Third Eye Blind and Jimmy Eat World Offered Different Types of Shows Tuesday in Saint Louis

–By Sean Derrick

Tuesday’s “Summer Gods Tour” with Jimmy Eat World and Third Eye Blind brought a bit of nostalgia for fans at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in saint Louis. But it also brought some new music as well from the co-headliners.

Both bands performed new(ish) material but stuck primarily to their hits.

After a stale performance from openers Ra Ra Riot that did nothing to justify their name Jimmy Eat World displayed the true emotion and raw energy that has been a staple of their live performances throughout their career.

Jimmy Eat World performing at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Saint Louis Tuesday. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

With no flashy introduction or elaborate stage setup (except four sometimes spinning fans hung under the bands logo on the backdrop) the band performed a tight 60 minute set that encompassed most of their career. Guitarist/vocalist Jim Adkins thundered his way though each song, sweating profusely as he laid it all out on the stage.

The band (with guitarist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch, and drummer Zach Lind) was tight and efficient, powering their way through tracks like “Bleed American”, “Big Casino”, and their newest “Love Never” (Still waiting on a full album to accompany this awesome track).

They finished off the set with their biggest hit “The Middle” and fans ate it up. Wanting more they didn’t have to wait long for Third Eye Blind.

Even though it is billed as a co-headlining show it was clear from the production and length of the show time who the headliner was for this tour.

Third Eye Blind played their first song “Screamer” entirely behind a scrim with their shadows projected from behind in larger than life fashion. After the curtain dropped and vocalist Stephan Jenkins came forward the mood lighting that volleyed back and forth between harsh and dynamic kicked in and stayed throughout the show.

With the exception of a few audio issues (feedback and variance pitch control)the show sounded good. Though it wasn’t without issues.

The first half of the show seemed to wane at times and the band didn’t really hit their stride until after the halfway point in the show.

There was a time when Third Eye Blind ruled the airwaves with songs like “Jumper”, How’s It Going to Be” and “Semi-Charmed Life” all reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hell, even Jim Carrey sang “Jumper” it in the movie “Yes Man” where the scene pointed out that everyone, old and young, knew the song.

Third Eye Blind was all the rage in the late 1990’s. However, following some roster changes and long waits between albums (the wait for each album from Blue in 1999 to Out of the Vein to Ursa Major to Dopamine in 2015 was 4, 5, and 6 years, respectively.) the band has yet to recreate the magic it had with their self-titled first full-length album. Though it wasn’t for lack of trying.

During the show Jenkins announced the band was coming out with a full-length album (which many of the fans already knew) and said he wasn’t sure they could play at a venue of Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre’s size, but “Here we are”. The crowd (small for the venue) didn’t care that the venue was less than half full as they made it feel at times like it was.

Now the yet untitled album was supposed to have been released this month, but has found some delays, pushing back the release until later in the year, in what Jenkins called true Third Eye Blind fashion.

We can pardon the fans if they don’t believe a new full-length album will be coming soon. After all, they have taken a page out of the Def Leppard playbook on album releases. But when it does, if the new songs are any indication then I can’t wait to hear it.

The ending of the show was supposed to be the highlight of the show, but Jenkins let the crowd attempt to sing the first couple verses of “Semi Charmed Life” and got little more than a murmur in return (He should have taken Jim Carrey’s cue and had the crowd sing on “Jumper” instead). Afterwards (no the show didn’t stop with that)several people left to beat the rush, to which Jenkins called them out, saying “You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to . you’ve been great. We want those who are still feeling it!”

Those that did leave missed a wonderful (yet peculiar placement) of “God of Wine” to close out the show.

The tour runs until August 3 where it wil wrap up in Irvine, California.

Be sure to check out the photo gallery of the performances below after the setlists.

Jimmy Eat World Setlist

Pain

Futured

Bleed American

Lucky Denver Mint

Work

Love Never

Sweetness

My Best Theory