The Lemonheads

On Monday, 26 October 2026 the Circolo Arci Bellezza in Milan will host the Lemonheads, the project led by Evan Dando. Formed in Boston in 1986 by Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz, they started out in the punk and college rock scenes and soon moved toward a more melodic alternative rock, blending power pop, jangle and touches of folk. After their rougher early records (Hate Your Friends, Creator, Lick), with Lovey and especially It’s a Shame About Ray (1992) they honed a more direct songwriting style, while their cover of “Mrs. Robinson” brought them to a wider audience. The lineup has always revolved around Dando, the only constant member; over the years figures such as Juliana Hatfield and Nic Dalton—and later Bill Stevenson and Karl Alvarez—have passed through.

Come on Feel the Lemonheads (1993) consolidated the balance between bright guitars, pop choruses and an acoustic streak; Car Button Cloth (1996) revealed a darker side. After a break in the late 1990s, the band restarted in 2005 with new musicians, issuing a self-titled album in 2006 and two collections of covers, Varshons (2009) and Varshons 2 (2019). On stage, the Lemonheads weave punk energy, pop melodies and a folk-rock sensibility, with sets built around Dando’s songwriting and voice.