Squeezing into the spotlight: Third Eye Blind on 'The Tiny Tour'

Sometimes great music doesn’t need a giant stage.

Third Eye Blind’s "Tiny Tour" might have started as a lighthearted idea, but the band's performance at The Atlantis proved that even their most playful concepts come with serious musicianship. Tuesday night's show, one of just five stops on their unusually intimate tour, turned out to be a warm-up for their upcoming performance on Tiny Desk—right down to the floor being taped off to match the dimensions of NPR's famously miniature stage.

For a band that spent much of their career filling amphitheaters, watching them squeeze into a space that could barely contain their legacy was an equally rare and welcome experience. Frontman Stephan Jenkins carried the same easy charisma and enigmatic energy that have defined his career. Still overcoming the flu, Jenkins joked about getting the "bad stuff" out before the real show— Tiny Desk, of course—yet his performance showed little sign of it.

Jenkins' voice still soared through the setlist with remarkable strength. The night leaned into the acoustic storytelling side of the band’s catalog, a reminder that behind the anthemic hooks and radio-chart dominance, Third Eye Blind has always been a songwriter’s band at heart.

Third Eye Blind released their self-titled debut album in 1997, and while their lineup has shifted over the years, Jenkins and drummer Brad Hargreaves remain the band's foundational members. The current roster—rounded out by guitarist Kryz Reid, bassist Alex LeCavalier, and multi-instrumentalist Colin Creev—has brought a fresh energy to their live performances while staying true to the band's signature sound.

That dynamic was on full display as the show featured a blend of deep cuts and familiar classics, beginning with "Slow Motion" before easing into "Motorcycle Drive By." Even though the band had asked for calm during their "tiny" rehearsal, the energy of the room was undeniable. 1997 release "Jumper," a mainstay of their live shows, had the whole house singing along. Songs like this one have a way of retaining impact over time, resonating with fans old and new. Newer tracks like "The Kids Are Coming (To Take You Down)" and "Box of Bones" sat comfortably alongside older staples.

While the setlist spanned decades, Jenkins' proved that time hasn't dulled his wit (nor his voice). Near the end of the show, faced with a choice between playing "Another Life" or "Why Can't You Be," he joked: "Can we just have a discussion here? Because we're not playing both—I gotta go to bed." It was a moment that recognized the years gone by not as a burden but as a testament to their staying power.

After all, they wouldn't be headed to (the evidently coveted) Tiny Desk if they weren't still at the top of their game.

For a band that has spent decades on the road, Third Eye Blind’s decision to trade stadium stages for venues like The Atlantis felt less like a step back and more like a homecoming. They may have been practicing for Tiny Desk, but for the die-hard crowd at The Atlantis, the show was anything but small.

Setlist

1. Slow Motion

2. Motorcycle Drive By

3. Dust Storm

4. Jumper

5. The Kids Are Coming (To Take You Down)

6. Shipboard Cook

7. Blade

8. Red Star

9. Palm Reader

10. Box of Bones

11. To the Sea

12. Blinded (When I See You)

13. Another Life

14. Why Can't You Be

15. The Background