Celebrating 20 Years

Jimmy Eat World has been blessing ears across the world with its brand of rock for twenty years. In 1994, Jim Adkins and Tom Linton released the band’s first album, Jimmy Eat World.  Twenty years later, Jimmy Eat World has released eight albums, seven extended plays, numerous splits and singles, and even a few live albums. Over the last two decades, Jimmy Eat World has been an integral part of the music landscape, gaining widespread attention and admiration from fans across the world. The band’s rate of producing unique, complex, and thoughtful content for so long is nothing short of extraordinary. What’s more, Jimmy Eat World’s songs remain as relevant as ever in today’s volatile music industry. By consistently writing music that captures the hearts and minds of its listeners, and then following up with experience-based live performances, Jimmy Eat World has maintained a hardcore following while also capturing and keeping new fans along the way.

Starting Again

These days, Jimmy Eat World is touring in support of its eight full-length record, Damage. As was the case twenty years ago, Jimmy Eat World still puts on the best live performance in the business. On May 16th, the band kicked off a mini-tour starting at Houston’s House of Blues. With excitement, enthusiasm, and energy exuding from their bodies, Jim Adkins, Tom Linton, Rick Burch, and Zach Lind left it all on stage, performing twenty songs from their vast catalog of music with an increasing vigor from start to finish.

Perfection

Simply put, Jimmy Eat World performed a perfect show. The band kicked off the night with three high-paced, action-packed songs in “I Will Steal You Back,” “Big Casino,” and “My Best Theory.” The performances were phenomenal and the sound was crystal clear from the start. Adkins executed his grinding, complex guitar riffs with precision while pushing his voice to the limit with apparent ease. His facial expressions and body movements told the story of the songs and the emotion within.

On the sixth song of the night, Adkins dawned the acoustic guitar for a performance of “Hear You Me,” from the bands popular 2001 release Bleed American. Although never officially a single, “Hear You Me” has long been a standout song from the album filled with incredible content. The performance captured the spirit of the studio track, but felt far more intimate and important live as it rang throughout the arena of adoring fans singing along with every word.

Toward the end of the main set, Linton took lead for “Blister.” From the band’s 1999 release Clarity, “Blister” is well-suited for the live experience. As Linton sang the words “when the world caves in, what are you going to do,” knowledgable fans in attendance sang the the backing second vocal track. Working together, Linton and fans in attendance created something beautiful.

To finish off the main set, Adkins again took the lead on “Sweetness” and “Bleed American.” With sweat gushing from their shaking bodies, Adkins, Linton, and company went all out, fostering an environment that became borderline chaotic. The immense passion transferred from the stage to the floor with such force that every note and word could be felt from the head to the toes, capturing the heart along the way.

For the encore, Jimmy Eat World maintained the aggressive pace as it completed the night with “Chase This Light,” “23,” “A Praise Chorus,” and “The Middle.”

Simply the Best

Beginning to end, Jimmy Eat World put on the best show I’ve ever seen. If there were any possible wishes, it would only be for the band to perform even more song. Hearing tracks like “Kill,” “Let it Happen,” and “No Sensitivity” would have been provided a certain completion to an already incredible night. However, the band members put their hearts and souls into every single second of the hour and twenty minutes they were on stage. In the end, that’s all that can be asked.

If you’re looking for a true live experience, Jimmy Eat World is the show for you. Everything is authentic. For this show, the band didn’t play to a backing track. Instead, an additional musician accompanied the band on stage, filling in guitar parts, piano, and essential keyboards when needed. Doing so provided a lush, full sound for those in attendance. Adkins’ voice was mind-numbingly good. All members of the band paid special care to their individual performances, making certain that what was heard in the arena accurately reflected the astonishing talent of the band. Ultimately, whether you’re a fan or not, you’d be making a huge mistake to pass on the opportunity to see Jimmy Eat World live. They’re simply the best.

Setlist:
I Will Steal You Back
Big Casino
My Best Theory
Appreciation
Lucky Denver Mint
Hear You Me
Futures
Polaris
Work
For Me This is Heaven
Heart is Hard to Find
Damage
Pain
Blister
Sweetness
Bleed American

Encore:
Chase This Light
23
A Praise Chorus
The Middle

Contact Robert at robert@starsandsatellites.com or @RobertSatellite on Twitter