Jimmy Eat World at the new Portland venue Aura

Last week, I went to see Jimmy Eat World at a new and "improved" venue here in Portland. The venue is Aura, which for all intents and purposes is supposed to rival places like the Sinclair and the Royale in Boston, and even perhaps the recently re-opened Sonia in Boston. And, for Portland, it's not that the venues are competing with each other, so to speak, but I think the idea is to bring in a mix of acts. This venue was built with $9 million and intentions to be a beautiful, spacious, new concert and private events venue. And here's the thing, having been to the venue for just this one show, all I could tell was that at least for a sold out show, the place seemed very tight and small, especially filled to capacity. I was a bit disappointed by the venue. The amps and gear were on the floor, the stage was built rather high. The balcony looked like an interesting vantage point. I stood by the bar and had a decent view of the stage, but the sound was a bit muffled.

I was excited to see Jimmy Eat World and see the new venue. I saw Jimmy Eat World a few years ago when they came around and played the State Theatre (a much more suitable venue for them, I think, but according to several friends Jimmy Eat World is not necessarily relevant, so Aura was the place to find them). "Bleed American" is the album that really put these guys on the emo-alternative map, thanks to the title track and "The Middle." They were also talked about because of the title of their record, "Bleed American," an album which happened to come out right before 9/11/01 and subsequently they were "forced" to change the title for sensitivity reasons (which, honestly I find a bit ridiculous). Anyway, I remember listening to their second album "Clarity" at the Bates College radio station, WRBC, where I had a weekly show, and loving it. That one still stands as my favorite of theirs, although I do have to admit "Bleed American" is really f'n good. And then, there's "Futures" which has some really great songs and is a great listen all the way through. I lost interest when "Chase the Light" came out and sort of missed out on "Invented" when it was released. But, then, I dated a girl who loved "Invented" and literally played it every day for months and months, and I got so sick of listening to it but put up with it because we were together. Now, though, it's interesting as I was thinking about songs and bands that bring up memories when I was at Ryan Adams because Jimmy Eat World now does the same thing for me. I cannot listen to Jimmy Eat World without thinking of this girl, Kelly. We had a tumultuous relationship, to say the least. A relationship rot with issues and problems, but a relationship nonetheless, and when I'm in, I'm all in- to the point of ignoring red flags, to the point of seeing everything through rose-colored glasses, ever the optimist. I worked at it. Hard. Too hard. "A relationship takes work, but it shouldn't feel like a full-time job," wise words spoken to me at the time by my best friend, over the phone one night, as I griped about things to him. He understood. For me, at that point, Jimmy Eat World was a band I couldn't return to. I even went and wrote poems upon poems after the disintegration of the relationship. Therapy! Jimmy Eat World references can be found in 2 of them and I've left them here.

Anyway, Jimmy Eat World went on pretty late and, to me, it seemed like they were going through the motions and not really into the show for about an hour or so, then they started to pick up their energy level. Beach Slang opened and was good (having just seen them open for Minus the Bear a couple months ago, it seemed like the same set, same banter, etc.).


Dream House
After a couple of months together
We found a house
That fit our needs
With a small yard, two bedrooms, hardwood floors
We moved in all your things
And most of my things
I was proud of it all
I was proud of you, proud of me, too
Always quoting the Good Book, not the Bible
But the one about (Four) Agreements
Said you lived your life by it
Said I should, too
But I found your reasoning to be true
Only when it was convenient for you


You never learned lessons
Instead, you told me
I should put my money where my mouth is
While your tangled tongue
Trailed behind you
Tired from overuse
You should have sewn your mouth shut


Every argument grew from
Trials of self-abuse
And I dragged myself through the mud
Just for you
Those first few nights
We spent on the floor
With an air mattress blocking the door
Soon we got a hand-me-down couch and love-seat
And the stereo played Jimmy Eat World’s “Invented”
On repeat...on repeat...on repeat...on repeat
We bought some carpets
To cover the uneven wooden floors
Love, you claimed
But never spoke its name
Found yourself stuck in a past
You couldn’t fight your way through
He was someone you’d never get over
And because of him
I’d never have all of you


I found myself alone, often
Thinking, oh God, what have I done
What a mess I put myself in
And for what
Love, in theory
And quotes in a Good Book
Read by so few

Least of all, you
------------------------------------------------------


The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch

You always said
Marriage wasn’t for you
Took some other woman’s advice
After reading a book
That has since been widely discredited

I knew you would never change your name
Claimed it was about more than identity
I could tell you’d lost yours once
Regardless of your baggage
I loved you just the same
And you took my love
Spit it back in my face
After we found a new place

You only played one record on repeat
And it made me hate Jimmy Eat World
And you
But I never said it
Because I wanted to get laid
Which was never a guarantee
Unless we were both stoned in bed
And my careless hands wandered
Past the boundaries of your panties
You said, I was better in a haze

I knew it was wrong
From the moment we started
I just wanted to feel love
I knew I was your way out
I never blamed you

Her: You live your life so in control
Him: You live your life with such reckless abandon

You are the proof
That it always ends the same
----------------------------------------------

Jimmy Eat World's setlist:






Beach Slang's setlist:




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