Pop-Punk Childhood

    Recently, I was watching some YouTube video over people guessing the lyrics to early 2000s pop punk hits and I realized the first song I ever heard that led me down the path to a lot of decisions in my life. It might sound crazy but I'm almost positive that's the reason why so much of my life has been influenced in the way it has been. 

When I was younger, I had unrestricted internet access. It was around 2007, maybe 2008. Either way, I was given unrestricted access to the internet and especially unrestricted access to YouTube - the main way I watched Master Chef America with my beloved Cat Cora, a woman I will always be a fan of. I don't know exactly how I came across this video, it was probably just something that popped up in my recommended videos, but I thought I was the coolest kid in my class for listening to it. 

Check Yes Juliet by We the Kings had become my anthem. My mom will argue and say that it was The Middle by Jimmy Eat World but this is my story. The music video was essentially a modern telling of one of the most 'romantic' stories - depending on who you talk to. I had never been a massive fan of the story, but after watching and listening to the story of a popular girl who had fallen for the lead singer of a punk band I had to admit it was a good song. 

That song, followed by the many others that came after it, became almost a blue-print for my life. I listened to primarily pop-punk and emo bands. I discovered a radio station that further my intellect on alternative bands, including metal much to my father's dismay and maybe subtle disapproval. I annoyed the hell out of my classmates but it wasn't my fault I got to homeroom first. 

I continued listening to my music. Which bands I listened to changed but the genre still roughly stayed the same. Even some of the bands changed and while I might not have loved their newer music, I still had an adoration for their earlier stuff - mostly Panic! at the Disco. Some bands I stopped listening to entirely due to accusations that came out, old and new music. 

I never really got a chance to go to any big concerts. The only one I can really remember was a Fall Out Boy concert in 2015. That was super fun after having watched their music video movie of Save Rock and Roll which had the best collaborations I had seen in a while. That album, I believe, actually further influenced my creativity and writing. If I knew where those stories were, they'd be rewritten. I might actually go back and rewrite some other stories for those songs.... 

Anyways, as I grew older, those songs led to some middle school / high school friendships. We would talk about what bands came out with what songs, who was going on tour, and how we wished we went to Warped Tour. Some of them did manage to go to Warped Tour before it became too expensive to go. I mean, after prices going from $33 in 2010 to $45 in 2018, I can understand. We were kids using our parents' money. 

While the friendships I had didn't last, my taste in music did. 

After high school, I ended up going to a college out of state. Not many of those kids really liked the same bands but it was a primarily musical theatre college. It wasn't the end of the world. I danced in my door, grateful for no noise complaints from the dorms below. I sang my heart out in my car. I freaked people out by singing along lyric for lyric to Bullet by Hollywood Undead. I discovered my favorite event of all time. 

Emo Night Tour premiered in early 2017, possibly at the end of January if their instagram is anything to go off of. Not much about the event history is easily known aside from what's shown on their social media. It used to be an almost monthly event in Sacramento, California before outreaching to their surrounding cities in April 2017. Their headquarters of Sacramento appeared to host many different events, some even having live acts. 2018, the tour ventured to Nevada for the first time. By the end of 2019, they became a national sensation. At the time of writing this on December 20th, 2024, I have been to about four events they've hosted and I plan to go to more.

The first time they caught my attention was two days before they preformed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. An ad popped up on my instagram feed and after doing a bit of research on the venue, I knew I had to go. There weren't any big bands or even cover bands preforming but it was the closest thing I'd get to hearing the bands I grew up listening to live. Yes, it was a DJ but he's the best goddamn DJ I've heard in a while! 

I took an uber to the venue, still not that confident in driving around a city I had only been in for maybe half a year. My RA had my location just to be safe. In line, I met two girls who were pregaming like no other. They had maybe three buzzballs that they snuck in. They were prepared to party. When we got into the venue, the even bought me a drink. I didn't drink all of it but I still thought it was like so cool. 

If I could, I'd relive that feeling over and over again. I got so sweaty, dancing in an outfit and getting lost in a crowd of people that I had never met. I didn't know any one there so I didn't feel as if I'd be judged for anything. It was so freeing. 

The event lasted until almost two in the morning. I had met a cute guy there and I thought we hit it off. He offered to drive me back to my dorm instead of having me take an uber. Was that the smartest thing of me? Absolutely not. Was it worth it? Sort of. 

He was super nice and we ended up hanging out for a while. He was one of the poor souls to be horrified at how I knew every lyric of the aforementioned Hollywood Undead song. I have no regrets for that. The dude even introduced me to by far the best chicken spot in all of the south. I swear on my life and my dad's grill, I'd have their chicken over Texas BBQ any day of the week. 

But as many things go, I got ignored and left. I got hurt but I got better. I've sworn off any military men, though, it's easier. 

I ended up moving back to Texas and got in contact with one of my friends who I then hung out with a lot. It was honestly fun to not be stuck in my house, venturing outside only to go to work. They considered themself a 'mall goth' which was fitting for them. I always stuck with 'alternative'. 

Since the first Emo Night Tour, I had routinely watched what they posted on instagram. I saw that they were going to be in my home town and got so excited, I told my friend that instant. We made plans to go see them, braving the brutal downtown Saturday night traffic. 

It was so worth it. 

July 2nd, 2022. My first Emo Night in my home of ATX. My friend and I pull up way too early to the venue and stand in line for maybe half an hour. As soon as we get into the venue, we immediately made a beeline for the front of the stage. We were standing right up next to the amps where a mix of Metal, Nu Metal, Pop-Punk, and Emo were playing. 

Other early comers were already there but in no time, the crowd was massive. The two-story venue was almost at max capacity. During Ohio is for Lovers by Hawthorn Heights, I got squished next to this super cute blue haired boy in a beanie who had the most adorable smile I had ever seen before. If it wasn't for his mom pulling me over, telling me, "My son thinks you're cute!", I would've thought for sure he was taken and that my shot at getting to know him was out the door. But alas! Not all was lost! Thank the Gods for his mom. 

I ended up taking his hands and pulling him outside where we talked for almost the whole time. Of course, there were times I heard a song I had loved for so long and pulled him back inside. I always ran on stage with the biggest smile on my face and jammed out with the other people on the stage. 

Later that night, I got super lucky. 

The song Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard began playing and the two of us chatted about things I don't even remember now. He asks me if he can kiss me. I say yes. The first night I met a guy and I kissed him. 

No. Regrets. At all. 

The cute blue haired boy in a beanie who had the most adorable smile I had ever seen before actually asked me to hang out a day later. So we did. 

Two years later, the cute blue haired boy who sometimes wears a beanie and has the most adorable smile I have ever seen before is my boyfriend. And I've never been happier. 

I honestly don't think any of that would have happened if not for the random song of Check Yes Juliet by We the Kings appearing on my YouTube recommended videos. I cannot imagine the type of person I might've been if I didn't have a Pop-Punk childhood.