Third Eye Blind

To preface...I've wanted to write reviews FOREVER. I don't know why I don't. Dina has even told me before that I should review CDs before. So I'm going to start with a concert review. Although it's four days removed from the show, here goes nothing.

Third Eye Blind. A band known mainly for having the catchiest pop single about crystal meth and blow jobs. I heard the songs when they came out and encompassed radio airwaves from 1997 to 1999. Semi-Charmed Life, Jumper, How's It Gonna Be, Never Let You Go, Deep Inside of You...and then they dropped off the face of the Earth. Their sophomore album never quite reached their heights of their debut self-titled, and their third effort, Out Of The Vein, suffered a worse fate. Soon after, Warned Bros. cut the band from their contract.

During this hiatus, I picked up their self-titled album and fell in love with it. There is not a band song on it. I picked up Blue and OOTV too, but neither are as good as their predecessor.

6 years later, Third Eye Blind have come back with an album that deserves recognition. Ursa Major is full of catchy hits, including the lead single, Don't Believe A Word. The first date of their tour was on Thursday in Ybor, and I had to attend. I've been waiting forever to see them in concert.

Needless to say, they did not disappoint.

The biggest statement I can make about their concert is, if you're not a fan, don't go. Every person around me knew every word to every song. The band kicked off the show with a rave-like jam while a lady danced behind the drum set. After this exhibition, they transitioned into the lead song from their new album, Can You Take Me. The song kicked off the show powerfully, and they didn't stop there.

Stephan Jenkins and company blasted through favorites like Losing a Whole Year, Crystal Baller, Motorcycle Drive-By, as well as new favorites such as Sharp Knife, Bonfire, and Water Landing. 3EB slowed it down a bit after, reaching a short acoustic set (complete with a couch). Fan favorites Forget Myself and How's It Gonna Be, as well as One in Ten, were played. After this, they jumped right back into action. The highlight came in the form of Don't Believe a Word, which cut off half-way into Semi-Charmed Life.

Stephan Jenkins is quite the showman. 44 years old and he moves like he's still 30. Barefoot, Jenkins jumped around and raced back and forth across the stage. His energy was exuberant, and every fan in the crowd fed off of it. His repertoire with the crowd certainly didn't hurt the matter either. You could feel as if he were singing every lyric right to you.

For the encore, the band busted out concert staples Slow Motion and God of Wine, concluding with a reprise of Bonfire. The newer tracks didn't slow the crowd down one bit, and the older songs still have so much life to them. I've rarely seen a crowd so into a band as much as I did with Third Eye Blind, and it was quite moving. Thirteen years after their debut album, coupled with a six-year hiatus, and the fan base remains strongly intact. As well it should.