Jimmy Eat World and David Bazan stop in Richmond
In the spirit of full disclosure, if you know me, you may have heard me say once or twice that Jimmy Eat World is one of my favorite bands and Clarity is my favorite record. Tuesday night they returned to the National with David Bazan.
If you were at The National last night in downtown Richmond you saw the return of David Bazan and Jimmy Eat World. Just when I had given up all hope that booking agents, band managers and musicians still listen to music these two bands got booked together! Perfect fit. I suspect Jimmy Eat World’s drummer, Zach Lind, had something to do with this booking: he’s a big fan of David Bazan.
David Bazan, former head of the faithful Pedro the Lion, opened the night with his indie infused grooves. Last time Bazan visited our state, a power outage forced him to play an unplugged show backstage at The Southern in Charlottesville. Last night was much different with a polished band at Bazan’s side, and the group sounded like studio musicians fresh on the road. The set list was reminiscent of Bazan’s Pedro The Lion days: playing fan favorites, “Foregone Conclusions”, “Criticism As Inspiration”, a rocking version of “Big Trucks,” and ending the night with “Bands With Managers.” I was a bit disappointed when Bazan asked the crowd for questions, as he normally does, but quickly moved on with what seemed like a short opening slot. Overall a great set and a perfect match for Jimmy Eat World.
In the spirit of full disclosure, if you know me, you may have heard me say once or twice that Jimmy Eat World is one of my favorite bands and Clarity is my favorite record. When Jimmy and the guys opened with “Bleed America” and “My Best Theory” I thought I had psyched myself up so much that the night was going to be a big let down. However, things really started to move along when the band led into “Polaris” and then “Futures.” I knew I hadn’t made any fatal life decision! All in all, it was a great performance, and Richmond was in full support with a sold out crowd.
Courtney Marie Andrews was a surprise addition to the touring lineup. She first appeared on the band’s newest record, Invented. The band decided to take her out on the road to help with backing vocals and keyboards — great addition.
The highlight of the night was “Goodbye Sky Harbor” from the record Clarity. Jimmy executed the song perfectly with layered vocal delays and xylophone. I could have left satisfied but the crowd wooed the guys back to close the night with a big finish. The band wasn’t going to send us home without hearing “The Middle” or “Sweetness.” I heard a guy behind me say, “I can die happy.” Agreed.
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