A Semi-Charmed Night of Angst

Something wonderful is happening: I’ve got Third Eye Blind’s cute-ass frontman Stephan Jenkins on the phone, and he’s asking me if I want to hang out.

“I don’t know anyone in Eugene,” he coos.

I reply coolly: “You know me, man.”

“Well, now you have my number.”

The 13-year-old girl inside me squeals — not only is this guy hot enough to have dated Charlize Theron and Vanessa Carlton, but his music soundtracked the angstiest phase of my angst phase. How many teenage girls have sung along to “Semi-Charmed Life” with the juvenile notion it’s about young love rather than crystal meth?

I’m wiser than to think Jenkins and I will really hit it off when he’s here, but our exchange gets at the reason I like Third Eye Blind, the two- to three-hit ’90s wonder requested on college kids’ road trips everywhere.

It has painfully little to do with the music. Jenkins’ charm is in itself the root of the band’s success — even when singing (in his characteristic near-scream) lyrics like “can I get my punk ass off the street,” his face is gentle and disarming. Though he’s standing wailing into a mic held centimeters from his lips, it’s easy to imagine that he’s seated on a stool, serenading you while barefoot.

One of Jenkins’ favorite things about the band’s current tour is that “thematically, it’s about seeking authenticity and genuine connection.”

The crowds, he says, are mostly made up of young millennials who have forged a connection to Third Eye Blind from the internet alone; rather than their fandom being dictated by radio hits, “they trade songs with each other, and they care about those songs, and those songs don’t have a time stamp on them.”

For all the punkness they play at, Third Eye Blind is an innocent band with the innocent goal of bringing youngsters together to commiserate. They’re not interested in creating counterculture that exemplifies their dark, grungy atmosphere. And that atmosphere is changing now, too: forthcoming full-length Dopamine, the band’s first release in five years, promises “more of a pulse, a real driving forward” than any previous record.

Fellows in angst royalty, Dashboard Confessional, and Brooklyn indie-pop duo Ex Cops join Third Eye Blind 7 pm Thursday, July 23, at Cuthbert Amphitheater; $41-$45. All ages.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!