Mom Jeans brought tears to fans’ eyes with their performance at The Masquerade in Atlanta last Saturday. The midwest emo-infused pop-punk band drew out the passion of concertgoers with their melancholic yet energetic music, and with the support of their talented opening bands creating an unforgettable experience for fans. Mom Jeans performed alongside the bands Pool Kids and Save Face, up-and-coming emo bands from across the United States.

The venue felt like an ambiently lit hole in the ground. Concertgoers packed into the main floor, compressing each other towards the stage as the show began. Second-level balconies allowed standoffish listeners to watch from above through the hazy atmosphere. As the bands played through their sets, colored lights synced with the music, catching smoke from audience members enjoying the music. Beer cans littered the floor, teaming up with debris and dirt to coat concertgoers’ shoes in the dust.

Before the live music began, audience members endured an amateur stand-up routine from Paul McGarry of opening band Save Face. While the audience expressed hopes that McGarry does not quit his job with Save Face, McGarry’s jokes garnered laughs while fans waited for the bands to begin

Pool Kids kicked the concert off with their most popular song, “$5 Subtweet” which sparked rabid cheers from their sparsely distributed fans in the audience. They mixed in heartfelt thank yous to all of the concertgoers who made the tour possible in between their songs and encouraged the wearing of masks due to a covid scare threatening the cancellation of the tour, which resulted in the removal of Origami Angel, another opener. The audience welcomed and gleefully accepted their performance, and saw them off with rapid applause as Save Face came to take their place on stage.

Adorned in orange prisoner uniforms, Save Face performed with great passion in a style reminiscent of the late My Chemical Romance. The lead, Tyler Povanda, sang with a voice that brought the image of Gerard Way to the listener’s mind. Not only did the vocals remind of MCR, but the energy and dance moves that the band showed off portrayed clear influence from the world-famous emo band. This did not prevent them from showing a unique identity of their own, however, as their music felt far heavier and fast-paced, and Povanda’s unique sense of humor showed through their set.

As Save Face completed their set and filed off the stage, fans began cheering rancorously for Mom Jeans. After a brief period, the headlining band finally made their appearance on stage and started their set with the first single from their upcoming album, “Sweet Tooth.” “What’s Up?” carried the pop-punk energy necessary to get the fans hyped for the rest of their performance, and contrasted starkly with the follow-up, “*Sobs Quietly*”. They continued playing their recently released singles, “Circus Clown” and “Cry Baby (On the Phone),” in between hits from their cult classic album, “Best Buds”. The evocative lyrics from songs like “Girl Scout Cookies” and “Death Cup” carried the same emotional weight live as they do in the studio recordings. Even certain fans stuck like sardines in the mosh pits could not hold back the tears brought forth from the sorrowful songs.

“[The concert] was more chill than most concerts I’ve been to despite the moshing. I felt like everyone had the same energy and that’s the goal when going to a group gathering like this,” junior Rei Denton said.

As the audience recovered from the intense live trombone solo in “Scott Pilgrim vs. My GPA,” Mom Jeans left the stage. With urging from the audience, however, they returned onstage for an encore that included the live debut of “Something Sweet” from “Sweet Tooth” and “Vape Nation,” a classic from “Best Buds”. These final songs concluded the concert on an extremely positive note, with audience members filing out with songs new and old now stuck in their heads.

The concert made for a remarkable event thanks to the combined effort of the three bands performing. Fans could see the love and passion for the music each band member carried through the blinding stage lights and thick clouds of smoke. Mom Jeans did not fail to put on a great act, and their performance left fans excited for the band’s long-awaited third album.

The Chant’s Grade: A