“Thank you all for fostering our odyssey through India; it has been weird and fun,” addressed Stephan Jenkins, singer and songwriter of Third Eye Blind, to a screaming crowd at Hard Rock Café, Banjara Hills on Wednesday night. The popular venue saw a full house as music fans flocked in to see the San Francisco-based rock band perform in the city.
If the names Pearl jam, Red hot chilli peppers, Matchbox 20, Oasis and The Smashing Pumpkins ring a bell, there is a good chance you know all the lyrics to most of Third Eye Blind’s songs. Those born in the late Eighties might recall that it was these catchy, upbeat tunes, then curated by MTV and Channel V, that initiated you into the world of western pop and rock music. And these songs, like old friends, will always remain familiar despite the time and distance. Stephan had only to play a few seconds of the guitar riff that opens ‘Deep inside of you’ before eliciting shout-outs from the audience who sang along with every note.
Not losing the audience for a second as he plucked and strummed on his guitar, Stephan was every bit the performer his music videos make him out to be. The crowd was ecstatic as the band performed ‘Semi charged life, one of their most popular songs. Kryz Reid’s short guitar solo did much to elevate the crowd’s senses. His fluency with the guitar was complemented by Jon Pancoast’s bold basslines. Jon, the latest addition to the band, was electric on stage and a hit with the audience as was Brad Hargreaves on drums and percussion. To everyone’s surprise Stephan even launched into covers of songs that have long remained popular in the cities nightclubs – ‘Feel so close’ by Calvin Harris and Nelly’s ‘Must be the money’. The show ended with ‘Slow-motion’ and ‘Semi-charged life’. If the audience had its way, the show would have lasted the night; the band left the stage amidst shouts of “We want more!”
