Before taking on the massive crowd at Coachella, Jimmy Eat World stopped off in Pomona to perform at the Fox Theater. The band has a long-standing history with the city of Pomona as they have made it a regular stop on their tour schedule since their career took off.
It was evident that supporters from those early days of Jimmy Eat World’s career had shown up to witness the magic again – there were fans of all ages lined up around the block in droves, hours ahead of the sold-out concert.
The excitement continued when the doors flew open and a frenzy erupted amongst fans to hit the barricade and the merch stands. Within the next 30 minutes, the venue was packed to the gills – truly the definition of a sold-out show.
To kick off the night, Jimmy Eat World brought out the four-piece, Arizona-based, shoegaze band, Glixen. The group – also slated to perform at this year’s Coachella – provided a setlist of nine unique tracks to warm up the crowd.
They ensnared the senses with their signature sound right away; it was like being hypnotized by a hauntingly beautiful soundscape. As each song came to a close, the crowd gave the group a hearty applause.
Glixen rounded off their set with an instrumental piece entitled “shut me down” and it was met with much admiration from those in attendance. Pomona had embraced them and the final round of applause felt like an invitation to return again soon.
As the road crew broke down Glixen’s gear and brought Jimmy Eat World’s forward, the audience was electrified with anticipation. It had been nearly 15 years since the alt-rock sensation had graced the stage of this Art Deco movie palace turned concert venue and it already felt as if tonight was going to be something special.
The house lights went down and Jimmy Eat World hit the stage. After soaking up the fans’ admiration and applause for a few moments, they blasted into their heart-wrenching hit, “Pain.” It was obvious the song had an impact on the audience. Everyone had their own reasons for singing along – for some it was a moment of catharsis, for others a remembrance of how important that song had been to them, but collectively, a time of connection and joy. Undoubtedly, the night was off to a phenomenal start.
Off to the races, the band powered through a sizable portion of their set that included hits “Sweetness,” “Something Loud,” “A Praise Chorus,” and “Lucky Denver Mint,” and deep cuts “If You Don’t, Don’t” and “Let It Happen.”
After a run of songs, Adkins took some time to share his love for the city of Pomona and the memories Jimmy Eat World had made over the years; he embellished on his love of The Glass House from the early tours.
Before launching into more songs Adkins shared that Drew Barrymore was essential in getting the release of their album, “Clarity.” Barrymore had invited them to join her on a radio show appearance to promote the film, “Never Been Kissed” and Adkins expressed how nervous they were to be around the actor, being 19 and 20 year old guys. Following the live performance of “Lucky Denver Mint” on the radio, the record label was motivated to set a release date for their album after having it finished on the shelf for months.
As the night proceeded the alt-rock legends continued to dominate the stage with such passion and ferocity. Every moment of the performance served as evidence on why the band’s lineup hasn’t changed since 1993. Jimmy Eat World performed as a solid unit throughout the night all the while having the absolute time of their lives. It was obvious the group truly enjoyed each moment they were performing, and that joy resonated throughout the Fox Theater.
Adkins took a break from the performance towards the back half of their set to express his gratitude for the ability to be in front of audiences and share his excitement for the opportunity to play at this year’s Coachella Festival.
To seemingly wrap up the night, Jimmy Eat World performed the iconic duo of songs, “Bleed American” and “The Middle.”
While the walls had echoed with fans singing along the duration of the night, the Fox Theater reverberated with an energy like no other during the two hits being performed. As they wrapped up the latter of the two, they bid the crowd a good night and walked off the stage.
There could be no better way to end that night, right? Wrong. Within a few minutes the band had returned to the stage to cap the night off with a pairing of songs for the hardcore fans, “Call It in the Air,” which had not been performed in over 20 years, and “The World You Love,” a deep cut off their album, “Futures.”
I highly recommend getting yourself to a Jimmy Eat World show as soon as possible! They’re a live act you do NOT want to sleep on. They will hit the road later this year as a supporting act alongside New Found Glory for The Offspring’s SUPERCHARGED tour which includes a stop on August 29th at the Kia Forum.
