Third Eye Blind It took many years for frontman Stephan Jenkins and his original songwriting partner Kevin Cadogan, who met in San Francisco in 1993, to get signed to a major label and solidify the band lineup that would eventually record Third Eye Blind’s debut self-titled album. Trials and tribulations aside, the record was a smashing success, producing five singles with significant commercial success, including ubiquitous hits like ‘Semi-Charmed Kind of Life,’ ‘Jumper,’ and ‘How’s It Going to Be.’ While the band is most often categorized as alternative rock, or even post-grunge, many of their hits have had significant success on the pop charts. Despite continued staffing changes, including the departure of Cadogan after their second album Blue, the band has recorded seven full-length albums in the past two decades. Last year they released an Unplugged album in honor of the 25th anniversary of their self-titled debut. Taste will be the second stop on an additional leg of last year’s 25 Years in the Blind tour.
Motion City Soundtrack The climb to the top of any mountain is usually arduous, often including a great deal of discipline and sacrifice. Luckily, when guitarist Joshua Cain and vocalist Courtney Pierre met in Minneapolis and formed Motion City Soundtrack in 1997 they were similarly dedicated to the goal of making it big with their pop-punk/emo tunes. Years of constant touring, multiple changes to the band’s membership, and six studio albums defined the first two decades of their history and the unsustainable pace led the group to take a three-year hiatus, during which members pursued solo projects and other lines of work. The music proved irresistible, however, and they announced a reunion in 2019. Last year, they went on tour for the 17th anniversary of their second album, Commit This To Memory. Pierre is currently recovering from shoulder injury making it difficult to sling a guitar, but fear not, rather than miss the chance to play Taste of Minnesota they’ve recruited an extra axeman from All-American Rejects, who they’ll be touring with later this year, so Pierre can focus on vocals.