Birmingham, Alabama’s Furnace Fest, the brainchild of Chad Johnson of Takehold Records taking place September 23-25, has announced Sunny Day Real Estate as the weekend’s final headline act. The Seattle-based emo architects, who released their debut album Diary in 1994, will be one of three headliners playing on Saturday, joining Manchester Orchestra and The Ghost Inside on the bill. After their scheduled set at Riot Fest the prior weekend, it will be the second U.S. show the band has played since 2010.
The announcement comes following speculation that the band would reunite for a full tour this year, reviving hopes first sparked by rumors that new music was on the way following their 2009 reunion tour, though the sessions were reportedly scrapped. There’s been no further word on whether the festival reunions will culminate in a larger tour.
Sunny Day Real Estate won’t be the only band reuniting for the festival, as Midtown and Elliott are both slated to do the same. Other major headliners include Thrice, New Found Glory and Alexisonfire, all of whom play on Friday, and Mastodon, Descendents and The Story So Far, who play Sunday.
Furnace Fest, which emerged from its 17 year slumber in 2021, shared the following statement about returning to Sloss Furnace Historic Landmark :
Furnace Fest took a seventeen year nap before a group of us banded together with hopes of a one-time reunion. After countless difficulties (like a global pandemic and rescheduling three times) the ‘one-time resurrection’ went so well that we knew it was only fair to share the experience again. We’re beyond excited to share this lineup and are thrilled to welcome 90 total bands on four stages in one, if not the, most unique venues on the planet. To us, Furnace Fest isn’t a festival. This is a family reunion of the most epic kind.
Revisit the video for Sunny Day Real Estate’s 1994 track “Seven” below. You can find the full Furnace Fest lineup, as well as information on ticket pricing and payment plans, here.
