It’s been a big week for VersoFest.
First the Westport Library’s music-media-and more festival announced Chuck D as the kickoff event at this year’s event.
Today it’s the Spin Doctors.
The well-known alt-rock band (“Two Princes,” “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”) will headline the Friday, April 5 concert.
The Spin Doctors
Verso Studios’ Trefz Forum killer d&b sound system and 18-foot high-def screen are perfect for a group like the Spin Doctors. With more than 12 million albums sold over 30 years, the Grammy-nominated group is not slowing down. A seventh studio album and world tour are in the works.
The band began at New York’s New School University in 1988, with a chance meeting of drummer Aaron Comess and guitarist Eric Schenkman. When Popper committed himself to Blues Traveler, Comess formed a ferocious rhythm section with bassist Mark White.
“When I first met them,” White says, “I thought, ‘These are some funky-assed white boys.’”
They were hit on the Manhattan music scene, thanks to long jams. Their 1991 live album, “Up for Grabs, featured 10-minute-plus tracks.
The Spin Doctors — alongside with Blues Traveler, Phish and Widespread Panic — helped create the 1990s’ jam-band ethos. Meanwhile, their “Pocket Full of Kryptonite” album defined early-’90s rock. At one point they sold 50,000 records a week. “Two Princes” was one of the top singles of 1993. It led to a Rolling Stone cover, and Sesame Street appearance.
In 2001 they played the closing of Manhattan’s legendary Wetlands club — an earlier favored haunt.
For 2005’s “Nice Talking To Me, the Spin Doctors worked with producer Matt Wallace (Faith No More, The Replacements, O.A.R., Maroon 5) at Los Angeles’ historic Sound City studio.
Their 2013 follow-up, “If the River Was Whiskey,” harkened back to their gritty blues original sound. For VersoFest, the Spin Doctors and Chuck D join David Bowie, T. Rex and Thin Lizzy music producer Tony Visconti, and pop rockers The Lemon Twigs. The full schedule will be released next week.
Local singer-songwriter Nick Depuy opens for the Spin Doctors. Tickets are $50 Click here to purchase, and for more information. For more details on Verso Fest, click here.
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Is this a public library or a burlesque hall? When’s the next drag show? Are there so few readers in Westport that they have to resort to this to justify their existence?
I’ll be in town during the week of Versofest and just got Tix for Chuck D. I saw Spin Doctors in 1995-ish, they had fun energy. Thanks for keeping us in the loop, Dan!