The Park Theatre brought the alternative community together with Emo Night North On Friday, November 17, 2023. Emo night is a nostalgic dance party where DJs play all the old songs we grew up listening to. They play hundreds of hits, from punk rock to metal, in one night.
Friday night was my first emo night. The line to get it was longer than anticipated, but it went by quickly. When I entered the building and waited to scan my tickets, I immediately heard the DJ play one of my favourite bands, Bring Me the Horizon, playing off the speaker. Lyrics from "Can You Feel My Heart" reminded me of the first time I listened to that song in 2014. I was alone in my room, and I recalled that, at the time, I had no friends who listened to the same music as I did. And all through high school, i never had friends who enjoyed the emo culture.
My friend and I weren't even inside the venue, and I was already having fun singing along to numerous songs. Making our way to the dance floor, I looked around the room and saw a pool of black band shirts—the staple tee of emo culture. What I saw was one community of people dancing together. Whether they knew each other or not, they all shared the same love for the old tunes we listened to growing up.
That night, that girl alone in her room listening to Bring Me the Horizon finally felt connected with people who appreciate the same music she does.
The DJ threw on songs from Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Three Days Grace, and. Avril Lavigne. You best believe that once they threw on "Girlfriend," I, among the rest of the crowd, began jumping up and down and singing the lyrics at the top of our lungs.
Crowd dancing at emo night at the Park Theatre
I admired how passionate the DJ was on stage. He hyped the crowd by singing along to the lyrics, dancing with the group, and adding additional screams to the microphone to complement the music. The crowd was wild, jumping, moshing and row boating.
Yes, I said row boating. A group of people sat on the ground in a straight line and rowed like a boat or chugged like a train engine.
I recommend new rock music lovers who have yet to attend a concert (and are 18+) add an emo night because it is judgment-free. You can dress and dance however you want, as almost everyone at emo night is there to find belonging. You might also find new friends that one day together can see those bands you listened to that night live in concert.
For those who have attended concerts and know the scene well, I still recommend attending emo night for nostalgia. The way the DJ and venue set the sound up makes it sound and feel like you are at a live concert.
So while you're there, close your eyes, feel the music, and imagine your dancing along to your favourite artist live.
If you've been to an emo night, tell me about your experience in the comments.
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