A Double Dose of Midwest Emo

     Doors opened at 6 p.m., but fans were lined up long before then, hoping to claim a spot along the barricade for Starland Ballroom’s double-headliner show on Saturday, November 7. With Microwave and Free Throw splitting the headlining slot for the night, the show brought together two of the best bands in the Midwest emo scene, each with a distinct sound and following. Fans came knowing one band's music, but left with two in rotation.

     Kerosene Heights and Carly Cosgrove kicked off the evening, each greeted by a crowd of die-hard fans already filling the front row. Both bands brought high energy to the stage, building anticipation for what was still to come.

     Microwave opened their set with “Leather Daddy,” setting the fans off immediately as the room's collective energy took shape. There was room to move, which is not always a given at the venue, and fans wasted no time taking advantage of it. The floor quickly became a sea of dancing strangers and crowdsurfers, with people singing along at full volume and finding common ground in every word.

     The band kept that momentum going with “Lighterless” and “Dull” before introducing “Heel,” a new song that was just as well received by the crowd as the fan favorites.

     Frontman Nathan Hardy, alongside bassist Tyler Hill, guitarist Lucas Daniel Jones, and drummer Timothy Pittard, played a 13-song set that balanced the band's heavier indie influences with its more melodic, occasionally pop-leaning side. The performance moved effortlessly between quieter, more intimate moments and the energy of a 2,000-person dance club, all within an hour. “But Not Often” and “Vomit” brought the set to its close, leaving the floor just as animated as it had been from the start.

     Although Microwave and Free Throw switch headlining slots from night to night, Free Throw had no shortage of fans ready to see them close out the evening. The band made their entrance with a silver Godzilla statue held high above their heads before setting it down onstage, which received cheers from the audience members. 

     “Such Luck” immediately had the room moving, carrying that high energy right from Microwave's set into theirs. Free Throw has a stage presence that makes it hard to take your eyes off them, and the crowd was having just as much fun below. The crowd matched that enthusiasm every second Free Throw was on stage, moshing and singing at top volume until the final songs. Closing out the night with “Two Beers In” and “Hey Ken, Someone Methodically Mushed the Donuts,” Free Throw sent Starland home with two of Midwest emo's most beloved hits and a fitting end to the evening.

Photos and review by Bek Allegretti