Popular 1990s rock group Gin Blossoms will perform June 1 at the Shawnee Bluff Winery & Vineyard in Eldon.
The group is well known for hit songs "Hey Jealousy," "Follow You Down," which made the Billboard's top 10 in 1996, and "As Long As it Matters," which earned a Grammy nomination.
They recently played their 25-year anniversary tour in 2017, were inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in the band's home state, and will tour this summer to promote their new album, "Mixed Reality." The album was produced by Don Dixon, who also worked with Marshall Crenshaw and the Smithereens, and will be released June 15.
"I think it's the best record we've made in 25 years," said Robin Wilson, the band's lead singer. "For example, our bass player, Bill Leen, not only did he write a couple of awesome songs for the album, I feel like he played the best bass guitar that I've ever heard on a pop rock record. It's just a fabulous performance from Bill, and one of his songs is called 'Mega Pawn King.' It's like the (Rolling) Stones meet REM kind of song; and it's just this happy, fun tune that really sort of explodes at the end."
Wilson has been performing for a long time and said he knows as a group they've "done something really special."
"I felt like we've lived up to our legacy, and we've delivered something that our fans are going to love," he added.
Although several years have passed since their first hit, the band still maintains the same fun-loving spirit that carries over to their new songs. Their new album cover, designed by pop art artist Mitch O'Connell, features a mystery box labeled with warning signs and the green alien girl, Eddie, while she sits atop a rocket playing 45 records on a turntable.
"I feel like I kind of hacked into a younger version of myself to write songs for this album, and I feel like I wrote songs that we would have wanted to record in 1990," Wilson said.
Fans can expect to hear much of the new album, but the band also will play a mix of its past hits.
The concert will begin at 8 p.m. June 1 and will feature special guest bands Tonic and Vertical Horizon.
"It's going to be a great tour with Vertical Horizon and Tonic," Wilson said. "We're going to have a great time and our band is at it's best right now, so this is a good time to come out and see us."
For more information or to order tickets, visit shawneebluffwinery.com/event/gin-blossoms.