Gin Blossoms Guitarist Shares Tour Secrets, Folk Roots & Goo Goo Dolls Ahead of Fallsview Show

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The band Gin Blossoms will perform at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario on July 23, as part of their ongoing tour. WIVB had an interview with guitarist Jesse Valenzuela before the concert.

Valenzuela mentioned that he consistently enjoys performing in this area and believes the performance will be amazing. Almost 40 years after the group was formed, he shared his thoughts on his decision to pursue this profession.

It has taken a lifetime of effort, yet this is the path we chose," he stated. "I don't usually reflect much on the past. I don't often revisit our recordings. However, I frequently play the music—our performances are likely scheduled for around 55 or 60 shows each year, significantly fewer than what we used to do five, seven, or ten years ago. In that sense, it's quite pleasant. I suppose I don't dwell on it because I've experienced it firsthand.

The group has performed in the area—on either side of the border—for the last three consecutive years, with the next concert pushing that count to four.

We're fond of Buffalo. We also enjoy Ontario," he stated. "Buffalo is an excellent city. There's plenty of enjoyment to be had there.

Valenzuela referenced the Goo Goo Dolls, a well-known band from Buffalo, who have frequently encountered the Gin Blossoms.

Our friends in the Goo Goo Dolls are from around there," he stated. "I really like those guys. They're consistently upbeat, they have a good sense of humor, and they're genuinely passionate about their music as well.

The groups performed jointly during the 1990s and have done several concerts together afterward.

It's always pleasant to watch them," he remarked. "The glory of Buffalo.

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“He loves his hometown and he’s a wonderful guy,” Valenzuela said. “And as a matter of fact, I had talked to him a while ago about recording at his place, because he has a beautiful studio in town.”

Speaking about a possible collaboration between Valenzuela or the Gin Blossoms and the Goo Goo Dolls, Valenzuela remarked, "Tell them to reach out to me."

Regarding Gin Blossoms' studio recordings, Valenzuela couldn't provide a clear response, but he mentioned "we'll see."

After the group took a break during the late '90s and early 2000s, Gin Blossoms returned to performing live in 2002 and then released the "Major Lodge Victory" album in 2006—four years following their comeback. In 2010, which was four years later, they issued the album "No Chocolate Cake." Then, eight years after that, in 2018, the band launched the "Mixed Reality" recording. Valenzuela commented on this timeline and whether it suggests that fans might see fresh material from the band in 2026, eight years after their most recent release.

When expressed numerically in this way, it implies that after four years, followed by another four years, and then eight more years, you'd end up waiting [and] it would take 16 years until the next release," he said with humor. "I suppose I have a few years left before needing to accomplish anything.

He mentioned that the group constantly has "things happening," and that discussions about fresh music occur nearly annually.

One major influence on Valenzuela, although he mentioned it isn't clearly evident in the Gin Blossoms' music, is folk music from the 1960s and 1970s, which inspired him during his childhood.

That entire period was - it influenced everyone," he stated. "It's simply wonderful music.

Valenzuela, who performs a version of The Monkees' "Daydream Believer" during his individual performances, mentioned that as an admirer of traditional music, he valued the abilities of singer-songwriter John Stewart, who composed many lovely tunes back when he was young.

I'm not sure whether John Stewart's folk music became part of the Gin Blossoms' legacy, but if you break down the Gin Blossoms' sound to its basics, it's fairly straightforward acoustic music," he remarked. "We just have a tendency to play everything at a quick pace.

Valenzuela also mentioned "Nature Boy" by Nat King Cole, along with "It Never Rains in Southern California" and "The Air That I Breathe" by Albert Hammond, noting them as some of his preferred tracks from that time period. He added that upon listening to "It Never Rains" again lately, he intends to include it in his upcoming solo acoustic performance this September.

Before Gin Blossoms' tour, the band also participated in a congressional baseball game preview party in Washington, D.C., on June 11, benefiting Power to the Patients a campaign aimed at boosting openness from hospitals about the costs of medical treatments.

Looks like a good thing to do. It seems like a wise choice," Valenzuela remarked. "I can't think of anyone who wouldn't benefit from some assistance in that area.

The tour commenced officially on July 4 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, with a stop planned at Niagara Falls on July 23. Tickets for the Gin Blossoms performance at Fallsview Casino are available for purchase. at this link . The complete conversation can be heard online at Spotify and Apple Podcasts this Friday.

Adam Duke is a online writer who became part of WIVB In 2021. View more of his creations here .

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