Say Anything brought 20 years of... is a Real Boy, an anniversary tour of the album, to Orlando’s Beacham on November 2nd. Say Anything is a revolutionary band that has influenced and transformed the emo genre. The album... is a Real Boy for me, is a metamorphic love letter to my youth. Lead singer Max Bemis displays a powerful expression of his human experience. His raw delivery, thorough wordplay, and introspective storytelling have always provoked emotion in me. I always find myself turning to Say Anything's music during times of both heartbreak and love, making it a timeless recurrence in my life. Currently, the band is on the path to finishing the... is a Real Boy anniversary tour, which ends on November 23rd. The Orlando show had supporting acts Runt, Circus Trees, and Social Animals, which you can see on select dates.
Runt kicked off the show earlier than usual—6:15 on a Saturday night. The three-piece band features vocals, guitar, drums, and an impressive double bass. Listening to Runt felt like sitting at a campfire near an abandoned building. It leaves you intrigued and a little spooked. The band constantly builds energy with clear punk influences and folky storytelling. Their DIY ethos shined through as they left the stage and headed straight to the merch table to embrace their fans. Their new album, Everyone I Know Is In Hell With Me, which dropped on Halloween, is Runt's first full-length album. You can check it out on streaming platforms now.
The lights again dim as Circus Trees take the stage. Circus Trees is a duo of sisters, Fin and Edmee, with support from their brother Eoghan on this run with Say Anything. During their performance, a hypnotic light show aligned with the highs and lows of the music. I felt an overwhelming presence of emotion, starting with the first song, "Wasted Air," which reminded me of the doubts that hold you back from love. Their performance transitioned from light screaming to ethereal serenading. Lead singer Fin's powerful vocals have a hypnotic quality that keeps you hooked, shifting through the transitions of the songs. This is their first tour and their first time visiting Florida.
Next up is the Indie group Social Animals. Their stage presence and the high-energy alternative sound captivated the audience. No strangers to touring, Social Animals have shared the stage with alternative acts Dashboard Confessional and All American Rejects. Lead singer Dedric Clark captivated the audience with dreamy tones, rounded out by the polished sound coming from the rest of the band.
Finally, the fans gather up front as the beloved Say Anything takes the stage, positioning themselves and their instruments. The campy intro to "Belt" comes on, with the pre-recorded spoken word introduction to the record, prompting the crowd to proudly scream in unison, “And the record begins with a song of rebellion." During the performance, lead singer Max Bemis graciously thanked the audience, saying, “I can't really go there verbally to express how much love I have for you guys.” The band played the album in order until the 8th song, where they did an acoustic version of "A Walk Through Hell," a fan favorite. The audience around me sang along to every word. They continued through the set list, playing hits like “Futile,” in which Max had the audience scream the first word of the song, SHIT. During "Every Man Has a Molly," I was being pushed by the crowd, who were excitedly jumping up and down and singing the iconic line, "I will never have rough sex with Molly Connelly again." The last song of their set started with a cell phone ringing, and the fans knew right away it was "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too," probably their funniest song.
Of course, like every good headliner, the band tried to trick us into thinking that that was all for the night before coming out for an encore. As the band returned to the stage for "I Want to Know Your Plans," Max announced they had brought a special guest. Before he could say her name, I knew it was his immensely talented wife, Sherri Dupree-Bemis, from her band Eisley. She took the stage with an approachable demeanor and sang every syllable with a dream-like quality. I clung to every word, letting it linger and remain with me, leaving me in a tranquil state as she left the stage. Max composes himself and asks the audience what song they want to hear. Someone in the audience shouts, “Play Most Beautiful Plague,” to which Max responds, “Now that's out of left field, but no.” The audience erupts in laughter. He finishes off the night executing my favorite song flawlessly, "Admit It," a song that transcends into lyric genius, telling a profound story about pretentiousness and a take on being shallowly arrogant with a catchy, optimistic chorus, "I'm proud of my life and the things that I have done."
