The Early November came up in New Jersey's emo scene, pairing tender lyrics with rugged guitars, while Hellogoodbye turned laptop pop and guitars into bright, breezy hooks.
Twenty years, still curious
Both hit twenty years with scars and growth;
The Early November weathered a long hiatus in the late 2000s, and
Hellogoodbye shifted from electro-quirk to warm indie pop on
Would It Kill You?.
Expect certain choruses
Expect anchors like
Ever So Sweet and
Decoration from
The Early November, and
Here (In Your Arms) and
Finding Something To Do from
Hellogoodbye. The room usually feels mixed in age, with old Drive-Thru kids in faded hoodies next to newer fans discovering the bands through playlists, all quick to sing harmonies and keep it respectful. You might notice couples trading verses during the quieter songs and a pocket of friends up front who know every bridge and handclap. Quick trivia:
The Early November once issued the sprawling triple-disc
The Mother, the Mechanic, and the Path, and
Hellogoodbye built early shows around a keytar that still sneaks onstage. Another tidbit: singer Ace Enders also releases music as
I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business, and Forrest Kline still self-produces a lot at home. For clarity, any song picks and staging cues here are thoughtful projections, not a promise of exact order or effects.
The Early November x Hellogoodbye: The People Around You
Era pride without gatekeeping
The scene skews friendly and detail-obsessed, with vintage tees, small enamel pins, and a few keytars on shirts if not in hands. You will hear clapped patterns start on their own, especially before
Here (In Your Arms), and big group harmonies on
Ever So Sweet. People trade favorite-era stories, like first spins of
The Mother, the Mechanic, and the Path or that summer they learned the
Would It Kill You? deep cuts.
Shared memories, present tense
Merch often nods to the timeline, from anniversary vinyl to reprint designs that look like old flyer art. The dancing is more bounce than shove, with respectful space and quick apologies when elbows meet. A small ritual tends to form near the end when both bands encourage a final sing line for a photo, and the crowd holds it a beat longer than expected. You will also see a few homemade signs, usually lyric snippets rather than requests, which fits the mood.
How The Early November and Hellogoodbye Build the Night
Arrangements that breathe
On stage,
The Early November push Ace Enders' warm grit up front, but the rhythm guitar often carries the melody while leads color the edges. They favor simple dynamics that hit hard, dropping to near silence before a chorus and letting the crowd handle a line or two. A small but telling detail: they often tune a half step down, which softens the bite and lets Ace lean into longer notes without strain.
Hellogoodbye bring clean guitars, springy bass, and analog-leaning synths that sit like extra voices rather than frosting.
Small choices, big feel
Forrest Kline sings in a calm, conversational way, and the band speeds or relaxes a hair to keep the songs breathing. Expect at least one rearrangement, like
Ever So Sweet starting as a hushed duet before the full band blooms, or
Here (In Your Arms) beginning on guitar and handclaps before the keys glide in. Lighting tends to follow the music, with warm washes for slower cuts and crisp pastels when the tempo lifts.
If You Like These, You'll Like The Early November & Hellogoodbye
Kindred voices, different zip codes
If you love
Dashboard Confessional, the diaristic lyric focus and acoustic-to-crash swells will feel familiar. Fans of
The Starting Line tend to click with brisk, melodic choruses and that early-2000s Northeast energy.
Motion City Soundtrack overlaps through witty, self-aware writing and synth textures that still punch live. Listeners who ride with
Relient K will hear tuneful guitars, honest delivery, and a crowd that likes to sing rather than shove.
Hooks first, ego last
Each of these bands leans catchy over heavy, and they all prize hooks that show their seams in a good way. The overlap also comes from tight, economical sets that leave room for one or two reflective breathers. If those arcs are your thing, this night lands right in your lane.
