Jam: The Early November

Many people think of a concert’s opening act as something to suffer through before their beloved headliner or something to skip altogether. This is a mistake.

Look, if you were into the emo scene in its heyday 20 years ago, I don’t need to tell you. If you wore skinny jeans and Converse, if you know what I mean when I say “MySpace scene kid,” if you hate that I just used the word “emo,” and if you said, “Wait, what, 20 years ago?!” then you already know.

But, youths, listen up.

The Early November first emerged in the early 2000s — and yes, 2001 was 20 ago. After a break, the band reunited in 2012; released their latest album, Lilac, in 2019; then hit the road this fall in support of fellow early-millennium rock band Anberlin.

The band’s intense, energetic set was a reminder of not just what live music can do after we’d been without it for well over a year but also of what drew so many of us to the scene in the first place, of nights — just like this one — packed in tight, elbow to elbow, sweating, singing along to every word with a band thrashing their guitars and using every inch of the stage, never standing still. They were met with a level of excitement rarely seen for an opener, and frontman Arthur “Ace” Enders’ voice soared through the venue as he kicked off the show with “Call Off the Bells.” The Early November stormed through a set that also included such crowd favorites as “Decoration,” “Something That Produces Results,” and “I Don’t Care.”

Many of those in the crowd were longtime fans, and the few that somehow hadn’t listened to The Early November over the years were won over easily. The band impressed with a fantastic show, giving fans everything they wanted and setting the tone for the rest of the evening — not of nostalgia and a scene gone by but rather going on as though those 20 years haven’t passed at all.

The Early November’s fall tour with Anberlin has wrapped, but hopefully, they’ll be back on the road soon.