Live music review: Jawbreaker returned to Austin over 20 years later
On Friday at the Long Center’s Skyline Theater, Jawbreaker played their only Texas show on the seminal Emo-punk band’s current tour and first performance in Austin in over 20 years. The venue which holds over 7,000 fans came close to selling out which says a lot about how this fringe but influential punk band from California garnered so much attention when they reformed last year.
Jawbreaker is often cited as a precursor to more popular Emo bands Dashboard Confessional, Fallout Boy and Face to Face. The latter two often cite Jawbreaker as an influence. The group is perhaps the most influential band most people haven’t heard of. Yet, the Blake Schwartzenbach-led act is much more than just an Emo punk originator. They make punk music that is more complex than many of the bands that owe a debt to Jawbreaker’s approach. Often employing overdubs, complex song arrangements, sounds effects and gravel-toned vocals that deliver intelligent, thoughtful lyrics with a heavy guitar sound backed by a stellar rhythm section of Adam Pfahler (drums) and Chris Bauermiester (bass).
One issue hard-core fans had with the band who fostered a cult following was their last album, Dear You (1996) which was the first major-label recording. To a host of Jawbreaker’s rabid fanbase that record felt and sounded like a sell-out. Ironic considering Schwarzenbach’s material often dealt with issues stemming from his own feelings of ostracism and unconventionality.
The bandleader expressed his love for “the Live Music Capitol” comparing the current national political situation to the Titanic and declaring, “I can’t think of better people to die with” before resuming the set. The bittersweet sentiment was both morbid and humorous as befitting a man who had to wait 30 years to be anointed the true rock star he always was.
Jawbreaker saved a deep cut for the Austin faithful, performing “Do You Still Hate Me” for the first time since 1996 . Schwartzenbach and company included “Save Your Generation” from that fateful final album before the band’s breakup. It seemed not to matter any longer to fans that the track appeared on the group’s sell-out album.
Apart from the awkward stance fans had to take perched on the side of the Long Center hill that forms the west side of the lawn, the scenery was spectacular as Jawbreaker took the stage near sunset following an explosive opening performance by local stalwarts, A Giant Dog. We bumped into guitarist and sometimes vocalist Andrew Cashen who admitted his excitement in opening the show for such an influential act in front of a large audience. Promoter, Margin Walker Presents correctly predicted demand for tickets and booked accordingly. For that fans should be thankful most who wanted to attend had the opportunity to do so.
A decidedly post-rock interlude came later in the show that included another deep cut, “Parabola” that began with a warning from Schwartzenbach on the direction the set list was headed. We like to think the frontman felt Austin’s high music-IQ audience would appreciate an esoteric song selection. The set ended without the scheduled one-song encore, “Chesterfield King” ending instead with 1992’s” Shield Your Eyes” off Bivouac. Our best guess is the band was gassed after the energetic set Jawbreaker dropped on Austin in intense Texas heat. Cannot say we blame them.
Setlist:
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