Third Eye Blind
By: Bob Gersztyn
βThird Eye Blindβ formed in 1993 and snagged a phenomenal record deal in 1996. In 1997 after signing what was reported as being one of the biggest unsigned artist record deals in music history they released their eponymous album βThird Eye Blind,β which went platinum 6 times. The album had 5 radio hits and they appeared on βSaturday Night Liveβ and toured as an opening act for U2 on their βPopMartβ tour. Over the decades band personnel has changed and the current lineup includes 2 original members, lead singer/rhythm guitar/songwriter/producer, Stephen Jenkins and drummer Brad Hargreaves. The rest of the band includes Kryz Reid on lead guitar, Alex Le Cavalier bass guitar and Alex Koop playing both keyboards and guitar and everyone assisting on vocals. Over the decades theyβve released 5 studio albums, a compilation album, 3 EPβs and have an unreleased album.
I had the opportunity to cover the concert for a couple of publications and these are some of the shots that I took of the concert, that happened on Thursday August 31, 2017 at the Oregon State Fair in L. B. Day Amphitheater, in Salem, Oregon. It was a great concert with a 90 minute set that covered material from the first album in 1997 to material off their current 7 song EP, We Are Drugs. This was one of the last shows from their “Summer God’s” tour, celebrating the 20 year anniversary release of their first eponymous album.
The set consisted of 19 songs, including “Weightless,” “Company of Strangers,” “Horror Show,” “Wounded,” “Simi Charmed Kind of Life,” “Dopamine,” “Crystal Baller,”Β “Back 2 Zero,” “Motorcycle Drive By,” ” Slow Motion,” “Deep Inside of You,” “Rites of Passage,” “Never Let You Go,” “In the Fade,” “Thanks a Lot,” “Jumper,” Something in You” and “How’s it Going to Be.” The concert was high energy and audience engaging with Stephen Jenkins continually talking to the audience telling them how they just flew in and that the show was unstructured and people could just call out what they wanted to hear, which people did. Not knowing what to expect from the restructured band I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the show immensely.
