FRIDAY, JULY 31

More than 40 years after coalescing as a band, Soul Asylum remains one of the most inspiring and hardworking bands in the rock scene, thanks to their raucous and emphatic combination of punk energy, guitar-fueled firepower, and rhythmic heft. Frontman Dave Pirner’s songs range from aggressive to heartfelt, driven by lyrics that are a mix of real-life personal insights and fictional situations.

The band broke through commercially with the double-platinum 1992 album Grave Dancers Union, which contained the Grammy-winning Billboard Hot 100 Top 5 hit “Runaway Train” and No. 1 Modern Rock smash “Somebody to Shove.” After leaping to this mainstream success, the band kept up the momentum with 1995’s platinum-certified Let Your Dim Light Shine, which featured the international hit “Misery,” and appearances on the soundtracks of the Kevin Smith cult classics Chasing Amy and Clerks.

Dave’s prolific songwriting, combined with Soul Asylum’s unparalleled and dynamic live show, ensures that the band isn’t stopping anytime soon. “There’s a part of me that’s never gonna fit in, but I love being around people who love music, and I’m very loyal to the idea of whatever Soul Asylum is,” Pirner says. “The future is bright, everything is good, and if there’s something in the music that can make people feel like things are gonna be OK, then it’s mission accomplished.” MORE