My friends have Jawbreaker tattoos, they quote singer Blake Schwarzenbach's lyrics in casual conversation, and after I vent about some stupid boy situation, they respond with statements like, "Wow, your life is a Jawbreaker song." Real helpful, guys, thanks.
They're obsessed. And they never, not even once, ever let me talk about how good Dear You is without throwing out that it's a weaker major-label release that can't hold a candle to the band's earlier and less-polished days (I don't care, it's still frickin' good).
Maybe I don't have the relationship with them that Mike Nipper does (The Stranger's phone-answerin' man brags to me on an almost daily basis about how he once skateboarded with the now-legendary trio at the Bazooka Joe house in Myrtle Beach--whatever that means), but I still love them.
I bring all of this up because despite our varying opinions on their discography, one thing all my dumb debate-team-wannabe friends and I have in common is that we absolutely love Jawbreaker. Usually I don't get excited over cover nights--they're often spent paying tribute to some band that's still around--but I'm going to make an exception for this event because it's dedicated to what was once one of the best bands in the world. (Jawbreaker broke up years ago, and they're never coming back.)
So on Thursday, July 22, Jawbreaker fans have a chance to bask in the band's material live at Graceland with Unfun: A Jawbreaker Tribute Night. It won't be the same, no, but songs like "Condition Oakland," "Jinx Removing," and "Fireman" will be played with loving care by fantastic local bands who love Jawbreaker just as much as anyone.
The show starts at 8:00 p.m. and features Kane Hodder, Blue Sky Mile, Tourist, Bullet Club, Autumn Poetry, Ancille, Book of Black Earth, and more acts they have yet to announce, all for only five bucks.
So for one night we'll dismiss the no-Jawbreaker rule. Unless you jump on me for liking Dear You. Then I'm gonna have to throw punches. MEGAN SELING
