The Lemonheads didn’t come out on stage until pretty late on Monday evening at the Casbah. The three piece band is on tour promoting a cover album, Varshons, and although the release date has been pushed back since 2008, it’s now slated for June 2009. The last time the Lemonheads released an album was 2006, however they have been around for twenty years now. There seems to be a lot of mystery and scandal surrounding the Lemonheads. Evan Dando has a drug addict reputation, and by the looks of him, he doesn’t try too hard to dispel the claims. It was the first time I’d ever seen anyone make an entrance at the Casbah before. There were women screaming and then suddenly Dando was on stage. It looked as though his trademark long hair was still wet, and he wore a cable knit sweater with what looked like pajama pants. He seemed gracious, however, and attempted dialogue in between songs, although his speech was very awkward and almost shy. At one point he mentioned the upcoming cover album, and then followed with “So let’s pretend like we’re getting married.”

There were some serious die-hard Lemonhead fans there. Many people sang along to the lyrics, such as “My Big Gay Heart,” while reliving the glory days. Dando has an entrancing singing voice which gives him vast musical range, and the ability to dabble in whichever genre he chooses. He also seems to be very decisive in the direction that the Lemonheads goes. Although they reminded me of early Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chile Peppers, and a softer Nirvana, The Lemonheads seemed to have chosen more of a non-conformist route. I wasn’t the biggest fan going in, only knowing a few of their singles (none of which they played), I couldn’t help but notice that they are mostly known for their cover work. The Lemonheads still put on a quality show, and are quite talented musicians, but it so strongly reeks of a time past that it’s almost depressing. And yet there is an enduring element that makes me want to buy the cover album…