Syracuse was for lovers on Monday, November 24th, when Hawthorne Heights filled the Westcott Theater with nostalgia-soaked melodies and familiar melancholy. They opened the night with “This Is Who We Are,” immediately pulling us into the heart of who they’ve been for the last two decades.
Between songs, lead singer JT Woodruff offered more than banter; he offered guidance. He spoke to those of us who are now parents or deep in relationships, reminding us to cherish these moments and to break the cycle. “We have to be better than our parents were,” he said, sharing reflections on growing up as an emo band and sustaining that identity 20 years later. Listening to him encourage us to care for our kids, to keep them off screens, to nourish our relationships, it felt almost like a fireside chat with a dad who genuinely cares.
The night was a reminder of how special the emo community truly is. So many of us came to this music because we carried hurt from childhood, and somehow Hawthorne Heights has always managed to make that hurt feel seen, understood, and shared.
They closed with the fan favorites “Niki FM” and “Ohio Is for Lovers,” and the crowd screamed every word with full hearts. As we spilled back out into the cold November night, our emo hearts felt reignited, a reminder of the community we’ve built and the legacy this music continues to carry.
You’ll find me singing “Pens and Needles” in the office for the next few weeks instead of Christmas songs, haha.
-Amanda Miller
