This summer Jimmy Eat World and Third Eye Blind combined forces for a run through amphitheaters throughout the country in a summer tour dubbed “Gods of Summer tour.” This combination was a nostalgia trip for many, including myself who hadn’t seen Jimmy Eat World perform since they opened up for Green Day at Giants Stadium way back in 2005. Meanwhile, I had somehow never seen Third Eye Blind before, something that was long-overdue.
And opening up for both of them was Ra Ra Riot, a band who we have seen plenty of times throughout the years, although it’s been since their 2015 performance at Baby’s All Right since I caught them personally. With their brief opening time slot, the band, currently operating as an all-male four-piece, mostly stuck to new material from their upcoming album Superbloom, out next month via Rob the Rich Recordings/Caroline.
Jimmy Eat World was up next and Wasted no time getting the crowd into their performance, kicking things off with a lively performance of “Pain,” as well as “Bleed American.” Their 14-song set was perfectly aware of what fans wanted, staying close to the other expected fan favorites such as “Sweetness,” “A Praise Chorus” and “The Middle,” as well as some deeper cuts like “Lucky Denver Mint.” The band had the crowd with them, singing back every word from the minute they launched into the very first song and made it clear why they have been able to maintain their longevity so strongly after all these years. The band also hinted that they have finished work on a new album that will be released later this year, which means that the touring won’t be stopping anytime soon for Jimmy Eat World.
The night acted as a time capsole of sorts which ended with the performance from Third Eye Blind, still going strong after nearly three decades. We all know the hits, they haven’t gone anywhere, and the crowd aptly ate up all of them when they were played and belted out every word accordingly (these songs being “”Never Let You Go,” “Jumper,” “How’s It Going to Be” and “Semi-Charmed Life.”) So often when you go to a show with a band known primarily for a set of songs, from a certain period, unfortuantely you can tell that the crowd came for those songs only. This was not the case on this night, as fans were equally passionate for efforts like “Motorcycle Drive By” and “Losing a Whole Year,” a track that actually followed the supposed to be final song of the encore (“Semi-Charmed Life”) but frontman Stephen Jenkins was so impressed with the crowds reaction that they decided to send them off with one final reason to party.
All in all, it was a great night of music that may have been a trip down memory lane, but a perfectly welcome one at that. Not to mention that all three bands have their own brand new albums right on the horizon, with plenty more gas left in their respective tanks.
Find a full photo gallery from all three sets, along with the setlists, posted below.
Ra Ra Riot:
Jimmy Eat World:
Jimmy Eat World setlist:
1. Pain
2. Futures
3. Bleed American
4. Lucky Denver Mint
5. 23
6. Work
7. Love Never
8. Sweetness
9. Always Be
10. Hear You Me
11. Sure and Certain
12. Big Casino
13. A Praise Chorus
14. The Middle
Third Eye Blind:
Third Eye Blind setlist:
1. Screamer
2. The Kids
3. Never Let You Go
4. Back To Zero / Can You Take Me / London
5. Graduate
6. Wounded
7. I Want You
8. Slow Motion (Stephan Jenkins solo)
9. Motorcycle Drive By
10. Company of Strangers
11. Jumper
12. Bonfire / Anything / Crystal Baller / Blinded (When I See You)
13. How’s It Going to Be
Encore:
14. Waze
15. Semi-Charmed Life
16. Losing a Whole Year
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