The Lemonheads Played The Wonder Bar, 7/23/13 (PHOTOS)

Tuesday Night 90s

CoolMom and I saw Evan Dando ambling down the Asbury Park boardwalk as we enjoyed some pre-show tapas and wine (because what makes a better pre-rock show meal than tapas and wine?). I'd just been complaining to CoolMom about her decision to have us sit outside on such a humid evening. Dando, though, was wearing his usual long hair, jeans, and what looked like a pretty heavy long sleeved shirt. He was smiling.

I stopped complaining. We finished up and headed over to The Wonder Bar. Cockwalkers were halfway through their set which seemed heavy on garage rock covers. Colin Ruel was up next. We weren't paying much attention initially. CoolMom was fretting about how late her mother would be stuck watching the kids and tapping away at her Blackberry to resolve some pressing work issue. We both stopped and took notice of Ruel, though. Ruel's guitar / keyboard driven indie pop was right in both of our wheelhouses and was a nice lead-in to The Lemonheads.

Dando, dressed just as we'd seen him earlier, and his band came out at about 10 and ran through a setlist heavy on post-Taang! era Lemonheads (Lovey, It's a Shame About Ray, Come On Feel The Lemonheads, Car Button Cloth). Dando has always had a gift for writing fantastic alterna-pop songs, and the songs from the stone classic It's a Shame About Ray got the biggest reactions. The standouts from each of the other records -- "Down About It," "Great Big No," "It's About Time," "The Outdoor Type," "Break Me," and "Into Your Arms" -- sounded great as well. There was a slight, welcome, deviation from the handwritten setlist when the band lit into "Ride With Me," a song I've always loved off of 1990's Lovey.

The band powered through the twenty-plus song setlist almost without stopping, finishing up in around an hour and fifteen minutes. CoolMom got to hear all of her favorites ("Alison's Starting to Happen," "Drug Buddy," "Confetti") and her mom didn't have to stay up too late. Win win.

Check out the pics, including Dando's nearly complete setlist below.