On February 11, the SM City North Skydome was flocked by a crowd reminiscent of My Chemical Romance’s “The Black Parade” – black shirts, black dresses, black eyeliners, black platform boots. Some went the scenic route and wore their skinny jeans, striped shirts, and plaid blouses decked with their voluminous side-swept bangs. Others went as Harley Quinn, Misa Amane, and The Crow while some went using their normal shirt and pants outfits, and yet all of them felt like they belonged.

“Emo” was a term that briefly defined an era of music. For some, it started as early as 2001 when underground bands were all culminating to a definitive sound – pop-punk mixed with hardcore, but just a bit more melodic. For others, it began when bands like Paramore, Dashboard Confessional, Fall Out Boy, and The Used were starting to take the spotlight. Emo was the music for the angsty, melancholic, and sensitive kids back then.

Fast forward to 2024, was it just a phase? Maybe not. The Emo Fest Fan Gathering mostly attracted a whole new crowd of younger, curious folks who went into fashion. A hefty number of all-adult millennials were also there to partake in the occasion.

The event, which started as early as 4PM and ended at 11PM, showcased young musical newbies including Chloe Lorezca, Mayumi, Dear Juliet, AIOS!, Jirah Anne Bares, and Rosima, as well as the emo powerhouses Typecast and Chicosci.

The acts for the evening got their emo playlist right among them were Paramore’s “When It Rains” and “My Heart”, Simple Plan’s “Jetlagged”, Escape the Fate’s “Not Good Enough for Truth in Cliche”, Avril Lavigne’s “I’m With You” and “Complicated”, Boys Like Girls “Thunder”, and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ “Face Down” – songs which were generally stapled to an emo kid’s playlist back in the day.

When Typecast took center stage, they owned it rightfully. As the emo poster boys during its heyday in the Philippines, the band played their best tracks including “The Boston Drama”, “Another Minute Until Ten” and “The Last Time”. “Masaya ba kayo? Di ba dati, malungkot lang tayo?,” frontman Steve Badiola said, igniting some laughs in the crowd.

They also paid tribute to Dashboard Confessional and Chris Carrabba when they performed a cover of “Hands Down”. They also put their spin on Rivermaya’s “Himala”. For their finale, everyone sang along to the Filipino emo anthem “Will You Ever Learn”.

As the final act for the evening, Chicosci held their ground well. Blasting off with “Diamond Shotgun (Lock & Load)”, “Seven Black Roses”, “A Promise”, “Sweet Maria” and “Paris”, the band had the audience singing and jumping along. Miggy Chavez sampled a bit of The Used’s “Blue and Yellow”, saying that it was one of the bands they listened to. The crowd raised their glass to their last song “Chicosci Vampire Social Club”.

Special thanks to SM City North EDSA

by Sandra Mae Laureano