Live Review: Jimmy Eat World, My Echo

Melbourne’s My Echo are like the story, The Little Engine That Could, in that their hard work and optimism guides them further and further against some harsh odds at times. Now they can enjoy the fruits of their labour as they had the distinct honour of being the support act in several cities on this monumental tour. Greeted by a rather subdued audience, the quartet pushed through with their infectious blue collar-inspired rockabilly-alt-punk-rock tunes regardless. With a lively presence, passionate delivery and excellent between-song banter, the hard yards these four gentlemen have endured have certainly paid off. The Gaslight Anthem and The Living End are notable influences on this Victorian outfit, but they channel these acts’ sounds with distinct purity, as evident on the highlighted songs Do Or Die and For Old Time’s Sake. It’s fantastic to see My Echo transforming arguably from ‘possibility’ to ‘prospect’.

The performance of an album from start to finish can be viewed in two ways. Firstly (and preferably), it’s the celebration of the anniversary of a piece of music that altered the careers of the artists and the lives of their fans. Alternatively, the event is a reach by the band for some quick financial gain and perhaps to maintain some relevance in a world saturated with music. For Arizona’s Jimmy Eat World and their incredible album, Futures, it’s without doubt the first instance. Greeted by a more sizable crowd, the five men serenaded Thebarton Theatre into an hypnotic bliss. Pain was simply monstrous, while Polaris had an outstanding, intimate atmosphere that lulled the attendees into a haze of serenity. Nothing Wrong erupted with energy while Night Drive was so impossibly beautiful it was hard to believe there was no backing orchestra. This aura was then perfected by the closing song, 23, which was as special and monumental as a saved postcard or a precious photo album. Unbelievably, the show was far from finished, with a double encore that consisted of both the band and fans’ favourites, including Big Casino, Appreciation, Disintegration, Let It Happen, A Praise Chorus, Damage, Bleed American and Sweetness among others. The live quintet line-up closed the night with The Middle, arguably the outfit’s biggest single, and although overplayed, it’s lost none of its majesty. So were Jimmy Eat World able to recapture 2004? Better; they captured their history and we are forever thankful for it.