I love photographing concerts in the DC area. I am on business travel this week to Reno, and I was unable to get to the Third Eye Blind concert when they hit my town. I narrowly bypassed the winter storm system and arrived in Reno on Saturday night, Nov. 30.
With a little luck on my side, I was able to get from the airport straight to the Grand Theatre at the Grand Sierra Resort just in time before 3EB took the stage. I was instantly impressed with the size and scale of the concert space, but it still had a tight, intimate vibe. The general admission pit was ample enough for people to dance around, but if you chose a seat, you were still right up in the action.
Third Eye Blind may have hit the charts in a big way more than 20 years ago, but you wouldn’t know by watching the way Stephen Jenkins comes out onstage. It feels like he’s hosting a party and he’s glad you came. No pretense or ego, he’s just there to rock your body and your brains with their hits. People were singing along to every song, and I didn’t feel anything was missed. (Except maybe “10 Days Late,” pardon the pun).
“Graduate” came early in the set, and “How’s It Going to Be” brought us in for a landing. Reno was the final stop on the 2019 Screamer tour. They didn’t appear tired or worn out, but gleeful they had reached the finish line and were happy to bask in that moment with us.
The crowd was mix of ages all over the spectrum, old and young, people dancing and twirling and others just enjoying the vibe from their seat. I felt incredibly welcomed when I got there. The venue and tour staff were very helpful. I have some “real” work ahead of me now, but I kicked it off in the best of fashions with a high-octane set from one of my favorite bands in a sweet (and new to me) space.
— Andy Jones is a photographer in the Washington, D.C. area. His top activities are travel, photographing concerts and Capitals games, and whenever he can, getting the Milky Way. This is his first time to Reno. You can follow along at http://instagram.com/ageowns or check out http://ageowns.com