I discovered Jimmy Eat World in 2001 when I heard “The Middle” on the radio. Knowing nothing more about them, I bought the album Bleed American. I fell in love. They far exceeded my expectations. The love grew with the release of Futures in 2004 and Chase This Light in 2007. Somewhere in between, I added their older albums, Clarity and Static Prevails to my collection. Invented just came out, and it does not disappoint. Basically, Jimmy Eat World has been my favorite current band for a long time.
Jimmy Eat World has become deeply personal to me. I don’t know how many times their lyrics have seemed to speak directly about my life. Certain songs will always make me think of certain situations and people in my life. I’ve infused their music with my own meaning.
They never tour in St. Louis. But they do play in Boston. For my birthday, Meredith said she would buy me a concert ticket if I would fly to Boston to see her. And why not? So I bought plane tickets and she bought concert tickets. Friday, October 15, we went to our first Jimmy concert.
The House of Blues in Boston was the perfect venue. Big enough to do them justice and small enough to get close. The night started with a chilly walk in the rain, a long entrance line and a longer wait. The opening band’s van had broken down, so they didn’t have any of their equipment. But it was well worth it once Jimmy came out. They played a perfect mix of old and new songs. The energy stayed high. I’m sure it must be tiring to put on a concert. I was tired out just by being in the audience. Jimmy Eat World formed in 1994 so they’re not exactly the youngest musicians.
I really like the lead vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Jim Adkins. His songs are poetic, albeit sometimes puzzling. He doesn’t look like he thinks he’s famous. He doesn’t talk like it, either. Everything he did on stage seemed natural, like he was doing it because he wanted to and not because there were a ton of screaming fans watching him.
The concert lived up to high expectations, and I’m so glad Meredith was there with me. What a great birthday gift.
A wandering mind 