In the summer of 2017 I came across an album by a band that was “new” to me. However, upon researching further I discovered that this band had been around for a while but I had never encountered them consciously. The album was A Black Mile to the Surface by Manchester Orchestra.

Since that time of discovery Manchester Orchestra has become one of my favorite bands and I have audibly devoured pretty much everything they have created (along with Andy Hull’s various side projects). There is just something about them both musically and lyrically that resonates with my soul on such a deep level that is almost impossible to put into words. At the height of the pandemic when there was the lingering question if live shows would happen again I experienced a thought/notion that I may never get to experience them in the live setting. However, as things began to reopen and tours began commonplace again I eagerly purchased tickets to see Manchester Orchestra on the Million Masks of God Tour in the winter of 2022. This would be my first show post lockdown and I could not have imagined a better band to share it with. However, due to a string of unforeseen circumstances I was unable to attend.

Fast forward to 2023. Earlier this year Manchester Orchestra announced the Amplified Echoes Tour where they would be co-headlining with Jimmy Eat World. Upon the announcement I was instantly excited and in hopes that I would finally be able to catch Manchester Orchestra live. Again, due to a string of events and circumstances it just wasn’t in the cards. However, through random happenstance I ended up with 2 free tickets to the Nashville date of the tour and it lined up with my schedule perfectly*.

It was a very hot Tennessee night, but fortunately the placement of Ascend Amphitheater amidst downtown Nashville just so happened to block out any direct sunlight providing shade and some slight relief. Middle Kids was the sole opener for the tour. Going in I had no preconceived ideas of the band as I had never heard any of their material prior to this night. Upon some slight research I was able to gather that they are from Australia and formed in 2016. Stylistically, they reminded me of the band Letters To Cleo. Their set was remarkably short, but they were probably one of the better “unknown” openers I have ever encountered at a concert. They recently released their single, “Bootleg Firecracker” providing a glimpse in what is to come from them in the future. Definitely an act to keep on your radar.

I have been a fan of Jimmy Eat World ever since the release of Bleed American back in 2001 and have had the privilege to see them live before. They are one of those bands that just have this insane energy about them and you can tell that they are truly having fun doing what they do while on stage and even in the Nashville heat Jim Adkins never once let up on his usual energy (despite literally dripping sweat and being completely soaked). They wasted no time ripping through a set spanning their career and including 17 tracks in total. Despite no representation from Invented or Damage there was still a solid mix of their more popular tracks (mainly from Bleed American and Futures) and some newer material.

When Manchester Orchestra took the stage the crowd was electric in a way that was uniquely different from the same crowd just an hour earlier when Jimmy Eat World came out. Hull and company wasted no time diving right in to the thick of it all with the most representation coming from A Black Mile to the Surface, Mean Everything to Nothing and The Million Masks of God. They still managed to fit in plenty of other material from some of their other albums across their 14 track set. However, their latest release, The Valley of Vision, only had one track make the cut. This seemed like an odd choice given the still fairly “newness” of the album. It was clear thought that this was more of a tour for the masses and meant to cover a lot of ground due to the co-headlining aspect. Had it been solely a Manchester Orchestra tour then I would not have been surprised to find maybe another 4 to 7 songs included to round things out.

Overall, the night was incredible. Each band fully embraced the crowd and atmosphere they helped create from start to finish and I was glad to have finally been able to experience Manchester Orchestra in the live setting and hope that it is not the last. If you get the chance to catch this tour then I highly recommend it.

The Amplified Echoes Tour is currently running through August 26th. You can find tour info through the Manchester Orchestra or Jimmy Eat World webpages and purchase tickets through their affiliated links.

You can connect with Middle Kids on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X).

You can connect with Jimmy Eat World on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X).

You can connect with Manchester Orchestra on social media via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter (X).

*If you are ever attending a concert/event in Nashville, TN (especially on a weekend night) research what (or who) else is in town as I made the mistake to not plan ahead for parking and George Strait was playing Nissan Stadium less than a mile from the venue where Manchester Orchestra/Jimmy Eat World were playing. This made parking very difficult and traffic was horrendous. Rookie mistake and lesson learned.