CLARITY x 10

I'm not a music person.  I like songs, and I like bands, and I like dancing, and I like singing along with songs, but I don't track bands.  I'm not the one first to know about a new tour or a new album or a new song.  No.

My point in this is that I don't go to a lot of concerts.  I don't really know the venues around Boston, and I'm not too picky about sound quality.  I'll be happy with songs I know that I can dance to a little.  And some beer.

Last night, I saw Jimmy Eat World's CLARITY x 10 tour at the House of Blues in Boston.

Jimmy Eat World, I loved.  Given that I'm not a music person, M1 told me that they were coming.  Jimmy Eat World was a band that I got into my first year of college (2000.)  My ex-ex-ex-boyfriend introduced me to them, and I fell in love.  Clarity was the album I first heard, and I'd play it over and over.  Upon hearing they were touring, I figured they had a new album, and I should probably check up on them, as I hadn't listed to anything new since Bleed American was released in 2001.  I downloaded their newest album, Chase This Light, and listened to it, picking a favourite song ("Always Be") and being ready to sing along.  Perhaps I should have noticed that Chase This Light was released two years ago, not two months ago; therefore, Jimmy Eat World was probably not promoting their "new" album.  No.  The tour was called "CLARITY x 10" because a) they were playing songs from Clarity and b) it was a ten-stop tour.  (This is clearly stated on their site.  I did not think to check the site till tonight.)  So, to my surprise and delight, the band played a song I knew from college...  And then another...  And then "Lucky Denver Mint."  And then I began to realize there was nothing "new" happening.  I was absolutely thrilled with this, and sang my heart out, probably much to the distress of people around me.  (Whatever, M1 and I were stuck next to annoying make out couple.  Get a room.)

Interesting things from the concert:

1. M1 got a Corona.  In a can.

2. There was a guy with a blue-green mohawk.  He knew EVERY WORD.  To EVERY SONG.  I had never associated Jimmy Eat World with blue-green mohawks.  But I will now.

3. A drunk girl accidentally fell into a guy in front of her.  He accused her of hitting him, and there was almost a fight.  Friends-holding-guys-off-of-each-other almost.

4. Guys tried to start a mosh pit.  Really?  At Jimmy Eat World?

5. I saw at least five people I knew there.  For a city as big as Boston and a venue that size and the fact that I'm not particularly social, that shouldn't have happened.

Great concert.  If you happen to live in Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, LA, San Diego or Tempe, I highly suggest you check them out.

The House of Blues, on the other hand, I was less than impressed with.  M1 assured me that the acoustics were great.  Otherwise, I wasn't incredibly impressed.  I'm not sure what would have impressed me, though.  It was a big room, high ceilings.  There were two levels of balconies on the sides.  On the ground floor, the bars spanned the entire sides of the room.  That's the fine.  The not-so-great?  There was weird religious iconography above the stage.  (Not Jimmy-related.)  There was a coat check, which was great.  However, upon leaving, we waiting in line for probably half an hour to collect our coats.  Annoying.  I guess there's little way around that when everyone leaves at the same time from concerts.  (M1 and I decided, therefore, that we should only go there in warmer weather.)

Long story short: Loved Jimmy Eat World, not impressed by the House of Blues.