The Smithereens

With guest vocalist Marshall Crenshaw

Since their formation in New Jersey in 1980, The Smithereens have earned a reputation as one of America’s most enduring and influential rock bands. In fact, Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain cited the band’s debut album (Especially for You) as a major source of inspiration.

The band’s distinctive sound is rooted in the melodic punch of the British Invasion, fused with the raw energy of American garage rock. Their breakthrough came with the 1986 release of Especially for You, featuring the modern rock classics “Blood and Roses” and “Behind the Wall of Sleep.” Critical acclaim and radio success soon followed with Green Thoughts (1988) and 11 (1989), albums that delivered charting singles including “Only a Memory,” “A Girl Like You,” and “Too Much Passion.”

Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, The Smithereens became fixtures on MTV, college radio, and mainstream rock stations, while touring extensively with artists such as Tom Petty, Lou Reed, The Ramones, and The Pretenders.

Since the passing of singer Pat DiNizio in 2017, the band has continued to tour with a series of guest vocalists. At LOH, they are joined by Marshall Crenshaw, known for his own ‘80s hits “Someday, Someway” and “Whenever You’re on My Mind.”