Jimmy Eat World Live
October 28, 2016 ~ Arlington Theater, Santa Barbara
You don’t go to a Jimmy Eat World concert expecting to be left in awe. They’re just one of the many pop-punk bands that littered mainstream music during the early-2000’s. And like all those other bands, every year added to their lives corresponded with a further decline in their sales and popularity. The power of teenage angst and heartbreak over whiny vocals can only last so long before it feels like a gimmick. Jimmy Eat World probably handled the transition as well as they could; progressing towards more mature music while retaining the infectious energy that kept everyone’s hearts pumping when Bleed American was put on rotation.
So you basically know what you’re gonna get with these guys. There is nothing resembling brilliant musicianship, creative songwriting, or funky visuals that will draw you towards this $40 occasion. It’s all about that nostalgia factor. And that’s something Jim Adkins and Co. know. And yes, they milked the shit out of it. And it was fucking magical.
Photo by: Drew de F Fawkes
They greeted the dominantly affluent, Caucasian, and over three decades old crowd with the distortion-heavy “Get it Right,” off their latest release Integrity Blues. Honestly, there’s no problem with their playing. I just think the song sucks. It grinds through its playtime at a mundane, uninspired pace. Adkins adopts a softer, more careful tone to his vocals. It just screams “mid-life crisis before age forty.” It did not bode well for the rest of the show if the group continued to relied on songs like this.
Thankfully, the next song was “Bleed American.” Instantly, the audience reclaimed their long-forgotten post-puberty rage, aggressively nodding their heads to the crack of the snare drum. The majority of the show alternated between these two modes: newer songs that were like, not bad I guess, and older hits that were fucking bananas. Everyone, including the band, knows that Jimmy Eat World will never occupy the same space in America’s heart as before. It reflected how they played as well: every member seemed more confident and energetic when the setlist approached an oldie.
Jimmy Eat World’s live performance was expected of a group with over two decades of experience in melting adolescent hearts. The riffs were simple but authoritative, transitions felt more organic than a Whole Foods produce aisle. The star of the show was, and definitely should be, the singing. I don’t know the lyrics to their songs super well, but it doesn’t matter because Adkins could be singing “twinkle twinkle little star” and I would still be thoroughly aroused. The vocal harmonies Jimmy Eat World commonly implement also shine in this live format. Adkins and guitarist/backup vocalist Tom Linton deliver each line with clarity and forwardness, never straying off pitch, never wavering. Especially during “Work.” God, it was so hot.
Jimmy Eat World dialed up the #tbt factor at the end, closing out their set with their best-selling single, “Pain.” Three songs were added as part of the encore. Of course they played “The Middle.” At the end of the day, the band understands why the majority of the audience bought a ticket, and they made sure to cater to them while showcasing their more recent records. Jimmy Eat World has nothing left to prove; they’ve had their turn at the throne. Their presence on stage was emblematic of their state of content. Every member had a big smile of their face at the end of the show. When I scanned the crowd, I saw a few hundred beaming faces, smiling back.
8/10
If you would also like to launch yourself back into the nostalgia of the early 2000's, check out Jimmy Eat World's website for tour info, and to check out their new album!
