Here's an article I found, copied, and pasted from the Fayetteville Observer:
Gin Blossoms, other bands bring night of music to Dogwood Festival
By Brian Dukes
Staff writer
The smattering of rain did little to dampen spirits or attendance Saturday night at the Dogwood Festival as '90s rock bands Soul Asylum and Gin Blossoms performed in front of a crowd of approximately 10,000.
"You throw one hell of a Dogwood Festival, Fayetteville," said Gin Blossoms lead singer Robin Wilson, who could be found as often as not mingling with front-row audience members, dishing out high-fives and letting kids take turns playing his tambourine.
Wilson was part rock star, part crowd conductor, often instructing and encouraging those assembled to clap along or wave their hands.
"All right, Dogwood Festival, let's get those hands in the air," said Wilson.
Hands went up, and so did several umbrellas as a slight drizzle punctuated the early part of the band's set, as it had earlier that evening at the beginning of Soul Asylum's performance.
For the most part, the crowd didn't seem to mind, having survived the earlier rains - one couple even shag-danced to the left of the stage.
Rain - or the threat of rain - did little to deter husband and wife David and Laura Whitehurst from showing up for the concert.
"The Dogwood Festival is tradition for us," said David. "We wouldn't miss it; it's just something we've done ever since it started."
Laura said the longtime Fayetteville couple loved last year's Friday night performance by .38 Special, but really yearn for the concerts to return to the streets of downtown.
"Festival Park is great; I love the concerts here," said Laura. "But nothing beats when Hootie & the Blowfish played downtown. With the buildings all around, right there on the street - nothing tops how that concert felt."
The pair hoped to hear Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train" and "Hey Jealousy" by Gin Blossoms before the night was through.
Festival first-timers Charles and Holly Carpenter were just hoping to have a good time and learn more about Fayetteville.
"We just moved here, so it's nice to have something like this to do," said Holly.
"Everything's nice and clean and organized," added Charles. "They say there's nothing to do here, but this is something nice."
Soul Asylum lead singer David Pirner got nice with the crowd early and often, thanking those audience members who served in the military.
"Just to be clear, I'm not into war," said Pirner. "But I'd like to thank the soldiers and their families for serving our country."
Pirner and his fellow Soul Asylum inmates put on quite the show, performing a nearly two-hour set filled with the kind of crazed energy and reckless abandon of a band still seeking to prove itself, rather than established rockers.
Soul Asylum played hits "Misery" and "Runaway Train." The latter was not interrupted by an actual train, though at least four trains did pass through during the evening.
Wilson and his Gin Blossoms crew were equally adept at being crowd pleasers, playing several of their popular hits, including "Allison Road," "Til I Hear It From You," "Found Out About You," "As Long As It Matters," "Until I Fall Away" and "Long Time Gone."
The band even played selections from their unnamed upcoming album, including one Wilson declared was making its North Carolina debut, "Dead or Alive on the 405."
Wilson certainly looked more alive than dead, taking a moment to surf the crowd toward the end of the concert, which concluded with an encore performance of "Hey Jealousy" and a cover of "Now" by The Plimsouls, which featured Pirner on guitar.
"Thank you for your hospitality," said Wilson at the end of the night. "We're just a humble band from the dusty desert."
Staff writers Jessica Banov and Myron Pitts contributed to this report.Staff writer Brian Dukes can be reached at
dukesb@fayobserver.com or 486-3523.