Story and Photos by Max Richter
A night of live music at Eugene’s WOW Hall rarely disappoints, and November 12was no exception. Along with Bear Hands and Royal Bangs, We Were Promised Jetpacks rocked the Eugene stage Saturday night, leaving little to be desired by any fan looking for a top-notch live performance. We Were Promised Jetpacks headlined the event, and brought the largest fan base of the three bands performing. The crowd ranged from young children perhaps getting their first taste of live music, to concert veterans, coming out to enjoy the live music scene they’ve grown to love. Regardless of whether guests were right up front, dancing and mouthing lyrics to songs they’ve heard time and time again, or if they were a straggler from one of the opening acts, anyone who stuck around to see the main event seemed to thoroughly enjoy the experience. “They had a very unique sound that I couldn’t help but tap my foot to,” noted first-time listener Kyle Yarak. “You could definitely tell that each of the guys in the band was very talented at his own instrument, which in the long run helps them come together and blend really well.”
From start to finish, it was clear that Jetpacks knew how to work a crowd. Each song seemed to be tactfully placed throughout the set, leading the audience seamlessly from high tempo and even semi-punkish tracks to slower, more reflective melodies. The band’s transitions seemed effortless and rehearsed to perfection, the lighting cues were coordinated perfectly, and with breaks in the process to tune instruments or squeeze in some comedic banter with the crowd, the show ran like a well-oiled machine without losing it’s human nature. The band presented themselves as seasoned veterans of the stage while retaining their humility and approachability.
The only aspect of the performance tighter than the stage display was the music, something that dedicated fans have come to expect from Jetpacks. Hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland, Adam Thompson, Michael Palmer, Sean Smith, and Darren Lackie, started playing together in 2003, and since then have gone on tour with bands such as Passion Pit and Jimmy Eat World, recorded two studio albums, and have even had music featured in the television series One Tree Hill and the 2011 film Hall Pass.
Jetpacks’ debut album, These Four Walls, received fantastic reviews and support and even peaked at  number 27 on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart. In the wake of their initial success, the band is now in the position of having to follow up their debut album. A difficult situation for any new band, Jetpacks has done fairly well, releasing a solid album sophomore album, In The Pit of the Stomach. The album builds upon Jetpacks’ already established alternative/Brit-pop sound, but displays a growing maturity that is evident in the songwriting and especially in the complex musical depth that is tenderly layered in every track. The band really does it all with In The Pit of the Stomach. Songs like “Medicine” may find their way into the playlists of any fan of The Strokes, while the soft build-up that is “Act On Impulse” could carry anyone through a rough day. The album is highly recommended to any indie-rock fan looking for something that may not sound too different from the bands they know and love, and a Jetpacks show is absolutely not worth missing.

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Promise Fulfilled