An era of nostalgia has recently revitalized the counter-cultured pop punk scene, and for those die-hard, thrashing adults with middle school hearts, Emo Nite has become the friction in the ripped jeans of every pulsating heart of an emo kid turned adult.
Barbara Szabo, commonly referenced as Babs, is a 2012 San Francisco State Journalism alumni, possessing one-third part ownership of the recent phenomenon she and her colleagues branded, 'Emo Nite'.
The night transforms into a five hour subliminal spiral into a foggy rabbit hole of excitement, packed to the brim with an eager mass of eclectic, music-loving, PBR chugging, lyric belting, crowd-surfing, Fall Out Boy obsessing, raging souls, crying out for their monthly dose of nostalgia.
“It’s really hard to describe until someone comes and experiences it themselves-- that’s when you can understand it,” said the 29-year-old business owner on what Emo Nite is.
Szabo is also part owner of Ride or Cry Collective, a digital marketing strategist company, alongside fellow Emo Nite originators Morgan Freed and T.J. Petracca.
With a foot in the industry through Emo Nite's rapid and flourishing success, the team assists in social media marketing, digital strategy, art direction, brand partnership, and event planning for bands, brands, and artists such as The Lumineers, The Naked and Famous, Esquire, Namasdrake, and Shepard Fairey's Obey.
While studying Journalism at SF State, Szabo worked for the school's publication, The Golden Gate Xpress, creating a video series featuring interviews from bands performing on campus.
“It was the most awkward thing ever but it ended up getting more views and more hits than anything that semester,” said Szabo.
Szabo interned for Sony Music as a College Marketing Representative and landed a job at Creative Artists Agency directly following graduation. Reflecting back, she credits the creation of Emo Nite and Ride or Cry Collective to a series of fortunate events.
“I think everything that has happened to me is due to a long string of events both personal and professional-- but I’m really happy,” said Szabo.
Allison Elfving, a current San Francisco State student, expounded on former student Szabo's, success, claiming that when she sees or hears of prospering students who once advanced from a paralleled universe of academia, it gives her hope.
“It absolutely gave me a lot of motivation and inspiration to really pursue the dreams that I currently feel are out of reach,” said Elfving. “I definitely look up to and admire them,” she said in reference to the Emo Nite trio.
According to Elfving, the thriving community and continuation of a nostalgic counter-culture can be accredited to Emo Nite and the event's preservation of an undying love for art and all its intricacies and anomalies.
“It's given me something that kind of feels like a family, and I might never have found that otherwise,” Elfving said.
Szabo shared a few lasting words for students nearing the overwhelming constructs of the working world outside of a university setting, and how a mutual love for the pop punk scene rendered success for the three young creative entrepreneurs:
“Follow your gut even if it doesn’t fall in line with exactly what your peers are doing,” said Szabo. “On top of that, I think working really hard is important-- being prepared and always giving your best effort.”
With the eternal camaraderie backing Emo Nite, you can be sure the event's trending trio will get those 'teen hearts beating faster', indefinitely.
“Mark Hoppus said something in an interview along the lines of, ‘this didn’t start with Emo Nite, it’s not going to end when Emo Nite ends,’” said Szabo. “All these people that come [to Emo Nite] do this in their bedrooms every day.”
For more information regarding upcoming shows, visit the Emo Nite Facebook page.
