Article Contributed by MAD Ink PR
Published on 2026-03-29
Photo: Courtesy of Tony Nelson
Out now, “Misery” marks the first release from the upcoming MPLS Unplugged album from Soul Asylum, due later this summer. MPLS Unplugged celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band’s legendary MTV Unplugged performance in 1993, recorded live nearly 30 years later to the day at the State Theatre in Minneapolis on April 20, 2023. For the first time in decades, the band is captured stripped back and unplugged—echoing the spirit of their original MTV Unplugged session—while remaining deeply layered, expansive in feel, and emotionally resonant.
Frontman Dave Pirner, widely regarded as one of the great songwriters of his generation, is joined by guitarist Ryan Smith, bassist Jeremy Tapparo, and drummer Michael Bland. Also returning is Ivan Neville on keys, alongside STRINGenius string quartet and the Robert Robinson gospel singers, honoring the lineup of the original 1993 session while modernizing the acoustic arrangements. Neville’s connection to the band dates back to that original Unplugged session, where, as Pirner recalls, “he was the obvious choice… pretty magical—it just felt right.”
The set digs deep into the band’s catalog and celebrates Soul Asylum’s enduring live show, featuring two longtime live staples, “Farmer John” and “What Will Become of Me”—both of which, until now, were never recorded or released. Their inclusion offers fans a rare, fully realized take on songs that have long lived only onstage.
Originally released on Let Your Dim Light Shine (1995), “Misery” became one of the band’s signature tracks, reaching No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the Mainstream Rock chart, and hitting No. 3 on the Canadian singles chart. In this new version, the song opens up—less tightly wound, more reflective—allowing its melody and mood to stretch into something warmer and more nuanced.
The MPLS Unplugged recordings naturally echo the band’s landmark 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance, where they delivered stripped-down versions of “Runaway Train,” “Black Gold,” and “Somebody to Shove.” That performance remains a defining moment in the band’s history and was revisited in 2023 with the release of The Complete Unplugged NYC ’93.
More than four decades in, Soul Asylum continues to evolve while staying rooted in the emotional directness that first defined them, touring globally, playing over 100 shows a year, and continuing to reach both longtime fans and new listeners.
That spirit carries into April, when Dave Pirner, Ryan Smith, and Jeremy Tapparo hit the road for a special run of intimate acoustic shows. Stripping the songs down even further, the trio blends fan favorites with stories from across the band’s long history, creating performances that feel close, unguarded, and quietly powerful.
MPLS Unplugged Tracklisting
Side A:
The Storm Is Passing Over
Somebody To Shove
Crazy Mixed Up World
String of Pearls
Without A Trace
Side B:
Freak Accident
Lately
Misery
Never Really Been
Runaway Train
Side C:
What Will Become of Me
Stand Up and Be Strong
Homesick
Black Gold
If I Told You
Side D:
The Sun Maid
New World
Farmer John
Eyes Of A Child
Made To Be Broken
Soul Asylum Acoustic Tour
April 1 – Grand Rapids, MN – Reif Performing Arts Center
April 2 – Wausau, WI – Grand Theater
April 3 – Viroqua, WI – Historic Temple Theatre
April 4 – Eau Claire, WI – Pablo Center at the Confluence
April 8 – Plainfield, IN – Hendricks Live
April 9 – Cincinnati, OH – The Ludlow Garage
April 10 – West Lafayette, IN – Purdue University
April 12 – Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
April 13 – Pittsburgh, PA – City Winery
April 14 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery
April 16 – Red Bank, NJ – The Vogel at Count Basie Center for the Arts
April 17 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios
April 18 – Newton, NJ – The Newton Theatre
April 19 – Fairfield, CT – SHU Community Theatre
April 21 – Portsmouth, NH – Music Hall
April 23 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall
April 24 – Gardiner, ME – Johnson Hall Theater
April 25 – Natick, MA – The Center for Arts
April 26 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Universal Preservation Hall
May 15 – Evanston, IL – Space
May 16 – Evanston, IL – Space
Tickets are on sale now at SoulAsylum.com.
