Halloween night in Charlotte was a fitting setting for Hawthorne Heights, a band that has spent more than two decades helping define the emo scene. As part of their 20th anniversary celebration of If Only You Were Lonely, the band brought a night of nostalgia, energy, and plenty of familiar songs.

The energy in the room was high from the start, and it never really let up. Even the opening act,Creeper, had the crowd fired up, taking the Halloween theme seriously by performing in full mummy costumes. Hawthorne Heights took a different approach, hitting the stage without costumes or face paint. Instead, they joked that they were dressed as Creeper, if Creeper dressed as Hawthorne Heights for Halloween.

Over 20 years Hawthorne Heights have become one of the defining bands of the early 2000s emo sound – and while the band and their fans have grown up, their music still resonates. Naturally for an anniversary tour the setlist was predominantly a throwback to If Only You Were Lonely, but there were a few songs from other albums on the list.

 If Only You Were Lonely is the band’s 2006 Gold-certified album that helped seal its place in the emo scene. For longtime fans, the set offered a chance to revisit a period of their musical lives, while the band’s continued touring presence shows that the music has found an audience well beyond its original era.

The Charlotte stop was part of the band’s ongoing tour , which continues across the U.S. before wrapping up in St. Louis, Missouri, at the end of November.

I’m Music Magazine was there for the show and had the chance to photograph the concert from the pit, you can check out the entire photo gallery below.

Review and photos by I’m Music Magazine Photographer/Music Journalist Michael Praats