Last Thursday, Third Eye Blind took Niagara Falls and the intimate Avalon Ballroom Theatre on a trip back to the ’90s with their brand of upbeat, meaningful rock music. Coming from a time when bubblegum pop and flannelled grunge dominated the airwaves, Third Eye Blind provided the soundtrack for a decade, for both young and old, as evidenced by the blissful nostalgia that filled the room. Opening with fan favorite “Graduate,” the band proved that no opener was needed to get this crowd warmed up.
Coming fresh off of a successful summer tour, Third Eye Blind appeared polished and energized delivering a set mixed with classic hits and new songs. The crowd response was enthusiastic to the new content as the audience gave into temptation during “Dopamine” and took to their feet, filling the area in front of the stage. Stephen Jenkins, frontman for Third Eye Blind, dominated the stage with his quirky antics and charming smile that had every female in the room swooning. Jenkins also controlled the pace of the show, transitioning seamlessly between acoustic and electric tracks. Songs such as a cover of Beyonce’s “Mine” and “Blade” (Dream Sequence) saw Jenkins take centre stage with his acoustic guitar to do what he described as “Whatever the f@#! I want.” As expected, “How’s It Going To Be” and “Jumper” had the crowd roaring and singing along to every verse. On the original setlist for the show, the closing song was meant to be “Semi-Charmed Life,” however, neither the band nor the audience were ready to let the night end. Adding one more song, the band played “God of Wine,” a song from their self titled debut album that had been rarely seen live yet most definitely enjoyed.
Every person left the theatre smiling that night. The audience heard songs that contributed to the shaping of their youth and Third Eye Blind delivered a performance that left every band member grinning from ear to ear. Jenkins declared, towards the end of the set, that he’d be happy to come back and play for this audience anytime they want. Third Eye Blind meets a need in the music market that sorely needs filling. As Jenkins explained himself, “We don’t have backing tracks. Every night we go out here we can fall apart or we can fly.” That night they certainly flew as they charmed all those in attendance.
Setlist:
Shipboard Cook
Graduate
Wounded
Everything Is Easy
Crystal Baller
Mine (Beyonce Cover)
Losing A Whole Year
Never Let You Go
Dopamine
Blade
How’s It Going to Be
Rites of Passage (with U2’s With or Without You)
Jumper
Encore:
Something In You
Semi-Charmed Life
God of Wine
Photos by BackstageAxxess Correspondent Brandon Taylor.
We would like to thank Jennifer Murphy from the Fallsview Casino for the credentials to review the show.
