If I could bring you to one show to convince you to never skip the opener it would have been Hawthorne Heights at Baltimore Soundstage this past week. With support from Creeper and Letlive, Hawthorne Heights brought a night of nostalgia to Charm City, celebrating 20 years of their album If Only You Were Lonely.
CREEPER
Creeper began the night with a vampiric, horror rock set that was everything that gothic dreams are made of and more. Adorned in killer outfits, bloody makeup, and a stage presence to die for, they quickly became a new favorite of mine. They stood out stylistically from the other two acts of the evening, adding a bit of whimsy to the line up.
LETLIVE.
Letlive shifted the vibe entirely. There truly is no way to fully describe the band or the energy of frontman Jason Aalon Butler. They are something incredibly special that you need to experience for yourself. I don’t think there was a time when the band stood still. Jason dove from the stage to the crowd, sprayed water in the air from his mouth, and climbed up a precarious tower of amps all while delivering powerful vocals.
Additionally, it’s easy to feel like when certain artists speak out politically onstage it comes from a place of obligation, rather than a place of genuine care. This was not the case with Letlive. In the span of a single set, Jason took the time to speak out on immigration, healthcare, diversity, manly vulnerability, and women’s rights. He shared the personal story of his family and noticed the range of faces in the crowd, declaring that women and people of color are welcome and appreciated in the alternative music scene and that we needed to do more to protect ourselves and protect each other.
HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS
By the time Hawthorne Heights took the stage, half of the crowd was already mid-air. Opening with “This is Who We Are,” Hawthorne Heights played the entirety of If Only You Were Lonely, and the room sang every word in unison. For a crowd made up of original and new fans alike, it was beautiful to see the way everyone was brought together by a single album, one that has survived from the MySpace era, all the way to TikTok.
Hawthorne Heights reflected back on the memories of the album, but also looked forward to the future, playing newly released songs and songs still being written. In between song, frontman JT Woodruff focused on the familial aspect of the evening. He discussed the way that music brings people together both spiritually and emotionally, often repeating the refrain that no one in the room is alone and that "friendship, fandom, and family” are the building blocks of the alternative community.
After finishing the album, playing “Light Sleeper” twice, Hawthorne Heights returned to the stage for a miniature set of fan favorites, including “Bring You Back,” “Dandelions,” and “Niki FM.” They played a newer song, “Like a Cardinal,” which was released back in March, before closing out the night with a communal chorus of “Ohio is For Lovers.”
I left the show Thursday night with a prevailing feeling of community. Emo music has always been about expressing difficult feelings in a raw way and Hawthorne Heights was able to do just that while leaving audiences with a sense of hope. The night reminded me that even when it feels lonely, one is never without a friend as long as music is around.