Seattle Emo is the True Punk

Seattle has always been a musical city; it's iconic for grunge music pioneered by Nirvana, and bands like Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains. However, as you dive deeper into the rich music history Seattle has to offer, you might encounter some second-wave emo. Among Braid or Mineral, you’ll find Sunny Day Real Estate, the band that was formed in the basement of a house right here in the U-District. So, even though the gloom of Seattle is most represented by a crooked yellow smile and red flannel, there is so much more to discover underneath the clouds that fog our skyline. There’s a whole world of teenagers moshing their hearts out in their platform docs, army hats, and band tees. And what brings them together isn’t necessarily the emo or hardcore music they listen to, rather, it's the community that this music forms. 

Talking about the history of emo in Seattle could be an entirely different paper, but what continues to stand out the most is the community built up and supported by teenagers and young adults from Spokane to Vancouver, Washington (and Vancouver, British Columbia for that matter). I talked to a few bands, a record label, and some show-goers in the scene. I also sat with myself and thought about what I liked, disliked, and aspired to be in regards to emo in Seattle. Finding community is something I think everyone can agree on as an uplifting thing, and Seattle has that figured out.

When I attended my first emo show, I was completely unfamiliar with anything other than the band I was going to see (my friend wore UGGs for reference of how unprepared we were). Opening for Vs Self at the Vera Project in 2024 was the now disbanded Kitcalico. Vs Self is a big name in the emo 'genre' but Kitcalico was virtually unknown outside of a spare few. When Sean, the lead singer of Kitcalico, shouted his vocals into the mic, a wave of emoness took over me and every other newbie to the Seattle scene. I made friends at that show that I still talk to and jam with today. Just a simple night out sparked a new desire to create and make music within me and so many others. A big boom happened in the upcoming year as many rising seniors in high school were forming their own bands, playing their own DIY shows, and making connections that transcended city and state lines.

Connecting with others is at the core of what makes the Seattle scene so great. Nathan, a musician from Portland based band Sertraline, shared his thoughts on his favorite part of the scene: "People in the scene are more willing to have a chat with somebody. It's easy to find cool friends." When making your own music in regards to emo, the sound doesn't matter because, as Cole Sinrud, founder of Weywot, says, "anything [you] write is [your] own," and people respect that. So much creativity is within us all and when we are able to come together with friends, create things we love, and then share it with others, it's really rewarding. As Cailyn from I Can't Help Looking Down put it, music "came from my little brain just doodling around. But all of our brains were doodling together and now we have something pretty cool."

Even if we are all doodling together, that isn't to discount the things we all need to work on. Emo bands in Seattle still face struggles amongst fans, the music, and even other bands. For example, there should be, "more brown people in bands and less assaulters," according to Washington-based screamo band Alice Sweet Alice. Besides the need for increased racial diversity in this sense, Nik Wright from I Can't Help Looking Down highlights another issue: "There is a lot of cliqueness in the scene… [and] there’s a lot of bands where you have to have someone... that fits the ‘charismatic emo man’ in the band, [otherwise] it’s harder to book shows." The essence of a 'charismatic emo man' that is commonly cis, white, and straight is a trope thought of too highly, whether intentionally or not. Everyone is awkward and everyone just wants to be heard. If we keep the scene open, inclusive, and empowering, then we can uphold the messages we preach through our actions.

“Screamo is the true punk… It’s what people think punk actually is,” states the creator of Milkcrate Merch and Emo Record Label. If you have any merch from bands like my better half, Juno Togiak, or Circa 40 (Seattle legends), chances are Milkcrate Merch had some input or even screen printed the shirts and burned the cds. But his words stand true. At an emo or hardcore show in Seattle, you’ll see people speaking up about Palestine, reiterating how important LGBTQ+ rights are, organizing protests, and encouraging others to share their story through creative outlets like music. In the words of everyone in I Can't Help Looking Down, we all, “love being young, lit, awkward, and queer.” So to encourage others to do the same, we need to first stop worrying about what others think and focus on creating a safe space for self expression without fear of criticism.

There are few words that could define the sense of community felt in a mosh pit. Trying to explain how an elbow to the gut can feel like a hug from a friend at the Thanksgiving dinner table when your uncle asks what music you're into is laughable. But weird stares and questions are what those in the Seattle emo and hardcore scene are used to. Even though many have reservations about what music is and that "This music is objectively bad... the people who love it, really have to love it. So it makes that mean so much more" (Milkcrate Merch).

As a side note, I asked all the people I interviewed what their dream bands or artists to play with would be. I also linked a song by each artist to check out! Here are those responses: Sprain, Everyone Asked About You, Rainier Maria, Elliott Smith ("would be a dream" - Mayah), Mauve, Screenshot, Nymb, Modest Mouse, Title Fight, Pinback, Juno Togiak, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Poison the Well, Your Arms Are My Cocoon, Dead Butterflies, Oath.