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Nick Meador I knew beforehand that the Wharton Center prohibited photography and video recording at events, but walking into the venue was a scary affair. There were flashy signs warning against such acts, making me wonder if it was Wharton Center’s choice or the record label’s. Since non-Wharton RHA shows allow photography, I’m guessing that Wharton is the villain. But between the six to eight RHA and Wharton staff, and the one or two armed police officers at the Auditorium entrance, I wondered if they would pin me against the wall and perform a full cavity search for photographic equipment. Luckily I was escorted past the blockade, but I still refrained from any recording for fear of being removed from the premises. I arrived late and only caught the last two songs of Viva Voce’s opening set, but I wished I could have seen more. The truth is I had no idea who the opening band would be. It wasn’t listed on the Wharton Center website, or even the RHA Concert Connection Facebook group. I knew nothing about Viva Voce, except that I had seen their name on the artist line-up for Lollapalooza 2007. When I found a seat, I saw a man playing drums and a woman playing guitar, both providing vocals. I know that duos aren’t rare in the post-Y2K music scene, so I avoided quick comparisons to other 2-person groups. Like I said, I only heard two songs, but what I did hear caught my interest. Portland’s spousal team of Kevin and Anita Robinson seem different from other instrumental (i.e. – non-electronic) duos, combining a classic rock style with a modern indie rock mentality. While one would expect a duo to have a limited sound, their music seemed intense and uplifting. When Viva Voce’s set ended and the venue lights turned on, I had a chance to really survey the scene. For some reason, I envisioned the MSU Auditorium to be a run-down dump. I had never seen a concert there, but I had visited for Party at the Aud once or twice. I have a feeling the building might have been renovated at some point. Either way, it’s a beautiful place with very clear sound quality, combining an arena feel and U-shaped balcony (like a smaller Cobo Arena) with the inclined floor seating of a theater. Projectors shot huge RHA signs on the walls to the left and right of the stage. The mood was constricted by the endless number of Wharton Center employees standing guard at the entrance to each section. They were friendly, but they wore a black pant/shirt combo and a bright colored tie, so they appeared to be a kind of futuristic militant group. I can’t complain though – they admitted me, without any real press credentials, to the sparsely occupied balcony area. The main floor, on the other hand, was completely full. The crowd was decidedly young, ranging from high schoolers to college kids. I got the impression that many in attendance were not from MSU, but I’m sure a lot of people were campus dorm dwellers. Everyone seemed comfortable and excited, but there was something very restrictive about a venue with zero standing area. Everyone was locked into their spot, with up to eight people between a seat and the aisle. But perhaps that’s just my borderline claustrophobia speaking. A discussion of a Jimmy Eat World show in 2007 requires reference to their breakthrough album in 2001, which was either titled Bleed American or Jimmy Eat World, depending on where and when it was purchased. That effort was modern rock in its finest form, but was fortunate to coincide with the popularization of emo and other forms of indie rock. That album (which was actually their third), had 16 to 22-year-old girls sighing and boys signing along, from the boisterous first single “Bleed American” all the way through to acoustic ballads like “Hear You Me.” Then came Futures in 2004, and while the band remained a radio mainstay, many fans were disappointed. Finally, Catch This Light dropped last month, and seems to further muddle their once-refreshing sound. After all, this is their second album for major label affiliate Interscope, and the band has corresponding pressures and loyalties to obey. Since I had little faith in their recent songwriting efforts, this concert was a chance to evaluate the band in terms of stage performance. I knew that some bands cease to be innovative in the studio, while continuing to improve as stage performers (Incubus comes to mind). In retrospect, the set list was rather predictable. There’s a saying about stories that claims an excellent beginning and ending can make a flawed story worthwhile. Jimmy Eat World started with two strong songs – “Work” and “A Praise Chorus” – but then spent the entirety of the show playing new material that garnered little response from the crowd. They did throw in a few older songs, like “Blister” from 1999’s Clarity, on which Tom Linton (guitar/vocals) sang lead. In fact, until Bleed American, Linton and Jim Adkins (vocals/guitar) shared the singing role much more often. Adkins showed his trademark twitches and head-jerks during songs, and his stage speech was limited to the requisite thank you’s and promo lines starting with, “So we just put out a new album…” From my optimal people watching spot, I realized once again the important role a crowd plays in a show. This was a pretty sober event – not only because it was alcohol free, or because the only smoke in the venue was a stage prop. It was sober more because the audience looked bored most of the time. Granted, it was a Sunday night, when people are usually embedded in a cocoon of blankets in front of their television. For much of the show, I took to watching the brilliant projections on the ceiling and rear wall. Halfway through the set, they uncovered a wall of reflective streamers behind the band, shining green and purple lights on them to create a high school prom atmosphere. As the set dragged on, I became aware of the limitations of their repetitive muted string and power chord constructions. When all their songs are featured together, instead of divided into specific albums, one hears little deviation from a basic formula. The show wasn’t a waste of time, since the band had devised a proper end segment. “Bleed American” and “Pain” woke the audience from the lull just in time for Jimmy Eat World to take an encore break. Then, Adkins and Linton appeared in front of the curtain for an acoustic intro to “Your House,” before the rest of the band was revealed about a minute later. This was followed by the tender “Hear You Me.” I chose to beat it when I didn’t recognize the next song. I was slightly put off by the absence of greats like “The Middle,” “Sweetness” and “If You Don’t, Don’t.” Overall, I got what I expected: two hours of relaxing and listening to undemanding music at a venue that is close to home. Links: |
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