Jimmy Eat World Remain in 'Light'

Amidst a teeming, capacity crowd at Seattle's Showbox Theater Thursday night (Oct. 11), Jimmy Eat World, touring in support of the band's forthcoming LP Chase the Light, unveiled a slew of new tunes. But first, supporting act Maritime brought their punchy brand of indie-pop all the way from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or as guitarist Dan Hinz called it, "the land of beer, cheese, and fat women." The band's set-list mixed old favorites like "German Engineering" with new tracks like "Pearl" and "Hours That You Keep," both off their forthcoming album, Heresy and the Hotel Choir, out Oct. 16 on Flameshovel Records.

For singer/guitarist Davey von Bohlen, the show was more than just a chance to debut new tracks, it was also an opportunity to catch up with a few old pals. "[Jimmy Eat World] are all my friends and we don't see each other very much any more," von Bohlen told SPIN.com after his set, "so now we have to play shows together if we want to hang out."

Finally, Jimmy Eat World stormed the stage and thundered through "Big Casino," the first single from Chase This Light. From then on, it was all aces, as adoring fans were treated to gem after power-pop gem. With a polished stage presence and their massive wall of distorted guitars, the band rattled off hits spanning the scope of their ever-growing discography. Fan favorites included "Lucky Denver Mint," "Get It Faster," the crowd-surf inducing "Bleed American," and "A Praise Chorus," during which von Bohlen joined onstage to provide spot-on backup vocals. New tracks also permeated the set list, most notably the acoustic-guitar driven "Carry You" and the pulsating "Let it Happen."

Now together for some fourteen years and on the verge of releasing their sixth studio album, the Jimmy Eat World seemed well aware that more than just their sound has evolved. "Our standards are a lot higher now," quipped sweat-soaked frontman Jim Adkins. "We have to tune and shit before we start songs." 

We asked: Jimmy Eat World's new album is called Chase This Light. In life, what are you chasing after?