @ Baltimore Soundstage
0. The Lemonheads rocked a packed Baltimore Soundstage on Nov. 26, 2021 (Photo by David LaMason) "You and I travel to the beat of a different drum," the opening line of the Michael Nesmith-penned "Different Drum" goes. And so can be said for Evan Dando, the creative force behind The Lemonheads. From the punk leanings of The Lemonheads ...
The Lemonheads Plot 'It's a Shame About Ray' 30th Anniversary Tour
By Jon Blistein. August 9, 2022. Evan Dando of The Lemonheads in March 2022. Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP. Boston alt-rock stalwarts the Lemonheads will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their hit ...
Concert Review: The Lemonheads/Tommy Stinson
After a brief break, The Lemonheads hit the stage with remarkable punctuality. Accompanied by Chris Brokaw on guitar, Farley Glavin on bass and Lee Falco on drums, Dando led the band through nearly thirty songs. The performance was unimpeachable, if occasionally somewhat workmanlike—there was little acknowledgment of the crowd and almost no ...
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Evan Dando Lemonheads celebrate 'It's a Shame About Ray' in Boston
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"Tortured Genius Springs To Mind When I Think Of The Captivating Lemonhead Frontman, Evan Dando" It's 30 years since the release of former cult favourites, The Lemonheads' seminal fifth album and tonight is my chance to hear the wonderful fusion of punk and Byrdsian jangle of "It's A Shame About Ray" in full for the first time in 30 years.
Lemonheads celebrate 30 years of 'It's a Shame About Ray' album with
Thirty years ago Evan Dando and the Lemonheads hit commercial pay dirt with the band's fifth album, "It's a Shame About Ray," and a separate remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." The ...
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The Lemonheads Tickets, Tour Dates & Concerts 2025 & 2024
See all upcoming 2024-25 tour dates, support acts, reviews and venue info. Live streams; ... The Lemonheads tour dates and tickets 2024-2025 near you. The Lemonheads will be performing near you at Richmond Music Hall on Thursday 08 February 2024 as part of their tour, and are scheduled to play 24 concerts across 1 country in 2024-2025. ...
On the edge with The Lemonheads in Brighton
Evan Dando of The Lemonheads at Chalk, Brighton 10.10.22 (pic Sara-Louise Bowrey). THE LEMONHEADS + BASS DRUM OF DEATH + ALEX LIPINSKI - CHALK 10.10.22. Formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986, alternative rock band The Lemonheads entered the wider public consciousness with their 1992 breakthrough album 'It's A Shame About Ray'. Its success was bolstered by a hit single, a brisk and ...
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The Lemonheads Concert History 669 Concerts The Lemonheads is an American alternative rock band, originally from Boston, Massachusetts, but now based in New York City.
The Lemonheads announce 'It's A Shame About Ray' 30th anniversary tour
11th August 2022. Evan Dando of The Lemonheads performs during the Spin showcase at Stubbs Bar-B-Q during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festival - Day 7 on March 17, 2022 in Austin, Texas. CREDIT ...
The Lemonheads Announce 2022 Tour Dates
The Lemonheads' last studio album was 2019's Varshons 2.Frontman Evan Dando performed a short set in a Walgreens that found his lost wallet in March 2021, and earlier this year, he went on a Twitter rant after the Lemonheads were fired from Jawbreaker's tour, calling the latter band "pussies.". The Lemonheads 2022 Tour Dates: 09/22 — Dublin, IE @ Opium
The Lemonheads return with new single "Fear of Living"
The Lemonheads are back with a new single titled "Fear of Living," the band's first new music since 2006. Stream it below. Frontman Evan Dando played all of the instruments on the power pop track, which was recorded and produced by Apollo Nove at A9 Audio in São Paulo, Brasil. "Fear of Living" features a catchy guitar riff and carpe diem lyrics from Dando, who sings, "Life is ...
The Lemonheads Concerts & Live Tour Dates: 2024-2025 Tickets
Follow The Lemonheads and be the first to get notified about new concerts in your area, buy official tickets, and more. Find tickets for The Lemonheads concerts near you. Browse 2024 tour dates, venue details, concert reviews, photos, and more at Bandsintown.
Lemonheads Tickets, 2024 Concert Tour Dates
Since the '90s, the band have continued to tour, headlining shows worldwide in North America and Europe. Buy Lemonheads tickets from the official Ticketmaster.com site. Find Lemonheads tour schedule, concert details, reviews and photos.
The Lemonheads Announce 'It's a Shame About Ray' Tour Dates
The Lemonheads It's a Shame About Ray 30th anniversary tour dates: 11.17 Lititz, PA Mickey's Black Box. 11.18 Toronto, ON Phoenix Theatre. 11.19 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop. 11.20 Bloomington, IL ...
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The Lemonheads: O2 Institute, Birmingham – live review

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