A Night of Emo Nostalgia: Hawthorne Heights Celebrates 20 Years of 'If Only You Were Lonely'

It was another warm Saturday evening in Anaheim, California as a crowd shuffled their way inside the House of Blues. The band that’s solely responsible for keeping the state of Ohio relevant, Hawthorne Heights, was on tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of their sophomore album If Only You Were Lonely. I try not to dwell on the fact that 2006 was actually 20 years ago for too long. Accompanying them on this tour were the bands Creeper and Letlive.

Creeper was the first to open the show, and despite being unfamiliar with their music, they immediately got my attention. Coming onstage with vampiric makeup, blood smeared across their mouths, and black leather attire, they certainly knew how to make a first impression. Their gothic rock anthems soon had the crowd moving. About halfway through their set, keyboardist Hannah Greenwood suddenly left her instrument, took the microphone from vocalist Will Gould, took front and center stage and delivered a powerhouse of a vocal performance. A stand out moment within a captivating set from the vampires from the UK.

Up next were Los Angeles’s own Letlive. Known for their chaotic and high energy stage performances, from the moment they took to the stage, they were as unrelenting as their reputation claimed. Banging a steel trash can to the chants of “stand up!” from their song “Le Prologue” ignited the crowd into a frenzy. Vocalist Jason Butler took complete control of the stage with his erratic dance movements and calls to action for the crowd. Playing songs such as “Renegade 86’” and “Banshee (Ghost Fame)” they were an endless force of intensity. However, they still took a moment to address the crowd, sharing words of camaraderie, before proceeding to playing their song “Muther,” dedicating the song to the women in the crowd. Everything came to a conclusion during the final moments of their set as Jason Butler climbed on the shoulders of a stage crew member and was hoisted up to the second level balcony. He crossed to the opposite side of the room, across from the stage, sang the ending of their song “27 Club,” and thanked the audience as the lights went out, signaling the end of their performance.

Hawthorne Heights *(Alberto Villalobos)*

Finally it was time for the Hawthorne Heights to take to the stage. The lights dimmed and one by one, each member walked onstage, to the cheers of the crowd. Playing the entirety of If Only You Were Lonely, from the first notes of the first song “This Is Who We Are,” the crowd was singing along to every word. In between songs, frontman and vocalist JT Woodruff would talk about what this music scene meant to the band, reminiscing with the crowd. He talked about despite all of life’s challenges, our generation, the MySpace generation, the elder emos, proved our parents wrong and still continue to keep this music scene thriving.

As the album play through came to a close, they finished their set with fan favorite “Niki FM” and a new song, “Like A Cardinal.” However, after a quick break, the band came backstage for an encore, playing their mid-2000’s emo staple “Ohio Is For Lovers.”

JT Woodruff came down to the barricade, joining the crowd in singing those nostalgic lyrics. It was a moment of complete catharsis. Hawthorne Heights had put on an emotional and powerful performance, leaving a lasting impression as to why this music still resonates so heavily with an entire generation. It was never just a phase.