It Just Takes Some Time… Jimmy Eat World’s 30th Anniversary Tour

By Doone Lupine Williams

you know the bus driver has to drive. So that’s one thing that’s changed a lot. But we’re able to sleep and tour longer with buses.

SW: You guys were probably a lot more self-sufficient early on in those days.

TL: Yeah, early on we would just play shows and show up and then after we would play we would just ask over the microphone if someone had a place we could stay. We’d usually just find some kids and sleep on the floor with our sleeping bags. We did that for a long time. It was fun!

SW: Would you say that all changed with the success of “Bleed American”?

TL: Yeah. When “Bleed American” came we knew we’d be on the road for a long time. And we were out for about two and a half years. No way we would have been able to do that tour in a van.

SW: Do you guys like to stay closer to home when you tour?

TL: We do a lot of international stuff. After COVID we’re really happy to be out and we’re having a lot of fun. More than we did back in the day. Pretty rare for bands our age.

SW: Why would you say it's more fun these days?

TL: We’ve gotten better as players. We’re able to communicate better with each other. When we first started, we were afraid to talk to each other, or afraid to offend each other. I don’t know… it was weird. Now we’re old enough to get criticized and listen. When we first started, we weren’t really like that. Like if someone had a problem with a part, they wouldn’t say it. But we were young, like 17 years old.

SW: What was the transition into fame like for the band?

TL: We couldn’t believe it. We didn’t have to go and get jobs off of tour. We were able to make music like a job. And that was ultimate.

Jimmy Eat World and Manchester Orchestra Sun., July 16, 6pm (Doors at 4:30pm) Hayden Homes Amphitheater 344 SW Shevlin Hixon Dr., Bend bendconcerts.com

Ticket prices vary