The ‘90s were back in musical style Wednesday night at The Tracy thanks to Smash Mouth.
It seems hard to believe, but it was nearly 30 years ago the ska punkers from California exploded with hits like “Walkin’ On The Sun” and “All Star.”
In the good old ‘90s, Smash Mouth and lead singer Steve Harwell were everywhere on MTV and rock radio. Harwell died from liver failure in 2023, but Smash Mouth is still going strong with current lead singer Zach Goode.
The guy knew how to appeal to the packed Tracy crowd that grew up with Smash Mouth. “For all you Gen Xers our age, this one’s for you,” Goode told the audience.
He started singing “The Fonz,” and the people in the seats were soon singing right along with him.
There was more stage banter as he introduced, “Walkin’ On The Sun.”
“You guys know this from the (band’s 1997 debut) album,” Goode Said. That album sold over 2 million copies.
Smash Mouth paid homage to the 60s, with its cover of the Monkees’ “I’m A Believer.”
“This one’s from a popular movie, you guys would know,” Goode said. And it didn’t take long for the fans to remember the original “Shrek” movie that came out in 2001.
Goode then put a time stamp on the song, “All Star” when he said: “If you were born before 1997, you might not know this song.”
Smash Mouth played some punk songs from its early days. There were more recognizable numbers such as “Waste” and “Can’t Get Enough.”
Goode and his bandmates showed there is still plenty of life in Smash Mouth and its music.
