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Taking Back Tuesday is a monthly celebration of all things emo, featuring special guest DJs—which in the past have included Blink 182's Mark Hoppus and members of All Time Low and Senses Fail—spinning "the greatest songs of your teenage years." The event is based in L.A., but they've now taken the party on the road. So before hitting Holocene, we asked its three founders about the five most emo things they've ever done in their lives.
Barbara Szabo
1. In community college, I took a speech class and gave my first presentation on what emo music and culture means. I brought in a life-sized cardboard cutout of an emo guy that I may or may not have stolen from Hot Topic. I played Bright Eyes' "Bowl of Oranges" on repeat in the background.
2. I made an identical backpack to the one my crush had in high school. I found the same patches and pins on eBay and made a literal replica to try and get his attention. He just got super-weirded out. Thinking back, it was the creepiest thing I've ever done.
3. I ditched high school to travel up the West Coast and see three Taking Back Sunday shows in a row. I showed up to each one eight hours early to be the first one in line and get a chance to meet [singer] Adam [Lazzarra].
4. When I lived in San Francisco, it was foggy and rained a bunch. I would sometimes go to the Panhandle park and sit in the rain listening to Brand New on my headphones and writing dark poetry.
5. I took a guitar class once and played Bright Eyes' "First Day of My Life" in front of the entire class as my final project. About a third of the way through, my fingers froze and I stopped playing. I then proceeded to start sobbing. All of the feels.
TJ Petracca
1. Made out with someone I didn't know at a Taking Back Sunday concert because the emotions were just too overwhelming.
2. Performed Dashboard Confessional songs in multiple talent shows in high school.
3. My MySpace name was Hispanic! at the Disco.
4. Cried front row at a Brand New concert.
5. Cried front row at a Bright Eyes concert.
Morgan Freed
1. Was in a band called Table for One.
2. Dated a girl named Morgan just so I could say I dated a girl with my name.
3. Made sure to look Matt Pryor in the eyes for the whole Get Up Kids show because I was afraid he'd get mad at me if I didn't know every word. Which I did.
4. Cut my wrists and blacked my eyes.
5. Started an Emo Night.
SEE IT: Taking Back Tuesday is at Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., on Tuesday, Oct. 27. 9 pm. $5. 21+. DJs to be announced.
Willamette Week