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| photo by Drew A. Kelley |
Stephan Jenkins was in an enigmatic mood at
Irvine Meadows on July 27.
Hiding in a hoodie, the Third Eye Blind
singer and his bandmates emerged onstage shrouded in dim lighting for
the strange intro to their blaring hit "Graduate." That aloofness
continued into the next song, "Blinded."
A
short time later, during the infectious top 10 single "Never Let You
Go," Jenkins encouraged openness and mutual introductions among
concertgoers. "We can get beyond ourselves together and presume we're
all friends," he said.
One
week after a freak rainstorm flooded the venue's main entryway and led
to the initial concert being postponed, devoted Third Eye Blind and
Dashboard Confessional fans returned in droves. "We made it. I'm so
grateful to all of you for coming back," said Jenkins.
Last
month, 3EB put out "Dopamine," the first studio album in six years.
Recorded in analog, several songs are about searching for authenticity.
Despite a few wobbly lyrics, it still contains some of the
alt-rock band's best material since 1997's hugely successful self-titled
debut CD.
Playing alongside founders Jenkins
and drummer Brad Hargraves, the other musicians definitely proved their
mettle in O.C. "Crystal Baller" and "Losing a Whole Year" (prefaced by
the stripped down Beyonce cover "Mine") were brawny as ever, while newer
tunes like the mildly funky, David Bowie-referencing "Rites of Passage"
(including a snippet of U2's "With or Without You") and bleak "Back to
Zero" came across strongly live. Meanwhile, subdued lesser known tracks
"Slow Motion" and "Motorcycle Driveby" really got the diehards engaged.
Since
this gig marked the end of the tour, Jenkins' vocals were a bit frayed
at times, but nothing major. Toward night's end, 3EB impressed with the
exultant main set closer "Jumper" and an extended take on best known
smash "Semi-Charmed Life." Both went down a storm.
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| photo by Drew A. Kelley |
Anyone
who assumed Chris Carrabba would be pouring his heart out with an
acoustic guitar and minor instrumental backing what often happened in
the early 2000s (see: platinum seller "MTV Unplugged 2.0") were mostly
in for a surprise.
Clad in a flannel shirt and
ripped jeans, the wirey Dashboard Confessional main man and his cohorts -
including longtime bassist Scott Schoenbeck - did an exhillarating
hourlong set that frequently veeered into melodic hardcore
territory.
Carrabba thanked those in the crowd who "powered through" the
scuttled show's mess and opened with a blaring "The Good Fight." It was
the first of five selections from 2001's "The Places You Have Come to
Fear the Most."
Grinning from ear to ear and
possessing an unbridled energy, Carrabba's dramatic vocals made a major
impact on "No News is Bad News," the strident "Vindicated" (with guest
piano work by 3EB's Alex Kopp), an aggressive "Don't Wait" and "The Best
Deceptions." Carrabba's fragile side also shone through during the
winsome ballad "Stolen" and majestic, piano-based "Belle of the
Boulevard." A.J. Cheek played the life out of his electric guitar, at
one point going so far as lying on the floor while turning in circles.
The
real treat came when Carrabba gave the crowd a taste of his Americana
group Twin Forks and did their delightful "Back to You" with one of its
members. Other standouts from the Taylor Swift-approved band included
best known songs "Screaming Infidelities" and finale "Hands Down."
A version of this review originally ran at ocregister.com
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