Toad the Wet Sprocket, Semisonic, Sixpence None the Richer

Toad the Wet Sprocket, Semisonc, and Sixpence None the Richer are hitting the road for the Good Intentions Tour! The three bands are bringing their signature sound to audiences across the country, including a stop in Bellingham, Washington.

Toad the Wet Sprocket

Toad the Wet Sprocket, the beloved alternative rock band from Santa Barbara, California, first captured audiences in the late 1980s with their heartfelt lyrics and melodic sound. Rising to prominence with albums like Fear (1991) and Dulcinea (1994), the group became known for hits such as “Walk on the Ocean,” “All I Want,” and “Good Intentions.” Toad’s ability to blend introspective songwriting with catchy, folk-influenced rock has cemented them as a lasting presence in the music world.

Throughout their career, Toad the Wet Sprocket has maintained a deep appreciation for their dedicated fanbase, whose unwavering support has allowed them to continue making music on their own terms. Whether through live performances, new recordings, or reimagining classic tracks, the band remains committed to delivering music that resonates with longtime listeners and new audiences alike. Their connection with fans is at the heart of everything they do, making every tour and release a shared experience.

Semisonic

“We’ve always been an earnest band,” says Semisonic frontman Dan Wilson. “There’s something particular to our music that’s just really pure, that has this light that glows from within.”

On Little Bit Of Sun, Semisonic’s first full-length album in more than 20 years, that light glows brighter than ever. The 2023 collection offers a deeply moving reflection on growth, gratitude, and commitment in the face of change and uncertainty. The songs walk a tightrope between powerful pop and acoustic intimacy, while bassist John Munson and drummer Jacob Slichter’s performances are finely tuned to match. Wilson’s bright, buoyant melodies are infused with touches of melancholy and darkness that perpetually haunt the periphery. 

While it would be easy for a band like Semisonic to revel in nostalgia, Little Bit Of Sun instead looks to the past with appreciation, pairing a profound thankfulness for the journey with an infectious excitement for all that’s still to come.

Launched following the dissolution of influential Twin Cities band Trip Shakespeare, Semisonic first emerged to widespread acclaim with their 1996 debut, Great Divide. While the album was a critical hit, the group’s commercial breakthrough didn’t arrive until the 1998 release of their sophomore album, Feeling Strangely Fine, which went platinum on the strength of its chart-topping lead single, “Closing Time.” Nominated for a Grammy, the track was a radio juggernaut that would go on to land in countless film and television soundtracks and come to define the sound of a decade of rock and roll. 

Sixpence None the Richer

Sixpence None the Richer is an American alternative rock band best known for their hit single “Kiss Me,” which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a top-10 song in 16 countries. “Kiss Me” continues to rise in popularity, regularly appearing in Shazam’s weekly Top 200 songs, going viral on TikTok, and frequently appearing in film, television, and advertisements worldwide. In July of 2024 “Kiss Me” was RIAA certified 3-times platinum.

While primarily known for top-40 pop radio hits, Sixpence None the Richer’s live shows are full of guitar riffs, aggressive bass, and pounding drums. Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum have reunited with classic members Dale Baker and Justin Cary to begin their next chapter, touring extensively for the first time since 2013 and releasing an all-new EP titled Rosemary Hill in 2024. The driving force behind Slocum’s riff-based guitar rock is the creative rhythm section of bassist Justin Cary and drummer Dale Baker. Cary has played bass for Sixpence since 1997, and in 2024 Baker returned to Sixpence after a 23 year break. In 2022, it became apparent to Slocum and Nash that not only did they want to write, record, and play shows as Sixpence again, but that it was important for Baker to be a part of it. Cary and Baker describe Sixpence as a family, with the relationships between the four members as paramount.

As Rosemary Hill begins, Nash sings, “In the eye of the storm, I’m gonna thread the needle.” Now three decades after Nash met her musical partner Slocum in New Braunfels, Texas, Sixpence is threading the needle in the sweet spot they have often longed for throughout a stormy yet momentous career. While Sixpence has been Nashville-based for most of their career, Rosemary Hill reveals they are at heart a Texas band. The title track cites the street Slocum grew up on, and two of the six new songs are an attempt to immortalize Slocum and Nash’s hometown.