It’s hard to say when guests at the Republican National Convention started to realize something was amiss.
It could’ve been when rock band Third Eye Blind, the entertainment for the night, decided not to play any of their best-known hits. No “Semi-Charmed Life.” No “Never Let You Go.” Not even a “How’s It Going to Be,” damn it.
Maybe they were tipped off by the fact that lead singer Stephan Jenkins decided to spend the greater part of the night jeering at the crowd.
“Raise your hands if you believe in science!” he yelled.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Related: Folk-Rocker Turned Gay-Hater Michelle Shocked Blames Queerty, “Lynch Mob” For Her Fall From Grace
And while we don’t have a strong affinity for their music, we definitely have an affinity for their trolling. Of the ten songs performed, there was only one certifiable hit: “Jumper,” which is about a friend of the band’s who took his own life by jumping off a bridge.
As Pajiba reports, the show ended with a plea for gay rights, which led to an outlandish amount of booing.
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“To love this song,” Jenkins said, “is to take into your heart the message and to actually, actually have a feeling to arrive and move forward and not live in fear and imposing that fear onto other people.”
Watch the scene unfold here:
Third Eye Blind tonite at #RNCinCLE event: We believe in tolerance, acceptance ?? (Followed by boos) pic.twitter.com/WPRIEMZmEp
— Tina (@tinpant) July 20, 2016
The Twitterverse has been quick to weigh in, from both sides:
#ThirdEyeBlind was always pretty cool, but this is some next level shit. You guys fucking rock.
— Sarah Ann (@SarahBoersig) July 20, 2016
Thank you @stephanjenkins for doing what you did last night the truth isn’t always popular but it needs to be shared #ThirdEyeBlind #GOAT
— Brendan Cadman (@BrendanCadman) July 20, 2016
#ThirdEyeBlind Diappointed in this band/ thibk they suck anyway
— Amy Paige (@4mydogcosmo) July 20, 2016
Damnit all…I’m being forced to like #ThirdEyeBlind against my will!!
— marq singer (@qmarq) July 20, 2016
So great. But given that I like #ThirdEyeBlind‘s discography I’d actually be pumped to not just hear the hits! https://t.co/DGC3mPiz01
— Craig Banerd (@CraigsHere) July 20, 2016
Major props to #ThirdEyeBlind for their utter troll and embarrassment of the #RNC. How do you not believe in science? #idiots #Democrats
— AYM (@A_Real_AYM) July 20, 2016
ErikO
Are we supposed to care? This band stopped being relevant decades ago and they’ve never been good.
mcflyer54
@ErikO: Actually I do think we should care. Any show of support should be appreciated and acknowledged. We, as a community, have made enormous strides in the past 5 years but the battle for equality is far from over. I’m not a fan of the band but thank them for what they attempted to do. And relevance is, like beauty, is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder and their lack of “relevance” is simply a personal opinion.
KiwiJello
@ErikO relevancy is all that matters, right? How you look? What you wear? What music you listen to?
This irrelevant band, while attending the Republican National Convention, spoke up about YOUR rights. My rights. They did this to support a very current cause.
I don’t think you really understand what “relevant” means when it extends beyond your own nose. Hint: Relevant doesn’t mean popular.
Xzamilio
I love Third Eye Blind. I don’t actively listen to them anymore, but if MTV or one of the outskirt VH1 channels play a song, the memories return. This is great. I applaud anyone who doesn’t just do activism within an echo chamber and goes to straight to the opponents.
lelandjr
Where were their pro-gay comments years ago when they were popular?
D_Albert
@mcflyer54: I couldn’t agree with you more!
mujerado
@lelandjr: Who cares what they did yesterday if wht they do today is good? People change. Are you willing to be judged by who you were years ago?
whirlaround
This makes me happy. U.S. pop culture has slowly grown to support gay rights without fear. It’s great that an older all-male band publicly joins that support in the face of a hostile audience.
Thank you to all men who support gay men, no matter their age or relevance.
ErikO
@lelandjr: Exactly. They could have been supportive when they were extremely popular decades ago but instead did nothing. Of course they did this not to support LGBT people but just for media attention.
strix1
I applaud them, and still enjoy their music when I hear it…Who says they did not support the LGBT community back in the 90’s…if I remember correctly, they did at a Live 105 radio sponsored event…I was very young and can’t remember the exact cause, but maybe someone can remember. Did they go out and address it at all their performances, no, but who did? (don’t say Erasure) q-;
sluman1
They most certainly have been pro-LBGT for a long time, including when they were at the top of the charts. Lead singer, Stephen Jenkins, is a SF native and has never been shy stating that one of their biggest hits, Jumper, is about his gay friend committing suicide due to bullying. After that, they released “Non Dairy Creamer.” Google the lyrics to that one, no decoding needed. This band has never wavered from its beliefs.
cabe
@ErikO:
Bullsh*t – they are an incredible band that were not only popular more than a decade ago but still retain relevance. Unlike many other artists, they write their own songs, play their own instruments and sing w/out autotune. The fact that they were willing to call out the RNC in their set is pretty amazing and deserves respect. Sorry if they don’t compare to such musical lumninaries as Brit-Brit Spears or Justin Bieber.
lelandjr
@sluman1:
Geez . . . I didn’t mean to upset you elderly queens who knew them back in the day.
OrchidIslander
Actually, they didn’t play at the RNC. They did a benefit concert for musicians at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nothing to to with the RNC – but they were pretty sure that GOP conventioneers would be attending and the band called them out on their GOP sh*t. Good job and well done.
OrchidIslander
@lelandjr: Isn’t it better to be merely thought of as a tool then to open mouth and remove all doubt?
dwes09
@ErikO: “Geez . . . I didn’t mean to upset you elderly queens who knew them back in the day.”
Since you don’t seem to understand the concept, you have to die to avoid being an “elderly queen”. Is that your plan pissant? You already seem to possess the bitterness that is associated with older folks, so if you manage to live long enough it will serve you well.
I’m sorry that a band you feel passe had the audacity to insult your chosen political party. But I am not sorry to laugh at some one (apparently you) so foolish as to cast their lot with backwards looking political dinosaurs that hate you and assume you will burn in hell for your “lifestyle choice”. Those are, after all the bulk of the people who support Trump (as their actions and statements demonstrate).
Nahald
@mcflyer54: Well said !
ErikO
@cabe: LOL no they’re not an incredible band, they are apparently horrible live and I know people who have seen 100s of bands live who saw 3rd eye blind and said it was by far the worst concert they had ever attended, and this was when they were at the height of their popularity decades ago.
dannyal
i care, and i’m glad Queerty ran this story. apparently more people care than not – judging by the comments here. whether they’re good or not, it is subjective. so Eriko and Leland, you can go back listening to Ariana Grande and Katy Perry if you wish. let other people support each other in a positive way.