Sunny Day Real Estate – along with other emo-type bands like Mineral, the Gloria Record and Bright Eyes – helped me immensely during my years of abject loneliness (2000-2001). Helping restore my faith in male humanity, this music was there for me when the several assholes I had previously been romantically involved with were not.
So it was a momentous occasion – both for me personally, and for the band – when the original configuration of Sunny Day Real Estate took to the stage at the Paramount Theatre to play live in Seattle for the first time in fifteen years.
Usually when I see shows like this, I wait for hours for the main act, and then suffer through terrible sound where I can barely hear the vocals. By some incredible miracle, the band started playing just an hour after the doors opened, played a wonderfully crisp, tight set (where I could actually understand some of the words being sung!) and were done by 10:30pm.
I got to hear some favorite songs I thought I’d never hear live like “Friday” and “Theo B,” was entertained by Jeremy Enigk’s intense vocalizations and facial expressions and Dan Hoerner’s effusive happiness, in the midst of a sweaty and polite crowd. They even played a brand new song, which sounds pretty darn good.
There are rumors of a new album in the works. Which is great ‘cause I loved every song on their last studio album, and there aren’t too many bands I can say that about.
