Have you ever received a gift so great that you didn't feel you deserved it? Just such a thing happened to me this very morning. Just before 11:30 I arrived at my accounting information systems class. I sat at the same computer I always do, logged on, and checked my email, as I do every other day. Nothing new in my inbox but I had one new spam message. I'm pretty OCD when it comes to my spam folder; even though its contents will be eventually deleted automatically, I always delete spam messages immediately anyway. I decided to get the better of my compulsions and let it be. But as seconds ticked by my compulsions got the better of me and I opened the spam folder. The message was from Stateside Presents, a booking agency from home that periodically announces shows and tickets sales happening in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. I almost deleted the email without opening it when I saw the words "Jimmy Eat World" at the end of the subject line. I was semi-curious -- they are one of my favorite bands -- so I opened the email. I scrolled down and read this:
JIMMY EAT WORLD
Clarity x 10 Tour
Playing the 1999 album in its entirety
March 7 @ Marquee Theatre
ON SALE THIS SATURDAY.
At first I didn't understand. I read it again. My second reaction was disbelief. My heard started to race. Let me explain: Jimmy Eat World and I have quite a history, which I won't delve into. Anyway, in 1999 Jimmy Eat World released an album called Clarity. Commercially, the record didn't do well; it wasn't until their follow up album originally titled Bleed American that they "hit it big" so to speak. Nonetheless, when it comes to hardcore fans like myself, Clarity is often our favorite JEW album. And it's cool because they still play three or four songs from Clarity at their shows today. But to hear them play this album in its entirety? Start to finish, all 64 minutes, hopefully all 18 minutes of Goodbye Sky Harbor? Attending this show is not optional.
I decided to investigate further. The band's website confirmed as much; starting in February the band will embark on 10 show tour in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the release of Clarity. The tour starts in NY and finishes in the band's home state of Arizona. Beneath the list of tour dates I noticed the following:
Reuben's Accomplice will support Feb. 23-Mar. 4.
"Oh awesome, I love Reuben's Accomplice," I said to myself. I read on:
No Knife will support Mar. 5-7.
My heart stopped. Now, there are few of you readers who realize the gravity of that simple sentence (the one about No Knife, not the one about heart stopping). Few of you know who No Knife is, which is cool, they never really made it out of the underground classic emo/indie genre. I never had a chance to see them because they broke up at the beginning of the decade. But apparently Jimmy Eat World playing the entire Clarity album was reason enough to get back together.
So on this evening of evenings I praise and honor the gods of music who have bestowed this invaluable gift that I am unfit to receive. I don't know what I did to find myself so highly in their favor.
This show is almost everything I could want in a show. I'm trying to convince Jacquee to go see them up in CHicago. I love reuben's, who will be playing at Chicago, but I'm tempted to fly home to see No knife. I missed my one and only opportunity to see them thanks to one semi-retarded but still likeable friend of ours (think for a second and you'll get it) who forgot to pick me up when they played back in phoenix back during high school. If only Jimmy would do a static only tour. I'd cross oceans for that.
ReplyDeleteI wish that I could fully grasp the awesomeness of this. I can tell that this is pretty exciting, but then again, I am not the fan that you are.
ReplyDeleteI want to congratulate you on your wonderful gift! I also want to congratulate you on opening your spam folder to delete its contents rather than just emptying the folder!
This post made me really excited for this tour, it took me to a level of excitement that I have not previously reached in regards to Jimmy Eat World albums.
Good for you! I hope this show is everything...and more!
I think the thing that amazes me the most about this whole thing is you will be in school during this time, but I know you will drive/ fly to see this show and spend great amounts of money to make it happen. Really Myke, someone should give you the "Greatest Fan EVER" award. When you are committed to a band, you are committed. Very impressive. P.S. I'm not being sarcastic at all if it seems like I am...I really mean it.
ReplyDeleteclarity is so phasing! so. jealous.
ReplyDeleteDude...
ReplyDelete1. Hearing about the Clarity thing made me almost pee my pants. I can't even count how many times I listened to that album in 9th grade. It was pretty much my introduction to cool music.
2. No Knife...pretty much my favorite band ever. I actually did pee my pants. I've seen them twice. Sorry Danny if I was one of those loser friends. Probably not though, since I went in 9th grade at the modified with Dave and Foreign Holiday. The 2nd time,I went with Jeff, Trev and Dave at modified. Ahh.....so good!!
3. I'm a little sad about missing Reuben's, since I love them. But No Knife more than makes up for it.
I'm so excited!!
Cody, don't worry it's totally not you. Here's a dead give away: dead bird. I know it's kind of weird to think that after all this time I'm still bitter about not seeing no knife, but then the bass line for "hit man dreams" starts playing in my head, and my bitterness is totally justified.
ReplyDeleteDanny -- Haha, I missed that show too (your description cracked me up, especially the dead birds part). Probably the only night of my life I've been grounded.
ReplyDeleteHarper -- Thank you. Just imagine if you're like second favorite band ever decided to tour and play one of their semi-obscure/awesome albums and you'd understand.
Leah -- It's true, I really am the Greatest Fan EVER. Not to brag or anything. Now if I could just take that level of commitment and apply it to other areas of my life....
Holli -- You should road trip down with us.
Cody -- I will see you there!
this has to be the best news of the year. before, it was that Ben Folds and Reuben's played at Gammage. but this surpasses that.
ReplyDeleteI have to be honest, I'm more excited about the No Knife reunion than the Jimmy Eat World part. Don't get me wrong, Jimmy playing Clarity would be awesome by itself. But No Knife had just resigned themselves as a distant memory in my mind... so for them to come back. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
We're going too! yea...Devyn was sooooooooooooo excited. I'm not the biggest Jimmy eat world fan...the first songs I had heard from them were the ones on the radio that were waaay overplayed. But clarity is definitely what made me like them. So that will be awesome!
ReplyDeleteYeah I'll have to dust off Clarity. It might seem lame of me but my favorite album was Bleed. It broke me into JEW and it's the one I listened to the most in high school. But I'm way excited to go, as Clarity is still incredible.
ReplyDeleteSo who is pitching in to buy me a ticket down there? I can't believe I'm going to miss it. Two great No Knife show moments from the Modified:
ReplyDelete1) Jim Adkins getting all drunk and singing back-ups on that Fire in the City song and almost knocking over No Knife's drums in one spastic motion. I hope this happens again. Seriously, where was YouTube during our adolescence?
2) No Knife started playing song #2 from Hit Man Dreams (the one with the crazy drums, dunah-dun-duhdittledooduh) and I thought the floor was going to collapse from Hans Ringer stomping along next to me. Intense!