On October 18, 2025, I headed back to Emo Night at the Rickshaw Theatre — the same East Hastings room that’s become a late-night refuge for alt-scene kids and grown-ups who refuse to let their favorite anthems go.
Doors opened at 8:00 PM, and the night got going a little before 9:00 PM once DJ Reece Alan (known from the band Dreamfone) took control of the decks. Reece’s selections leaned darker and more emo than the last run I caught: more mid-tempo confessions and less party-pop singalongs, which made the night feel intimate and earnest—proper emo, in other words.
Smaller crowd, stronger vibes
Attendance felt smaller this year compared to the previous Emo Night, but that size difference worked in the room’s favour: the people who came were locked in. Instead of a full-on dancefloor takeover, you got clusters of friends trading lyrics, small groups swaying, and those singular moments where the whole room sang the chorus at once. The energy was concentrated and sincere rather than loud and chaotic.
Reece Alan on the decks
Reece blended staples (a handful of old My Chemical Romance and Brand New cuts) with some deeper alt picks that rarely get played at these parties. There was definitely more midwestern-emo and post-hardcore flavor in the setlist—songs that reward you if you actually listen rather than just scream the hook. It made for a night more about the music and less about the spectacle.