Jimmy Eat World energized a sold-out Electric Factory on Saturday night, but my experience began several hours ahead thanks to a radio 104.5 contest that allowed me and a handful of other people to watch JEW play a private mini-set.
“We’re going to play a few songs so you can see how boring it is for a band to warm up,” Jimmy Adkins greeted us as we funneled into an empty Electric Factory. They played “Big Casino” and a few others from their new album Chase This Light before mingling with us.
Remembering my obligation as journalist, I pondered for a witty question to ask Mr. Adkins, which is usually easy, but I knew practically nothing about Jimmy Eat World, except a quote by Adkins in an old Newsweek article about how his original name for the band was “Tarantula.” Why I could remember such an obscure detail from years ago instead of my Poli Sci material from last week is beyond me, but my brief conversation with Atkins went something like this.
Jimmy Atkins: Hey, guys! Give me something to sign.
Jimmy Viola: Hi, Jimmy. My name is also Jimmy.
Jimmy Adkins: A fine name indeed.
Jimmy Viola: So if you could be any animal, besides a TARANTULA, what would you be?
Jimmy Adkins: …
Holy awkward, Batman. Adkins explained to me that the Newsweek blurb about “Tarantula” was a misprint, because he had a habit of disseminating false information to ignorant journalists. How ironic.
The real show began with a validation of Murphy’s Law applied to concerts — if there is an opening act, they will be unpleasant and play for too long — as Viva Voce rocked out for about an hour. I hadn’t heard of them, either, but they are a husband-and-wife act that can only be described as The White Stripes and Jenny Lewis stranded at a truck stop in hell. The loudest cheers came when the drummer-husband announced that it would be their last song. Jimmy Eat World played for the better part of an hour and a half, performing songs like “Carry You,” “Big Casino” and “23” from their new album, but mostly sticking to fan-favorites from Bleed American and Futures. Forgive me that I can’t remember the exact list but their expertly orchestrated light-show left me in a state of near-epileptic bliss.
The band kept a brisk pace. I saw beads of sweat flying off of Jimmy from a considerably distance away. They seldom paused between numbers or talked to the audience. When they did chat with the crowd for longer than ten seconds, their guitarist, Tom Linton, told us that it was Jimmy’s birthday and tried to get us to sing for him before Der Fuhrer thwarted it.
“This is definitely our best show in Philly yet. We’ve played the TLA, Trocadero, Unitarian Church, people’s basements, but this is the best,” said Adkins. “This is the best birthday ever.” They closed with “The Middle.” Adkins introduced it as their most punk rock song that was about doing your own thing, before admitting that, ironically, it was also their biggest hit.
