The Festival at Sandpoint: Toad the Wet Sprocket with Semisonic and Sixpence None the Richer

Toad the Wet Sprocket, the beloved alternative rock band from Santa Barbara, California, first captured audiences in the late 1980s with their heartfelt lyrics and melodic sound. Rising to prominence with albums like Fear (1991) and Dulcinea (1994), they became known for hits such as “Walk on the Ocean,” “All I Want,” and “Good Intentions.” Their ability to blend introspective songwriting with catchy, folk-influenced rock has cemented them as a lasting presence in the music world.
Launched following the dissolution of influential Twin Cities band Trip Shakespeare, Semisonic first emerged to widespread acclaim with their 1996 debut, Great Divide. While the album was a critical hit (Rolling Stone called it “a record of simple but sparkling modern pop, rattling with power-trio vitality”), the group’s commercial breakthrough didn’t arrive until the 1998 release of their sophomore album, Feeling Strangely Fine, which went platinum on the strength of its chart-topping lead single, “Closing Time.” Nominated for a GRAMMY, the track was a radio juggernaut that would go on to land in countless film and television soundtracks and come to define the sound of an entire decade of rock and roll.
Sixpence None the Richer is an American alternative rock band best known for their hit single “Kiss Me”, which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a top-10 song in sixteen countries. “Kiss Me” continues to rise in popularity, regularly appearing in Shazam’s weekly Top 200 songs, going viral on TikTok, and frequently appearing in film, television, and advertisements worldwide. In July of 2024 "Kiss Me" was RIAA certified 3-times platinum.