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The Ultimate Garage Band Withstands The Rain

by Bry'onna Mention | Jul 30, 2007 9:32 am

(2) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Arts

Drizzle, downpour, nothing. Drizzle, downpour, nothing.

That was the forecast for Saturday’s performance on the Green. But fans of the Grammy-winning group Soul Asylum stood their ground with umbrellas and ponchos.

(Click on the play arrow for one YouTuber’s video clip of the show, overdubbed with a studio recording.)

After a 30-minute rain delay, the crowd was more than excited to rock on with Soul Asylum. The alternative rock band formed back in `83 in Minneapolis with Dan Murphy, Dave Pirner, Karl Mueller and Par Morley. Throughout the years the band has over gone many drastic changes, including the death of bassist Karl Mueller and the departure of five different members. With only two of the original members, the band pushed on. So no amount of rain was going to stop this band.

Though it was already see-sawing with rain and no rain, right as the band began to play, the sky opened up and it was a downpour. While most people hid under umbrellas and other in the V.I.P section retreated to tents, two young women remained side stage, umbrella-less: Twenty-five year olds Kelly Jensen and Jeanette McDunnah sipped on beverages and sung along as the rain fell. Despite the fact that Soul Asylum is technically “alternative rock,” the two women said they love how versatile the group is :“Their music is broken down into a lot of genres. You can’t restrict them to one.” The two were later joined by friend, Brian Hornby, 26, who spoke of Soul Asylum’s “longevity.”

One diehard fan was back and forth, in and out of the rain: Rob McGeehan, 26 of Hamden. McGeehan has been listening to Soul Asylum since he was in middle school. McGeehan distinctly remembers the first time he saw the video for the band’s Grammy-winning single “Runaway Train.” “The video had a bunch of pictures of runaway children and at the end there was like a runaway hotline number.” Now an adult, McGeehan can easily admit that after seeing the video, he got a little teary-eyed.

One of the main reasons McGeehan feels the band has been so successful: ‘collective soul.’ “Music today sucks… there aren’t any messages behind the music.”

McGeehan loved the era of Seattle grunge that ruled the ‘90s, in which Soul Asylum played a big part. As a host of a radio show, McGeehan recalls playing a lot of his favorite songs by Soul Asylum. “My favorite album by them is Grave Dancer Union.” To McGeehan, the group’s ability to rock and party, but also have love ballads is amazing. “I love their songs, ‘Somebody to Shove,’ ‘April Fool,’ ‘Runaway Train,’ of course… the list goes on.”

When asked if he could say anything to Soul Asylum, what would he be? McGeehan, paused and smiled. “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

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posted by: cedarhillresident on July 30, 2007  9:49am

I thought they ROCKED! I wasn’t going to go, but a friend called and said they were still going on. That is true rockers!!  I’m with McGeehan I love Seattle grunge! But I love all music. And we gave up on the umbrella’s and did the show mini Woodstock style.

posted by: DMc on July 31, 2007  10:18am

Soul Asylum aren’t from Seattle, they’re from Minneapolis.
And only a demented, nostalgia-addled brain would think they’re worth standing in the rain for.

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