To the band that made the following lines famous — "Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down. I'll follow you down, but not that far!" — we have a message for you: We, your loving audience, will keep following you, because you're great. For the countless adults caught in that awkward place between Gen X and Y who remember when MTV played music, there are a handful of names that impart that deliciously distinct '90s-lost-innocence nostalgia, from Blues Traveler to Bush to Counting Crows, but it might just be Gin Blossoms who take the cake.
With the salty-sweet voice of vocalist Jesse Valenzuela and hits like "Hey Jealousy," "Follow You Down," and "Til I Hear It From You," Gin Blossoms had a virtual monopoly on the soundtracks to school dances and car make-outs of the '90s. Formed in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona, Gin Blossoms broke out with "Hey Jealousy," a song that became the center of a tragedy after its writer, Blossoms cofounder Doug Hopkins, was fired and later committed suicide after a battle with drinking. The rest of the band's members continued on to success before eventually breaking up in 1997.
In 2015, the band's latest tour includes a stop right here in Florida (for a free outdoor concert celebrating ArtsPark's 90th birthday). It's time to pull out those oversized jeans, Tommy Hilfiger T-shirts, and choker necklaces you've been hiding in your closet. Throw some gel in that mop or maybe a touch of Cool Water cologne, because the sound of the '90s is back, and Gin Blossoms are taking you there.
Gin Blossoms
8 p.m. Saturday, November 21, at ArtsPark at Young Circle, 1 Young Circle, Hollywood. Admission is free. Call 954-921-3500, or visit visithollywoodfl.org.