On Wednesday evening, indie rock extraordinaires Real Estate brought Denver into their world of dreamy melodies and jangly guitars for an unforgettable performance at the Gothic Theater. Beckoned in by the glowing marquee, fans of the band waited in the crisp night air, anticipation growing steadily as people finished their cigarettes and found their friends. Once inside, they found themselves transported through decades during a wholly immersive show that took fans new and old through Real Estate’s long and storied career.
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When walking into the Gothic Theater, there is a feeling as if a time machine had transported attendees to a majestic space that echoes with memories of the numerous performances it’s hosted throughout the past several decades. On this particular night, it played host to the hypnotic grooves Real Estate had to offer, a group famous for their psychedelic guitar solos, simplistic choruses and poppy lyrics.
Real Estate, originating in New Jersey, graced the stage to an eager crowd that had been patiently waiting for them to return back to the Rockies for almost 7 years. Their presence was magnetic and it was immediately clear that the crowd was in for a special night that was sure to be worth the wait. The band kicked off their set with their hit single “Crime,” which objectively is one of the best and most hypnotic songs they have within their catalog. The repetition within the guitar has a mysterious element that instantly puts the audience into a trance, allowing fans to travel back in time to the memories of 2014 when the song was originally released. 
The set list was perfectly crafted throughout the different eras of their discography, from their nostalgic indie classics to the new alternative dad rock vibes. Tracks that were played, such as “Easy” and “It’s Real” from their chart-topping record “Days,” created an uproar of sing-alongs throughout the whole venue. This particular album that those songs are featured on is the textbook definition of indie music at its finest, inspiring a generation of creatives within the 2010s indie rock (Pitchfork) era.
Later in the set, the band dabbled into songs like “Water Underground” and “Someone New” from their new album “Daniel,” which was released earlier this year. This showed a change within the band’s pace, which makes sense given that lead vocalist Martin Courtney has a family and is more settled into dad life. However, these songs are still beloved by many and share some comparisons of their previous work that made people fall in love with Real Estate in the first place.
Throughout the show, one of the two founding members still a part of the band, Alex Bleeker, provided stage banter, jokingly talking about drinking an abundance of water between every song to stay energized to play due to the altitude. The strategy worked as the band built harmonious sounds melded with melodic vocals and kept everyone in this ancient venue engaged with new and older fans craving for more to come. The theater erupted with joy once the strings started to be strummed to the song “Darling,” another fan favorite.
The energy was ecstatic throughout the duration of the whole show, and the band closed out their set with the melancholy “Had To Hear,” which was a rather bold way to cap off an incredible set. However, the fans wanted more and couldn’t be denied an encore. After a few minutes of chants for one more song, Real Estate walked back on stage and asked the audience what song they wanted to hear. The crowd shouted many songs, but ultimately, “Talking Backwards” was played, which was neat to see, considering they performed that track on Late Night with/ David Letterman when it was initially released.
Real Estate did the Gothic justice by adding another amazing performance to the history books of a magnificent venue. The dichotomy between their modern-day music and the old theater produced a unique yet alluring experience that felt timeless. Fans cheered with love and gratitude to close out a night of music performed in a relic of the past that encapsulated an amazing experience that turned memories for all.