Newer Miserable Experience

One summer when I was in high school, before I had a driver's license, I had tickets to see Cracker at Jones Beach. Actually it was Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors, and Cracker headlining. My friend Marji bailed at the last minute and my mom forced my sister to take me (which is funny if you know my sister -- she stopped listening to new music when Rick Astley stopped putting out cassingles.) Curiously, Olympic jumper turned Sting protégé Vinx was the night's MC. Throughout the night, he seemed particularly underwhelmed by the Wantagh crowd's enthusiasm.

Recently I've learned that all these musicians are still active and courting Gen-Xers via MySpace! They have new albums even. (I was so sure Gin Blossoms called it quits for good, and Chris Barron's vocal cords were paralyzed in a freak gardening accident.)