Live Review: Jimmy Eat World @ Terminal 5 NYC [11.09.07]

When discussing indie rock bands, there is no better way to declare your refined musical taste than to say, “I only like their old stuff.” In my experience, I have heard this phrase used with the most frequency in reference to Jimmy Eat World. JEW (I apologize for the unfortunate acronym) started their career playing ambitious, deeply layered songs that can only be described as emo. However, to the disappointment of many of their previously devoted fans, they have recently developed their sound into a blend of bombastic pop anthems and corny-yet-sweet slow ballads. If any of these jaded former fans happened to make it here to Terminal 5 this evening, I am positive that JEW was able to seduce them right back into the fold.

I arrived a bit late and had some difficulty securing my tickets from the will call booth, but when all was said and done, I ended up with an extra photo pass. At this humongous sold out venue, this turned out to be quite a valuable item. For the first three songs of the set, I was able to post up by the barricade, right in front of stage. JEW came onstage and started out with a bang, opening with “Big Casino,” the first single from their new record, Chase This Light. This was one of only four songs that JEW played from their latest release, which is surprising since they just released the album less than a month ago. They are obviously aware that they have a lot of ground to cover.

Frontman Jim Adkins says that JEW have been playing NYC since 1996. Most of their shows were undoubtedly poorly attended, until their 2001 breakthrough, Bleed American. Looking at this crowd tonight, it is hard imagining that they ever had a problem securing a fanbase. This show was open to all ages, and for a good reason. From the 15-year-old girls in the front row to the 50-year-old men drinking cocktails by the bar, JEW’s appeal has widened significantly since they tweaked their style.


JEW churned out one hit after another, mixing old and new songs together, managing to keep the audience just as happy as they are. Older songs like “Blister” and “Goodbye Sky Harbor” remind the audience of why they fell in love with JEW, and newer songs like “Always Be” and “Let It Happen” fit in just as well with the old ones. All in all, they played 22 songs for just under 2 hours. This may seem excessive, but nobody in the crowd seemed to think so.

JEW disappeared briefly before returning for a 5-song encore, which could possibly be a world record. Their country-tinged reinvention of “Your House” turned out to be a minor disappointment, but they quickly rebounded with a song for the ladies, “Hear You Me.” They followed this slow jam with their strongest song in the roster, “Sweetness,” before finishing with “The Middle” – that little tune that alienated so many fans and enchanted so many adolescents.

Say what you will about JEW, but they have not changed anything but their ambitions. If you were tired of getting dropped from major labels and underselling mid-level venues, you might start writing catchier songs too. They are clearly not wistful for the bad old days, and neither should you. They are still the exact same band that they always were; only now, they are much, much bigger. Please, don’t hate.

[Photos by Mina K ]