The Gin Blossoms and Toad The Wet Sprocket provided support for a night filled with 90’s nostalgia
It’s been…20 years since the last time I saw The Barenaked Ladies. In 2003, my 12 year old self was going absolutely bonkers at the then Wachovia Center for one of Canada’s finest exports. Things have changed since then – Steven Page left the band, my hair is gone, and I’m no longer 12. However, some things have remained constant – The Barenaked Ladies still put on a hell of a show and 90’s/00’s nostaglia tours like this are wildly popular. Between BNL and the exemplary support from the Gin Blossoms and Toad The Wet Sprocket, attendees were treated to a welcomed trip down memory lane.
Toad The Wet Sprocket
Any time you get the opportunity to say “Toad The Wet Sprocket”, you take it. It’s arguably the most outrageous and nonsensical band names ever. The Santa Barbara natives set the mood early as The Met started to fill with Millenials and Gen X’ers alike, opening the show with ‘Come Down’. If you know anything about Toad the Wet Sprocket though, it’s that ‘All I Want’ is an undeniable 90’s classic – infecting radio waves and movie soundtracks into the early aughts. The set wrapped up with my personal favorite from the group, ‘Walk on the Ocean’.
Gin Blossoms
The platinum recording group out of Tempe, AZ opened with the 1996 hit ‘Follow You Down’, reminding me of just how catchy their songs really are. Seriously, I was humming it well into the next day. Before settling in, the group took a moment to wish lead singer Robin Wilson a happy birthday. From there, it was a blend of deep cuts like ‘Lost Horizons’ and ‘Until I Fall Away’ and chart toppers ‘Found Out About You’ and ‘Hey Jealousy’. Nothing hit quite like ‘Til I Hear It From You’, arguably the Gin Blossoms best track.
The Barenaked Ladies
The Barenaked Ladies are a just a fun band. They bring such a dynamic and unique approach to their music that it translates seamlessly to a live performance. Much of the set was highlighted by 2021’s Detour de Force, an album I’m glad I familiarized myself beforehand. While the lineup may not be the same as the first time I saw them, the vibe certainly was. Mainstays like ‘It’s All Been Done’ and ‘Pinch Me’ are always crowd pleasers, but it was the lyrical changes and interludes that truly stood out. Alternate lyrics like “begged you to use contraceptive foam” & “you say you like a cheesesteak on a bun” played to the raucus attendees, while ‘Brian Wilson’ featured the line “Due to Covid I was almost 300 pounds”. It’s little things like this that make a Barenaked Ladies set so relatable and inviting. BNL capped the night off with ‘One Week’, ‘If I Had $1000000’, and a closing medley that featured ‘Just A Friend’, ‘You Can Really Dance’, ‘Whip It’, and ‘Whole Lotta Love’. By the end of the night, it had truly all been done.
