Evan Weiss is tired of talking about emo, and how can anyone blame him? After 15 years in the “emo” circuit, it has to be refreshing as an artist to be identified by the press as a bonafide, passionate musician. This past Wednesday, the Chicago transplant and brains behind Into It. Over It. appeared on “Last Call With Carson Daly.” The appearance was his late-night television debut.
“It feels like maybe the work that I’ve put into it day in and day out is starting to pay off,” Weiss said.
But that doesn’t necessarily equate to consistent reception of his work.
“Every single time I put out a record, it always seems like a large group of people who have been following me before don’t seem to understand the new one. It seems to take a year or so,” Weiss said.
That’s because everything Weiss releases greatly varies from the last. His first release, “52 Weeks,” was all that Into It. Over It. was supposed to be.
“52 Weeks” was followed by “12 Towns,” a personal account of 12 important cities to Weiss.
He broke that trend with September 2013’s “Intersections,” which is in a similar vein as 2011’s “Proper.”
Traditionally when on tour, Weiss performs as a solo act with an acoustic guitar, even though he writes and records in the studio with full instrumentation.
“Lately I’ve prefered doing the full band version, just because I’ve done the solo one for so long…It’s a great change of pace,” Weiss said.
Into It. Over It. made Minneapolis the first stop on their winter tour to promote “Intersections” with the full band. This show marked the first time the band has been on stage together since October of last year.
“This tour is actually the litmus test for [‘Instersections’],” Weiss said.
The show packed 7th St. Entry wall to wall. The only thing keeping sweat from pouring was the mild -15 degree wind that would sweep through the venue every time someone went outside to light up a cigarette.
With a sold out show and an abundance of crowd energy, Into It. Over It. reciprocated, giving a mind-blowing performance.
You wouldn’t be able to tell the band hadn’t spent time on stage together in three months by their tightness instrumentally. Vocally, the performance met a shaky start, with Weiss putting variations on a few melodies that may have been a few octaves out of his range. However, about three songs into the set, his voice warmed up and it was like listening to the record. Seriously.
Between songs, Weiss would joke with the crowd about everything from the band’s meager beginnings, to the pain in his side from being winded after an hour and 15 minute set.
What sets Weiss apart doesn’t end with the intricacy of his riffs — his humble personality and stage presence ensured that those lucky enough to get in left with a memorable performance.
