In my preparation for “A Night of Emo,” I painted my fingernails black, did some laundry (so I could have a full black outfit), and listened to some emo classics to channel my middle school emo phase. Tonight was proof that it wasn’t just a phase, mom! It was also a night chock-full of amazing music and performances that are must-see experiences.

The first band to hit the stage was Clementine. I have had the pleasure of seeing them play live a handful of times, but tonight was special. Each individual member was in their element. From the hits that we love to new tracks that we’ve never heard before, every song was executed flawlessly with high energy and a charisma that you can’t deny. One of my favorite things to do is play Fort Collins artists’ music for my friends who are unfamiliar with the scene. I played some Clementine tracks for a buddy and he said that “they sound like Green Day’s new music, but if it was good.” If you haven’t listened to these guys or seen them live, you are missing out.

The Forrest Nelson Scale: 9.9/10 (Clementine)
Sam didn’t stick to the tradition of taking his shirt off, but I respect his modesty. In reality, it was a 10/10 show. Flawless performance.

With little to no downtime, Hospital Socks was up next. Again, I have had the absolute pleasure of watching the Socks play plenty of times. Each show is an amazing time. I have never had anything negative to say about one of their shows or songs. Even when chatting with the band after their shows and they point out things that went wrong, you would never notice as a spectator. With all bias aside, this was the tightest performance I have seen from Hospital Socks since the last time they played at the Aggie. After the show, I was talking to Socks drummer Aaron, who said that his hi-hat broke mid-set. As a fan watching a punk show, you would have never noticed.

The Forrest Nelson Scale: 10/10 (Hospital Socks)
From moshing to conga lines in the pit, the Socks always put on a rad show.

My knowledge of TX2 was very surface-level. I knew that he was from Fort Collins, was part of Sonic Spotlight’s 2020 lineup, had a large following on TikTok, got a lot of streams on Spotify and would pop up on my TikTok For You Page occasionally. On the car ride over to Aggie Theater, I decided to listen to some of TX2’s stuff and see what the fuss was about. Each song was catchy but had that furious emo rage to it. As I sat in the parking lot, I decided to dive into his TikTok. I was starting to learn the lyrics at this point. A large majority of the videos had extremely negative and hateful comments like “unrelease this” or calling him an industry plant. However, the adoration that his fans have for him is so much more powerful than someone scrolling TikTok at night and commenting harsh statements for a few likes from their fellow keyboard warriors.

When TX2 ran on stage, it was an immediate explosion of adrenaline and excitement. Genuinely, I have never had this much fun at a concert. My friends and I were dancing and screaming all of the words that we could. My hair was soaking wet like I just got out of the shower, my shirt was drenched like I just ran a marathon, and we were only 2 songs in. The rest of TX2’s set was nothing short of absolute pure fun.
After the show, fans stuck around for a chance to talk to the band. At most concerts, it’s a gamble to meet the band. You might have to wait around outside for an hour or so before a sound guy comes out, and sometimes the artists like to sit in the green room until a majority of the fans have left. TX2 did the opposite. Right after he got off stage, he was in the pit meeting fans and taking pictures. He met with every single person there. He must have been talking to people for at least an hour and a half. When I talked to TX2, he was so kind and grateful. I told him that the show was killer and that I had the most fun I have ever had at a concert. He hugged me with a giant smile on his face and thanked me for coming out. As I walked out the back door, I yelled “I love TX2!” and he yelled back, “I love you too!”

The Forrest Nelson Scale: 10/10 (TX2)
I say this with absolute honesty and sincerity, this is the most fun I have ever had at a concert. And I have been to a LOT of concerts. TX2 puts on a killer show.

Am I too nice and generous with my ratings? No. Best night of my life.

Article and photo by Forest Nelson