Eve 6 put on a sweet show at the San Diego County Fair on Tuesday night, but honestly, two words sum up the performance best:
Dancing grandma.
Since their debut album in 1996, Eve 6 has always lingered around the periphery of popularity in the mainstream, perhaps coming closest with their graduation ceremony staple "Here's To The Night." But the distinct vocals and heart-gripping lyrics of lead singer/bassist Max Collins combine for a unique sound that still connects with a fan base that's growing once again.
After breaking up in 2003 to pursue other projects, the band has reunited -- minus former guitarist Jon Siebels, who has been replaced by Matt Bair, formerly of a NY-area group called "Bandcamp." Collins and drummer Tony Fagenson, who is, in my humble opinion, one of the best drummers in the business, had been working together in a band called "Sugi Tap" but have put that project on hold. As Eve 6 once again, the trio has another album in the works, but no release date has yet been determined.
The performance at the fair seemed to revive interest in the band, as casual passers-by slowly turned into dedicated spectators, and in more than a few cases, progressed into full-on fanhood. By the end of the show, even a diminutive Asian grandmother was cutting a rug with her laughing, yet slightly embarassed, daughter and grand-daughter looking on. I don't care who you are, dancing grandmas are cool. And therefore, Eve 6 is cool. Game. Over.
Personally, I've been a fan since I was in high school (which was at the time their debut album dropped, coincidentally), so I was beyond excited to see my favorite band perform after the disappointment of living in a world where Eve 6 was no longer together. And they did not disappoint again.
They started the show with some high-energy tunes, including "Rescue" and "Promise," which is another one of those songs that people heard and said "oh yeah, I remember that song...that was these guys? I love these guys!" or something comparable. We all knew that the inevitable "here's something new" song was coming, but I have to admit that I very much enjoyed the song "Little Tiny Everything," which is a song Sugi Tap performed but is going to be released on the new Eve 6 LP.
The tempo slowed down a bit in the middle, as the group delighted all the recently-graduated high school girls in the crowd with a perfect rendition of "Here's To The Night." But they picked it up again with "Open Road Song" and a medley that included "How Much Longer" and a cover of Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down A Dream" that sounded great. I had hoped that they would play a cover of "You Don't Know It Feels" after seeing a clip of it online, but between the medley and a later song that included some recognizable Petty riffs, I was more than satisfied.
Another new tune, called "Red & Black," was one of my favorites. It's another song that Sugi Tap put together, but the slow, driving pace and the distinct lyrical meter make it undeniably Eve 6. The band played more than a dozen songs, including "Think Twice," "On The Roof," "Jet Pack," "Superhero Girl," and "Leech," and concluded with a two-song encore that featured one more new song and ended with "At Least We're Dreaming."
Now, I'm a grown man. I pay taxes. I buy groceries. I vote.
But Eve 6 made me feel like I was in high school again, singing as loud as I could in front of complete strangers, jumping up and down just because a guy behind a microphone told me to, and cheering for people who have those little pockets of air in their shoes.
And that was just one more thing I now love about Eve 6: their quirky sense of humor. Before playing the song "Tongue Tied," Collins asked us to raise our hands if we were wearing shoes that have those air bubbles in them. He also commented that he would keep his hand down if he were wearing them, implying that those who do so should be somewhat embarassed to admit it. But he also said that the air-shoe wearers in the crowd were that much better off than their fellow human beings because they could jump up and down more easily during the ensuing song. Sadly, I did not have shoes with the little air pockets. But I still jumped. Oh, did I jump. And it was grand.
I also appreciated how Max would say, from time to time, "the name of the band is still Eve 6, and next up is..." and go on with the show. He struck me as being a very real guy, a bit nervous about being in front of people, but used to it after 13+ years of performing. Great showmanship is always entertaining, but vulnerability, sincerity and a touch of awkward humor helped the fans connect with the band on a deeper level. We already feel like we have common ground with them, since, as I'm sure it is with others as it is with me, their music has been with us through the milestones of life. But having seen them live, and shelling out $20 for a t-shirt like so many others, I feel like I know my favorite band just a little better now.
And anybody who can claim to have a little dancing grandma as a fan is cool in my book.
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