A decade ago, the Sad Giants burst onto the Reno scene thanks to their pop-punk mix with heart-wrenching vocal performances and somber guitar lines. Songs like “Car Ballet,” “Sullen Hearts” and “Sunday Best” attached hook-filled melodies and memorable choruses to moments of struggle and pain.
The band was on a tear, with great song after great song, and big show after big show … and then came COVID-19.
“The first five years, we were doing great, and then COVID hit—and nothing was certain anymore,” said frontman Bobby Benedict during a recent Zoom interview with the band. “Quentin (Young) was our original bassist, and he left the band for a little bit to take care of his kids going to high school. We had my friend Nik Taro fill in on bass during some shows during COVID—and he died in a car accident in 2021. At that point, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to do the band anymore.”
With help from check-ins from his bandmates, Benedict weathered the emotional storm and came back to the group—finally ready to take musical action. At last, Sad Giants are set to release their debut album, Space Case, on Friday, Jan. 23, with an album-release show at the Holland Project…