You can tell a lot about a band from their pit.
Harrison Gordon’s was packed with a wide net of people, but the most noteworthy were the young. Marked distinguishable by their lack of red 21+ wristbands, the kids were all-in when it came to mosh pit management. Their two-steps, their gentle hits, their ability to get the circle going, all of it was near textbook perfect. By a rule of thumb, I don’t trust teenage boys, but the polite demeanor among the chaos of throwing fists was charming. The respect I saw when someone hit the floor was something that’s been lacking in the alternative scene post-COVID.
And there I stood, beaming with pride because even at just 27 years old I simply can’t bear the weight of keeping the pit alive any longer. The future of the scene exists within the souls of these kids, who fundamentally were determined to keep their broken hearts beating.
The future of the scene lives within Harrison Gordon, too.
Opening for a band like Mom Jeans simply isn’t an easy gig. Nonetheless, the crowd was packed, with Harrison Gordon drawing fans in early to The Paramount on Long Island in Huntington, N.Y. Eager-eyed, filled with energy, they turned their set into evidence they deserve a slot among the Midwest emo ones-to-watch.
Their Spotify bio says it all: “Harrison Gordon really, really need this to go well. Emo punk from Normal, I.L.”
And they delivered a set that proved they meant it. The band didn’t falter for one moment, showing up with full confidence. Harrison Gordon was clearly there to win people’s hearts, not knowing they succeeded long before the doors opened. After all, the people in the Mom Jeans crowd were already eager to see these kids from Illinois, too.
I truly have to give it to them. Unlike a lot of bands-on-the-rise right now, Harrison Gordon did not cultivate a fanbase of posers. Their music spoke to the real kids who feel lost in their hometowns. Harrison Gordon’s music, like many of the classic indie rock bands, attracted those who felt something wasn’t quite right with them as they watched the moments of their youth fleet away with no way to stop it. That’s a testament to the band’s storytelling in their songs, and the spirit they emulate while performing them.
“I’m a pretty morbid guy,” lead singer (who is actually named Harrison Gordon, despite not necessarily being a solo act. It confused me, too, don’t think too much about it) said. He explained their next song would be about growing up in your hometown and staying there while your friends moved away.
“That’s probably going to happen to most of these kids who came out here with their friends. You don’t know how many more memories you got with these folks,” he added, encouraging his fans to savor the moment and celebrate their sense community by linking arms.
What many people outside of the scene don’t understand is that a quintessential element of success in this community is never taking yourself too seriously. Harrison Gordon (Harrison Gordon, Jagger Pryor, Jake Denny, and Michael Orpen) achieved that by pairing some of self-reflective, introspective music with laughter and joy. On-stage, they arranged a series of cartoon and anime clips, juxtaposing some of the soul-crushing messages of the song.
Their energy gave, Yeah, we’re all a little bit sad, but we’re going to grab some pizza after this. That’s the attitude every broken emo teenager historically has needed to push on through their loneliness. It’s seeing bands who lick their wounds and choose to still laugh into adulthood that keeps these young rockers coming back, building community, and curating a loyal sense of comradery while they obliterate each other in the mosh pit.
