When Jim Adkins met Zach Lind in preschool, they probably had no idea they would go on to be part of one the most revered bands of the 2000’s – Jimmy Eat World.

Formed in 1993, the four piece (Jim Adkins, Zach Lind, Tom Linton, and Rick Burch) would go on to craft eight albums and tour the world. The band went gold in 2004 with their Futures album and they broken into the Top 40. It wasn’t soon after that the band reached commercial success again with Chase the Light in 2007 and Invented in 2010. With 20 years under the band’s belt, it’s no wonder why they continued to release music into the 2010’s with Damage in 2013.

While the band has proven to be good together, they might be just as good separated. No, not separated permanently … just long enough for Jim Adkins to show off his singer/songwriter skills with a solo tour. But that doesn’t mean the frontman has forgotten about the band’s legacy either.

“I have had the pleasure/honor/luck to play in the mostly-pro rock band Jimmy Eat World for 21 years now,” Adkins wrote in a press release. “It’s something I take seriously and at every opportunity that comes our way, am grateful.”

While the singer probably enjoys having the band onstage, playing solo isn’t something new for the Jimmy Eat World frontman. “In the past, I have been involved with solo work, playing mostly benefit concerts locally in my home of Arizona,” Adkins wrote.

It was during the band’s last European tour that Adkins found himself becoming more fond of solo performances. “Toward the end of our last European tour, I decided to stick around and play a solo show in Berlin,” he wrote. “I thought to myself: Hey, this is different and also pretty fun … I could keep going.”

Adkins really did keep going, as he planned out over 20 solo shows for the summer. Having started in Wisconsin on June 28, he has quickly worked his way into the south. On Thursday, Adkins will stand front and center at New Brookland Tavern in Columbia. According to the press release, Adkins will be “playing new solo material, rock band songs, and covers.”

When Adkins mentions “new solo material,” he is referencing to the songs that just might appear on his rumored solo album. One of those songs is “I Will Go.” Adkins sings, “The paralyzing truth, I am what I will choose,” over a catchy acoustic guitar progression. Aside from new material, you can definitely plan on hearing Jimmy Eat World songs.

Watch Jim Adkins perform “I Will Go”. 

Pictures recently surfaced that reveal some of the Jimmy Eat World songs that Adkins has been performing on the solo tour. Some of those songs include “Chase the Light,” “Polarity,” “Always Be,” and more. However, each show is different and nothing is guaranteed, which is reason enough to go.

Another reason to go is the fact that Charleston’s Heyrocco is opening the show. The three-piece alt rock band is comprised of singer/guitarist Nathan Merli, bassist Chris Cool, and drummer Tanner Cooper. The band released their debut album Comfort in 2012, and they recently released their sophomore efforts Teenage Movie Soundtrack on June 2. The new album lingers with a mix of ‘90s pop-rock and grunge, yet somehow overcomes the nostalgia. “Loser Denial,” “Elsewhere,” and “Santa Fe,” are the highlights of the album.

“Loser Denial” conjures memories of band’s like Weezer and it could even pass as early Jimmy Eat World material. Merli sings, “And everybody seems to be on top of something, while I’m on top of nothing, I hate almost everyone.” One of the more interesting parts of the song is the guitar work that begins in a clean tone, but instantly cuts into a distorted guitar riff that seems like it influenced by Blink-182’s “Dude Ranch.”

Watch Heyrocco perform “Loser Denial” via Audiotree. 

Coming in at the number four spot on the album, “Elsewhere” shows just how the band is able to combine originality with influence. The song features Merli singing over a mixture of interestingly complex guitar riffs that melt into a backdrop of tambourine and more. Merli’s songwriting capabilities really stand out on this song as he manages to rope you into the song from the beginning. He sings, “Stepping on my toes, I think it’s clear that everybody knows, I don’t believe in anything they say, I don’t believe in anything they do, I just don’t buy it.” Overall, the song is a great track and I suspect it is even better seeing it performed in person.

“Santa Fe” is near the end of the album, and what a smart choice it was to put it there. The song begins with a clean guitar progression that quickly transitions into lyrics that seem to be critical of a past relationship. As cliché as the song may seem, the composition of the song is what really stands out. It also offers a break from the upbeat and distorted tracks that fill a majority of the track listing.

Enter to win

Ticket winners will be contacted via email Wednesday, July 8 at 5 PM. 

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Need to Know:

Who: Jim Adkins with Heyrocco 
Where: New Brookland Tavern (122 State St. West Columbia, SC, 29169)
When: Doors to the show open at 7 p.m. on Thursday
Go here for more information and tickets.
Keep up with Jim on tour by following him on Facebook.