Gin Blossoms

(GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.) – Indie-rock group Gin Blossoms, best known for its 1990s-style jangle-pop sound derived from R.E.M. and the Replacements, performs at the Mahaiwe on Friday, March 6, at 8pm.

The Grammy Award-nominated Gin Blossoms were one of the top alt-rock bands of the 1990s. The group’s Top 40 hits like “Hey Jealousy” and “Follow You Down” kept the band’s fresh, bright, melodic sound on the radio at a time when grunge-rock ruled the airwaves. Hook-filled, harmony-laden numbers like “’Til I Hear It From You” and “Found Out About You” looked back to the Beatles and the Byrds, more in sync with Counting Crows than Pearl Jam.

At their peak, Gin Blossoms, originally from Phoenix, were regulars on shows like “Saturday Night Live” and “Late Show with David Letterman.” Personnel changes and intra-band troubles led to an initial breakup in 1997, but the group rebooted in 2001, and have toured and recorded intermittently since then.

The current group still includes founding members Robin Wilson (lead vocals and guitar), Jesse Valenzuela (vocals and guitar), and Bill Leen (bass). The group now includes Scott Johnson (guitar), and Scott Hessel (drums), and plays some 120 concerts per year.