Third Eye Blind Turn Up The Heat At UB

Concert Review
Third Eye Blind
Wednesday March 29, 2023
UB Center For The Arts
Amherst, NY
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto

Third Eye Blind made their first trip into town in some six years this past Wednesday. Stephan Jenkins and Company took to the stage for a two hour performance which featured songs throughout their entire career. The band shot out of the gate fast with their now six-time platinum self-titled debut in 1997. While things have slowed down in respect to album sales the band still showed that they know how to put on a show. Indeed they did as the lengthy set also featured cool acoustic segment.

Today, Third Eye Blind is comprised of Jenkins who remains the main songwriter, and longtime drummer Brad Hargreaves who has payed on every album. Guitarist Kryz Reid has been aboard since 2010 while bassist Alex LeCavalier has been in the band since 2012. That leaves keyboardist Colin Creev as the new kid on the block when he joined in 2019.

The band let it all hang out at the end as they concluded the main set with what I call the big three. “Jumper” and “Semi-Charmed Life” culled from the debut and perhaps my favorite song of the night “Crystal Baller” sandwiched between from their 2003 release Out of the Vein. A very powerful way to walk off the stage. Back for a quick two song encore with a rare solo version of “Slow Motion” before ending with “God of Wine”.

This is one of those shows that those who attended will look back at very fondly for a few reasons. It was great and rare to see the band play an evening with show with no other acts involved. We were also able to see the band perform a unique set in which they were not afraid to pull songs out that they do not usually get a chance to play. The band was firing on all cylinders making this show stand out from the other times I’ve seen them. Jenkins is a vastly underrated songwriter and if you have the chance to see this tour I urge anyone to make it a must see show.

Fast Takes:

Songs of the Night: Jumper and Crystal Baller

Deep Cut of the Night: Slow Motion (The notorious track from Blue that the record company would only allow on the album as an instrumental)