Tegan and Sara at the Paramount Theatre

Returning to Seattle for the sixth time off of their Hearthrob tour, it was obvious that this town gladly welcomes this pop duo with open arms each time. Despite their small frame, Tegan and Sara were larger than life silhouettes of fist pumping, guitar strumming, energizing talent amidst a wall of lights. The hot pinks, electric blues, and purples that danced wildly behind them aided in making their show feel like the most amazing 80s party of the future.

The witty banter intermittent between songs showed an openness, an authenticity, and insight into Tegan and Sara. The occasional rabbit trails only made them more endearing as they interacted with the crowd, asked questions, and shared the inspiration behind songs old and new.

The Hearthrob record is jammed packed full of fun, danceable, hits that resonated well with the energetic crowd. Even the slower songs, such as “I was a Fool,” kept the energy up as they slipped seamlessly in and out of flawless harmonies and echoes.

They played other popular tracks such as “Drove Me Wild,” which turned the Paramount crowd into a dance floor. Ending the set, pre-encore, was their monster hit, “Closer.” The stage exploded in synchronized lights and the crowd went wild.

Appeasing the zealous fans that would not let them leave quite yet, Tegan and Sara performed a lengthy encore. Tegan then announced that because it’s the 10th anniversary of the success of their So Jealous record, they’re re-releasing the album with all new mixes and surprises, now available for pre-order on their website. According to the sisters, this was “THE” album that put them on everyone’s radar. It contained the songs that allowed them to purchase their first apartment, and the songs that launched their career to the next level. Sara discussed that when Tegan was sending her songs that later made the So Jealous record, she thought, “Man, these are really special songs” and then, “Wow, Tegan’s life really sucks right now.”

“Where does the Good Go” from So Jealous was the very last song played reminding the fans that whether they are making an emotional indie record, or ridiculously fun dance album, Tegan and Sara will hit it out of the park each time.

The Courtneys, a fuzzy slacker pop trio, opened first. The drummer and lead singer, “Cute Courtney” was later revealed as a cousin of Tegan and Sara.

The second opener, Waters, a 5-piece band, served as the perfect set-up for a great night. They brought catchy in-your-face songs and will be touring with Tegan and Sara for the following two weeks.