Photos and Review | Hawthorne Heights: 20 Years of "If Only You Were Lonely" at The Belasco

Hawthorne Heights @ The Belasco, Los Angeles, CA. | @shotbycrulz

Sunday night (March 22, 2026) at The Belasco in Los Angeles felt like a collision of eras—one part raw, unhinged post-hardcore chaos, one part polished yet raw emo nostalgia. With letlive. opening and Hawthorne Heights headlining, the bill delivered a dynamic contrast that kept the energy unpredictable from start to finish.

From the moment letlive. hit the stage, chaos errupted. Frontman Jason Butler is less a singer and more a force of nature—his presence immediate, explosive, and impossible to ignore. With nothing more than a stark backdrop reading “letlive.” the band proved they don’t need elaborate production to command attention. They opened with “Le Prologue,” quickly launching into “Sick, Sick, 6.8 Billion,” setting a frantic, thrashy tone that never fully let up.

Butler’s performance was pure chaos in motion—constant, sporadic movement that felt both unpredictable and completely intentional. At one point, he introduced a metal trash can into the set, standing atop it to beating into it like a percussive weapon, adding to the sense that anything could happen at any moment. The set wasn’t all relentless intensity, though. When they slowed things down for “Muther,” the mood shifted into something more intimate and reflective, giving the crowd a brief moment to breathe before ramping back up.

That ramp came crashing in with “Good Mourning, America,” a politically charged anthem that still hits with urgency, tackling the history of racial discrimination in the United States with unflinching honesty. The crowd responded with integrity, as this topic hits very close to home here in the streets of LA. Then came the closer, “Day 54,” which pushed the performance into unforgettable territory. Near the end of the song, Butler disappeared from the stage, only to reemerge climbing up into the balcony of The Belasco. In a moment that felt equal parts thrilling and dangerous, he jumped over the railing and hung over the edge, gripping it with one hand while screaming into the microphone with the other. The mic cable stretched all the way down through the crowd to the stage, visually connecting every inch of the room. It was the kind of stunt that turns a set into legend. Simply put, letlive. isn’t just a band you watch—they’re a band you experience at least once in your life.

After that level of chaos, Hawthorne Heights had the challenge of resetting the room—and they did it with precision and purpose. Their stage production immediately set a different tone, with multiple screens displaying visuals tailored to each song—ranging from ambient textures to dramatic imagery like flames and crashing ocean waves. It added a cinematic layer that elevated the entire set.

This tour marked the 20-year anniversary of their album “If Only You Were Lonely“, and the band honored it by playing the record in full. They kicked things off with “This Is Who We Are,” and the reaction was instant. For many in the crowd, this wasn’t just another album—it was a defining soundtrack of their emo youth. Singer and guitarist JT Woodruff led the charge with steady, melodic vocals, while Mark McMillion delivered his unmistakable screams with the same intensity that made them iconic in the first place. His voice remains one of the most recognizable in the genre, cutting through the mix and sending waves of nostalgia through the room.

As the album unfolded track by track, it became clear just how well it has aged. The crowd knew every word—no hesitation, no drop in energy—just a full room of voices shouting lyrics back at the stage. There’s something powerful about seeing songs like these performed two decades later, not as relics, but as living, breathing anthems that still connect just as deeply.

After closing out the full album, Hawthorne Heights returned for an encore that bridged past and present. They introduced their newer material with “Like a Cardinal,” showing that they’re still evolving while staying true to their core sound. Then came the moment everyone was waiting for. The opening notes of “Ohio Is for Lovers” rang out, and the entire venue erupted. It didn’t matter your age—whether you were there the first time around or discovering it years later—every single person in that room knew exactly what to do. Scene kids of all generations screamed their hearts out, turning the Belasco into one massive singalong.

By the end of the night, it was clear this show wasn’t just about looking back—it was about proving longevity. letlive. brought chaos, urgency, and unpredictability, while Hawthorne Heights delivered a night of nostalgia done right. Together, they created a night that felt both explosive and deeply personal—a reminder that this scene, and the music that built it, is still very much alive & was never just a phase.

Who (in order): letlive / Hawthorne Heights
Where: The Belasco, Los Angeles, CA
When: March 22nd, 2026