Seeing the Light

You’re an early-Nineties band that gets pigeonholed into the “alternative” category. You have one big, insanely overplayed MTV hit, which you follow up with an edgier, darker album. The critics hate it, but you embark on a tour to drum up support. Then your lead singer – fresh outta rehab and teetering on the brink of relapse – dies in your tour bus. What in hell do you do? A lesser band might throw in the towel. But if you’re Blind Melon, you let the wounds heal before you suck it up and soldier on with a new lead singer. This music isn’t gonna play itself, people.

Luckily for longtime fans, new lead vocalist Travis Warren has a sweet, raspy voice that admirably fills the void left by the late Shannon Hoon. The band performs old tunes -- you’re guaranteed to hear “No Rain” -- but now there are new songs to be sung, including “Last Laugh,” “Sometimes,” and “Wishing Well,” which you can hear on www.myspace.com/blindmelon. Tonight at 8, you can catch them live at the Culture Room.
Wed., Dec. 5, 8 p.m., 2007