Jimmy Eat World live in Santa Cruz

• By Dennis
• September 26, 2011
• No Comments

Jimmy Eat World kick off their Bleed American 10-year anniversary celebration at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz.
Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Jimmy Eat World released their anthemic album Bleed American.
To celebrate the band just launched their 10-year anniversary tour in Santa Cruz — returning to the Catalyst for the first time in almost three years.
I don’t know if it had been advertised somewhere or I just assumed wrong that they were going to play Bleed American in its entirety like they did for Clarity, but they didn’t in Santa Cruz. It was a bummer because this was the album that got me listening to them and I really wanted to hear “Get It Faster.” I had gotten a J.E.W. live DVD as a gift at a banquet and that song really stuck with me with its heavy and rich guitar sound.

This show was the grittiest I’ve heard them sound, which I really enjoyed. Another highlight of the night were the tracks off Clarity, including “Goodbye Sky Harbor,” with its awesome ending that featured added loops and a xylophone. I was also impressed with “Evidence” and of course “My Best Theory” from their new action. I’ve seen J.E.W. a couple of times before and this was the first time I had seen them with an extra musician on stage, which I thought was a great idea to add keys/synth to the mix.
The show tonight at the Fillmore is sold out, but tickets are still available for tomorrow. I’d definitely recommend catching them on tour, not for just nostalgia, but it’s always great to see a band who’s stuck through it. With their old albums still relevant, the band continues to keep it fresh with a great live performance.