Third Eye Blind at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, November 1, 2017
Review by Stacey Lovett / Photography by Suzanne Cordeiro
90s alternative rock band Third Eye Blind billed their Fall of the Summer Gods Tour as a more intimate side of their 20th anniversary summer circuit – playing to the cities and smaller venues not previously hit on the first leg – and what better Austin venue to bring the show to than Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater.
Front man, Stephen Jenkins, persevered through the show despite issues with a sore throat, letting the audience join in with many of their beloved hits while still vowing to “sing until the last breath or until they kick us out of here.” He didn’t let his illness stall the show and maintained positive view of the situation, breaking into a reflective interlude half a dozen songs into the set. Jenkins made an emotional declaration that this time was to be taken as a gathering moment with everyone present, there were to be no spectators that night – that “we’re all in this thing here as one.” He followed by thanking the audience for being there and wishing them a great experience – it was undoubtedly heartfelt and set a tone of collective harmony for the rest of the show.
The band performed a notable number of songs off of their self-titled debut album, injecting them in between tunes from the later albums. The response from the crowd summed up what has kept 3EB’s songs timeless for the last two decades – their lyrics speak to the human experience and unite the listener with complexities of life and the depth of emotions that comes with it. The audience relived every bit of the nostalgia their music evokes, singing along with all of their late 90s anthems like “Losing a Whole Year,” “Narcolepsy,” “Graduate,” “Jumper,” and of course “Semi-Charmed Life.”
Jenkins mellowed out the energy of the set with a couple of solo tunes with a little help from the audience and some beautiful vibes from Mother Nature. A gentle breeze picked up during “Slow Motion” making the moment happen in just that way, as he transitioned into an acoustic solo of “How It’s Going to Be” welcoming the presence of one of Bat City’s own flying circles around the stage.
Third Eye Blind rounded out their set with “Jumper,” cutting in with a quick band intro before reprising back into the song. The show was followed up with an encore of “Never Let You Go” and “God of Wine” as well as a second interlude of the night where the lead singer thanked the Austin audience of friends – ones who had been deemed that as a collective earlier in the night in that deep ‘gathering moment.’ The sentiment of the sold-out show was that of the deep commitment of years of fandom and that raw relatability to the love and angst that runs so rampantly in their music. Jenkins reiterated how grateful he was to everyone who made him feel alive that night that he didn’t know if it was even going to work out [in regards to his condition] yet the magic was indeed there.
The band announced that they were finishing out the fall tour in a couple weeks and plan to take a year off to make another record much to the excitement of the fans there that night. Jenkins ended the show by saying that they don’t take these moments for granted, that they take them with them, and truer words couldn’t have been spoken about the vibe of that night.
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THIRD EYE BLIND PHOTO GALLERY
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Third Eye Blind Setlist:1. Losing a Whole Year; 2. Blinded (When I See You); 3. Narcolepsy; 4. Faster; 5. Wounded; 6. 1000 Julys; 7. Semi-Charmed Life; 8. Company of Strangers; 9. Back to Zero; 10. London; 11. Slow Motion (Stephan Jenkins solo); 12. How’s It Going to Be (Stephan Jenkins acoustic solo); 13. Mine (Beyoncé cover); 14. Motorcycle Drive By; 15. Crystal Baller; 16. Jumper; ENCORE: 17. Never Let You Go; 18. God of Wine;