In November of 1998, when I was 17 years old, I lied to my mother and told her I was going to a Christian concert with some friends and that I’d be home by 10. Andy Schrader and I drove to Ybor City in his mom’s cherry red 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon to see Sunny Day Real Estate. There are certain events in a young man’s life that change him forever, and this was certainly one of mine.

Tomorrow the original lineup is playing the concert hall down the street from my house in Washington, DC and by some miracle a friend offered me a ticket this afternoon. Let’s see if the magic is still there.