On July 9, The Last Summer on Earth Tour took place at the Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City, featuring three headliners and 90s greats: Fastball, Sugar Ray and Barenaked Ladies.
Whether you refer to it as pop rock, dad rock, or a nostalgic reunion of classic hits, this Wednesday evening brought together three legendary acts from the ’90s Alternative Rock scene.
The show was largely what one might anticipate: an evening filled with catchy, radio friendly melodies, uplifting sing-alongs, lighthearted humor, and heartfelt moments of genuine connection. Co-headlined by the three iconic band Fastball, Sugar Ray and Barenaked Ladies captivating a sold-out crowd eager to relish the experience.
I can’t say I listened to too much Fastball during their heyday in the 90s; my brother introduced me to them when we were in high school. He is such a huge fan of the alternative scene, and I am more on heavy stuff. However, I spent some time becoming more familiar with them and growing to appreciate their relaxed songwriting and excellent harmonizing.
Fastball opened the stage with ‘Sooner or later,’ ‘You’re an Ocean,’ and ‘Hummingbirds’ before performing ‘Get You Off My Head,’ ‘Fire Escape.’ As soon as they started one of their hit single, ‘Out of My Head,’ a crowd favorite, fans were dancing and singing.
Fastball Setlist: Sooner or Later, You’re an Ocean, Hummingbird, Get You Off My Mind, Fire Escape, Loves Comes in Waves, The Joker, Out of My Head, The Way
Just ahead of Sugar Ray’s performance, there was an excitement in the air. As a fan of their earlier albums, I have fond memories of their influence and introduction to the nu-metal genre.
The band delivered an engaging set that included hits like “someday,” “When it’s Over,” “Every Morning,” and, predictably, “Fly.” Lead Singer Mark Mcgrath often humorously claims the title of Music Celebrity Jeopardy Champion, prompting the band to challenge him with 90s songs, while making light-hearted remarks about his hairstyle and reminiscing about being named the sexiest rocker in 1997.
Although only Mark and guitarist Rodney Sheppard remain as original members, their performance was still impressive. They even treated the audience a cover of Ginuwine’s ‘Pony,’ during which Mark playfully mimicked Channing Tatum’s dance moves from the film Magic Mike, the music resonating with the signature sound of Sugar Ray’s fine work.
Sugar Ray Setlist: Words to Me, Every Morning, Someday, Answer the Phone, When it’s Over, Falls Apart, Pony/ Everything About You.
The final set of the The Last Summer on Earth evening was Barenaked Ladies, who I listened to in high school and college, then lost track of them. Seeing them live; they bring the energy for sure and still seem to love what they do.
Like many bands with mega hits from the dying days of terrestrial radio, they tend to pound through those because they just assumed that’s why everyone bought the ticket. Some may say it’s a little infantilizing, particularly for a set in a city with the biggest music lovers in the world.
My favorite part of the evening is when they threw in an acoustic version of Van Halen’s “Jump,” and then at the last part, they played AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” That was the good stuff right there. These are some of the songs that I would love to hear live, and my favorite of the night.
At the end of the evening, Barenaked Ladies came to the stage for an encore of Bryan Adam’s “Summer of 69,” with both Fastball and Sugar Ray celebrating the performance and by thanking the crowd for the opportunity to play The Last Summer on Earth.
Barenaked Ladies Setlist: Gonna Walk, Lookin’ Up, The Old Apartment, Adlib, Hello City/ I Love you, Just wait, Pinch Me, Big Back Yard, Clearly Lost, Brian Wilson, One Night, Jump (Van Halen Cover), What Do We Need, Boomerang, Odds Are, Fifty for a While, Big Bang Theory, Jim Cretan Upright Bass Solo, One Week, If I Had $1000000, Love and Mercy (Brian Wilson Cover), Pink Pony Club/ Texas Hold ‘Em/ The Gambler/ Abracadabra/ Hot To Go!/ Birds of a Feather/ Forever Young/ Sometimes When We Touch, So Long, Farewell, Highway to Hell (AC/DC cover)
Encore: Lovin’ Life, Summer of ’69 (Bryan Adams Cover)
