Nonetheless, Mush delivered a tremendous performance in the opening slot. Their songs beg for a stadium-sized trampoline fest which, in a “post-COVID” concert environment, is a hit and miss occurrence, especially if there is room to distance. Fast strummed, distorted guitars and a clobbering backing rhythm bounce heavy off the venue walls.

Czaja’s yells peak over his singing voice as songs crescendo.

Mush’s sound is reminiscent of the sonic bigness of aughts emo legends Jimmy Eat World and Taking Back Sunday. It’s always great to see a band having fun first it serves as a reminder that music is supposed to be, well… fun. The show began before a single note was played when Mush started their set by bantering among themselves. This bill is an exciting cast of familiar and new faces on the scene. The opener is Mush - you might know frontman/guitarist Erik Czaja from his other projects, such as Dowsing or emo-supergroup Pet Symmetry. The release of their self-titled EP in 2020 garnered online attention which has sustained to this point for nearly 2 years. YAaMC is the bedroom screamo project of Tyler Odom. When Short Fictions was thinking about who to work with on this upcoming run, Chicago transplant Your Arms Are My Cocoon was their top choice. Short Fictions is a band on the rise, recently signing to Southern California’s Lauren Records (also housing releases from Chicago natives Nectar and Avery Springer of Retirement Party). The show consisted of an emo-centric bill, with each band representing different phases of emo’s recent history.

This show was scheduled as the third date of Short Fictions’ ‘Don’t Start a Band Tour’, but following cancellations in Detroit and Columbus, Chicago would actually be the tour’s opening performance. Luckily, the roads were clear enough for show-goers to make it out to Schubas Tavern in Lakeview on a Saturday night. The last week’s snowfall gave way to blistering freezes that solidified the sidewalks into sheets of ice fit for a zamboni. It was a bitter cold Chicago night - in fact, the whole United States was experiencing a punishing freeze.

Download your arms are my cocoon