Dandelion to Reunite for a Kevin Morpurgo Memorial Tribute
Philly 90s alt/grunge band Dandelion to Reunite for a Kevin Morpurgo Memorial Tribute and a Performance of 1993 Debut Album “I Think I’m Gonna Be Sick” To Benefit Good Grief Support Center
Dandelion (1989 to 1996), a Philadelphia-based quartet that achieved global success in the 90s, will present a concert featuring three of its surviving members on Sunday, June 6 at Broken Goblet Brewing in Bensalem. The show will showcase a full performance of the band’s entire 1993 debut album release, “I Think I’m Gonna Be Sick”. One reviewer calling the album:
“The most underrated grunge record ever by any grunge band.”
The concert will be a memorial for Kevin Morpurgo AKA “Philly Kev”, a founding member of Dandelion who died in 2023 following a short illness.
Proceeds from the concert will also benefit a fund being created at Good Grief, which is an organization that helps grieving families and children who have suffered from the loss of a loved one.
“This show will be really meaningful for us,” says Mike Morpurgo, Kevin’s brother, and Dandelion’s original bassist, who maintains his passion for music as the co-owner of School of Rock franchises in Princeton and Doylestown
“It will be a blast to play our songs for fans and our music students who never got to see us in concert. It will also be a wonderful way to celebrate Kevin’s life and for everyone who loved him to share a beautiful, joyous, and very loud group hug in his memory.”
“I Think I’m Gonna Be Sick” was released in May of 1993 through the principally rap-oriented Ruffhouse Records, a Philadelphia-based company that was distributed by Columbia Records. Critical excitement about the album, and its airplay on college and alt-rock stations across the country, created coast-to-coast touring opportunities and significant support for Dandelion’s music on MTV.
The band’s notoriety was cemented when a single from the album, Under My Skin with the cockroach-starring video, was featured in an episode of MTV’s “Beavis & Butthead” that included hilarious commentary from the show’s animated duo. Dandelion disbanded in 1996 and Kevin moved to London in 2000.
Dandelion’s lineup at the show will include original band members Mike Morpurgo (bass), Carl Hinds (guitar), and Dante Cimino (drums). Performing lead vocals will be Marcus Durant, who was one of Kevin’s best friends, a former member of the band MC5, and is currently the lead singer of The Detroit Cobras. Durant was responsible for Dandelion’s original album art and logos.
Also tied in with Dandelion’s show will be the re-release, available for the first time on vinyl and on sale at the show, of “Silver”, the band’s original demo tape that led to its deal with Ruffhouse.
The Dandelion reunion, featuring the full performance of the band’s album “I Think I’m Gonna Be Sick” and the fundraiser tie-in for Good Grief Support Center, takes place on Sunday, June 6 at Broken Goblet Brewing in Bensalem, with Philly psychedelic rock trio Gibbous Moon opening.
I’m just hoping they play the hidden track “Tuesday”.