A Friday Night at My Favorite Place With saturdays at your place
3.13.26 - Columbia, MO
This Friday the 13th was full of good luck, twinkly guitars, and a sold-out Rose Music Hall. Midwest emo is alive and well, as witnessed by saturdays at your place, Kerosene Heights, and Retirement Party.
Kerosene Heights kicked off the show, brought all of the energy, and then brought more. Everyone put on their dancing shoes, and no calm moments were had. If you’re a fan of Midwest emo with a bit of hardcore mixed in, this is a band for you. “Inside Baseball,” from their 2025 release Blame It On The Weather, is one of my favorite songs I’ve heard in some time. If you like getting in your feels but being unable to sit still, stop what you’re doing and go listen.
Retirement Party played next, and I sure hope they’re not planning their own retirement party anytime soon. The mix of the sweetest vocals, catchiest riffs, and drums that require dancing completely blew me away. If the music wasn’t enough to turn anyone into an instant fan, the smiles from everyone on stage were. I love music and seeing bands play my favorite songs, but seeing them having the time of their lives on stage is one of my favorite parts of live music. I highly recommend all of their music, but “Meet Me in Montauk” is too fun to not recommend that one first.
They may rather be in Michigan, but I’m glad saturdays at your place gave Missouri a visit. What a band, what a show. This is a contender for my favorite show of the year so far. Midwest emo bands may not always be known to have rowdy crowds or the entire room turn into one big pit, but both of those were true Friday night. While I usually try to stay out of the way with my cameras, I had to jump in for a couple of my favorite songs, “Tarot Cards” and “what am i supposed to do?”.
My only complaint of the night is that it couldn’t keep going. As they said in the song “It’s Always Cloudy in Kalamazoo,” I don’t wanna go home yet. If you ever have the chance to see any of these bands, whether it be once or a hundred times, go. Go now, and thank me later.