Credit: Courtesy of the Agora
Led by volatile singer-guitarist Justin Furstenfeld, the alt-rock act Blue October has experienced extreme ups and downs since forming more than 20 years ago.

Furstenfeld chronicles that rollercoaster ride in Crazy Making — The Words and Lyrics of Justin Furstenfeld, a collection of annotated lyrics for the songs in the band’s discography.

After touring in support of that book and playing acoustic shows, Furstenfeld turned his attention back to Blue October, which issued a new studio album in 2016 and plans to release I Hope You’re Happy, another new studio album, this summer.

The band will perform on Friday, Nov. 9, at the Agora Theatre. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 22.

This article appears in Jun 13-19, 2018.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.