Showing posts with label Jesse Valenzuela. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesse Valenzuela. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 09, 2025

Rhett Miller releases new single "All For You" from 10th solo album 'A lifetime of riding by night' out Oct. 10

Rhett Miller has just released a wonderfully affecting single off his forthcoming album "A Lifetime of Riding by Night." Hear the single and learn more about the celebrated artist's new album via the official media release...Robert Kinsler


Thursday, August 07, 2025

Rhett Miller announces 10th solo album 'A lifetime of riding by night' out Oct. 10 - Debut Single ft. Turnpike Troubadours' Evan Felker out now

I had to share the exciting news that Rhett Miller's 10th solo album is set to arrive this fall...Robert Kinsler



Monday, September 10, 2018

Gin Blossoms bring infectious firepower to the Coach House

The Gin Blossoms in concert at the Coach House on Sunday,
Sept. 9, 2018. Photo: Bob Steshetz
Performing the fifth date of their North American tour in support of their latest album Mixed Reality, the Gin Blossoms were clearly firing on all cylinders and performed a flawless 90-minute set at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Sunday night (Sept. 9, 2018).
Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms

The spirited and fast-moving turn from the Tempe, Arizona-spawned '90s hitmakers (whose multi-platinum album New Miserable Experience turned 25 last year!) was not lost on the capacity crowd who frequently cheered, clapped and sang along to the wealth of favorites performed by the quintet.

Opening with "Lost Horizon (the opening cut from New Miserable Experience), the wistful melodic track set the tone with singer Robin Wilson working his tambourine whilst guitarists Jesse Valenzuela and Scott Johnson, bassist Bill Leen and drummer Scott Hessel locked in with a loose and inspired approach that would also mark the rest of the band's 18-song set.

The set was heavily weighted in favor of the band's best-known material, but was clearly enhanced by the inclusion of a handful of newer songs that proved to be just as potent and reflected the growth of the group. Take "Angels Fly," one of many wonderful tracks from Mixed Reality played on Sunday. It was among the most shimmering of the group's melodic tracks featured this night, with Johnson's nuanced fretwork and Wilson's reverb-adorned vocals giving the song an apt ethereal air. From there, Gin Blossoms charged right into another new cut, "Break," a lovely song bolstered by deft lead guitar work from both Johnson and Valenzuela.
Jesse Valenzuela (rear) and Robin
Wilson at the Coach House

Time has been kind to the Gin Blossoms' approach, whose sound resonates as well in 2018 as it did at the dawn of the '90s. Simply put, the outfit's sonic brew comprised of jangle-rich power pop and alternative rock is timeless. Wilson's personable approach (he would often hand tambourines to members of the crowd to get them to participate in the music making) and time-honed skills of all the musicians gave the concert a party-like vibe.

Add to that the performance of reflective ballads ("Until I Fall Away," "As Long as it Matters," the new "Wonder") and freewheeling delivery of solid rockers ("Found Out About You," "Allison Road" and "Hey Jealousy," the latter that ended the band's regular set) and this was certainly a night to remember.


Jesse Valenzuela
Gin Blossoms' three-song encore was also not to be missed. With Wilson and Johnson taking the stage first, the two settled into a country folk take on the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" (the seminal track is from the 1971 album Sticky Fingers). Their band mates soon came on stage, providing additional layers to intensify the song; Valenzuela's work on an electric mandolin was especially affecting in the performance.

The band then launched into one of their best known tracks, the rousing "Follow You Down" complete with Wilson's powerful work on the harmonica.

"We're just a dusty band from the Sonoran desert," Wilson said after the track, acknowledging the wild reception.

The crowd would have surely been happy with that as a finale, but there was more. The band charged ahead, closing things out with a potent take on Tom Petty's "Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll."
Big Mother Gig performing at the Coach House on Sept. 9, 2018.

Opening the night was Los Angeles quartet Big Mother Gig, which received big cheers for a solid set of tuneful and crunchy melodic rock. Among the tracks that caught my ear on a first listen were the compelling "Nametag," Shoes-flavored "Alvarado," and guitar-anchored "Reflecting Flashlights."







You can catch Gin Blossoms at a number of upcoming concert dates, including at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018. Information: GinBlossoms.net.





Review by Robert Kinsler

Photos by Bob Steshetz


Picture on right: The Gin
Blossoms performing at 
the Coach House on Sunday,
Sept. 9, 2018.



Monday, June 04, 2018

Gin Blossoms to release eagerly-awaited new album “Mixed Reality” and embark on major U.S. Tour

Wow, so fantastic to hear the Gin Blossoms are returning with a new album! You can read my review of the band's previous masterwork No Chocolate Cake here. I caught the Gin Blossoms in Irvine last fall and they were terrific (read my review of the band's performance at Jack's 12th Show here). Read the media release below for everything you need to know about the band's upcoming tour and new LP...




Gin Blossoms to Release Eagerly Awaited New Album “Mixed Reality” and Embark on Major US Tour




Los Angeles - Cleopatra Records will be releasing the brand new album from one of the most successful melodic alt-rock bands still making music today, Gin Blossoms! Mixed Reality will be released on June 15, 2018. The Blossoms recently celebrated the 25 year anniversary of their seminal, multi-platinum album New Miserable Experience, which spawned the blockbuster singles “Hey Jealousy” and “Found Out About You!”

Gin Blossoms' blockbuster 1992 album New Miserable Experience spawned four Top 40 hit singles, and established the Arizona quintet as one of the top rock groups of that decade. More than 25 years have passed since the release of “New Miserable Experience,” and now Gin Blossoms are back with their best set of songs in years. Produced by Don Dixon and engineered by Mitch Easter, “Mixed Reality” demonstrates that the timeless appeal of Gin Blossoms' music has endured.

Says lead singer Robin Wilson, “I knew we were recording with Don and Mitch, and I managed to hack into a young version of myself to craft songs. All of us turned in our best work in 25 years. Regardless of commercial outcome, I know 'Mixed Reality' is special, and that we've lived up to our legacy.”

Gin Blossoms formed in 1987 in the Arizona city of Tempe; guitarists Jesse Valenzuela and bassist Bill Leen were founding members. After some lineup changes, the group coalesced around Valenzuela, Leen, Robin Wilson (vocals and guitar), drummer Phillip Rhoades, and guitarist Doug Hopkins. One quality that set Gin Blossoms apart from other groups was its deep bench: four of its five members wrote songs.

In 2017 Gin Blossoms began work on their first new album in almost eight years. Longtime producer and friend of the band John Hampton had passed away in 2014, so at first the group considered self-producing. But at one of their shows, they met Don Dixon, producer of the Smithereens' first two albums and a legend in power pop circles.

The group booked time in Mitch Easter's Fidelitorium Studio in Kernersville, N.C., working with Dixon as well as Easter, veteran of R.E.M. sessions. Now Gin Blossoms had a producer and engineer who helped define '80s jangling power pop, a style that exerted a major influence on the band's own musical approach. “We needed to be shaken and taken out of our element,” Wilson explains. “Working with Don and Mitch gave us the inspiration to reconnect with the very foundations of the band: where we came from as songwriters and band mates.”

Mixed Reality shares the same timeless feel as New Miserable Experience; it's packed with 15 songs, with Wilson, Leen, Johnson and Valenzuela all contributing material. And once again, the mix of songwriters results in something that has that unmistakable Gin Blossoms sound. “As much as we are children of our influences,” explains Wilson, “we managed to do something that was both familiar and original.”

“We're at the point now where we play better, we communicate better, we get along more,” says Wilson. “We're more grateful. It’s a very full-circle thing for us to be releasing 'Mixed Reality.'” Built around the proven strategy of using the band's deep songwriting bench, and packed with memorable songs that connect with listeners while transcending a specific time period, “Mixed Reality” may turn out to be as timeless as Gin Blossoms' major label debut.


Track List:
1. Break
2. Face The Dark
3. New Mexico Trouble
4. Angels Fly
5. Here Again
6. Still Some Room In Heaven
7. Miranda Chicago
8. Girl On The Side
9. Fortunate Street
10. Wonder
11. Shadow
12. Forever Is This Night
13. The JFK Shit Show
14. The Devil’s Daughter
15. Mega Pawn King

Catch the Blossoms on tour this year with special engagements alongside Vertical Horizon & Tonic!
   
Tue 05 29 18 - Grand Rapids, MI - 20 Monroe Live      
Thu 05 31 18 - South Bend, IN - Four Winds Field
Fri 06 01 18 - Eldon, MO - Shawnee Bluff Vineyard
Sat 06 02 18 - Alabaster, AL - Alabaster City Fest
Sun 06 03 18 - Greensboro, NC - White Oak Amphitheater        
Wed 06 06 18 - Columbus, OH - Express Live! Outdoor Amphitheater
Thu 06 07 18 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
Fri 06 08 18 - Big Flats, NY - Tag's Summer Sound Stage
Sat 06 09 18 - Fairfax, VA - Celebrate Fairfax Fair
Sun 06 10 18 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount        
Wed 06 13 18 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center at The Heigh
Thu 06 14 18 - Northfield, OH - Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield 
Fri 06 15 18 - Indianapolis, IN - The Pavillion
Sat 06 16 18 - Springfield, IL - Bank of Springfield Plaza
Sun 06 17 18 – West Saint Louis Park, MN - Common Sound Festival
Sat 07 07 18 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest
Sun 07 08 18 - Rochester, MN - Down by the Riverside Concert     
Tue 07 10 18 - Des Moines, IA - Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater
Thu 07 12 18 - Appleton, WI - Neuroscience Group Field
Fri 07 13 18 - Toledo, OH - Promenade Park
Sat 07 14 18 - Fort Wayne, IN - Headwaters Park        
Wed 07 18 18 - Cohasset, MA - South Shore Music Circus
Thu 07 19 18 - Stamford, CT - Alive @ Five Outdoor Summer Co
Fri 07 20 18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE – Outdoors
Sat 07 21 18 - Atlantic City, NJ - The Theater, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Sun 07 22 18 - Lakeville, PA - Cove Haven Resort
Tue 07 24 18 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Wed 07 25 18 - Hyannis, MA - Cape Cod Melody Tent          
Fri 07 27 18 - Chautauqua, NY - Chautauqua Institution Amphith
Sat 07 28 18 - Island Lake, IL - Sideouts      
Thu 08 02 18 - Selbyville, DE - The Freeman Stage at Bayside      
Sat 08 04 18 - Mount Tabor, NJ - At The Tabernacle            
Fri 08 10 18 - Chamblee, GA - Chamblee City Park
Sat 08 11 18 - Suwanee, GA - Suwanee Town Center Park

To purchase Gin Blossoms “Mixed Reality”:
CD: https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/gin-blossoms-mixed-reality-cd/
Digital: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/mixed-reality/1383520725?app=itunes&at=1000lt9k

Official website: www.ginblossoms.net