Citizen are a tricky band to pin down. Born from the ashes of a metalcore project, the band dabbled across genres, working with fellow emos Turnover on a split EP before releasing their 2013 debut ‘Youth’. On the surface, ‘Youth’ is an angsty analysis of a difficult breakup; picking through the pieces of what was, vocalist Matt Kerekes screaming over Title Fight’s ‘Floral Green’-esque guitars. It captured the hearts of teenage millennials, themselves experiencing the abrasion of growing up just as Citizen were. And with some nicely timed releases from peers like Basement and Title Fight, it helped to form the fourth wave of emo as we recognise today. Since ‘Youth’, the band have continued to develop their sound, adding Title Fight’s Ben Russin on drums and releasing a slurry of records and touring worldwide with artists such as Movements, Taking Back Sunday and Narrow Head. 2026’s ‘Halcyon Blues’ finds the band at their most confident, flitting between genres for a sound that is equal parts anthemic and aggressive.
At the Manchester leg of the tour, the band grace Academy 2 for another sold-out show halfway through the UK tour. Outside, two lines snake around the building: one is of ranging ages, from students in baggy shirts to dads with strategically placed skull beanies. The other line is mostly tween girls, in matching T-shirts and tote bags, flanked by slightly weary-looking parents. Inside, a VIP station is set up, adorned with balloons and a selfie station next to the Citizen merch stand. As it turns out, singing twin duo Max and Harvey are playing the venue below, and the two sets of fans glance at each other in confusion as they make their way to their respective shows.
thistle. open the night with a blistering thirty-minute set, just as fans begin to pour in from the queue outside. They attract a large audience, the grunge-tinged trio have garnered a wide audience in Manchester after landing slots at Outbreak, as well as reports of raucous house shows since recently relocating to Manchester. Their sound is sprawling, reminiscent of Nirvana’s debut ‘Bleach’ with squeaky guitar riffs, and a teeth-grinding intensity that gets the approval of the post-hardcore fans present tonight. They’ve come at the right time – with the rise of grunge-leaning indie bands such as Wunderhorse and Bleech 9:3, thistle. could very easily be thrown in that circle, but instead lean into more post-hardcore influences, raining down walls of sound more akin to modern alternative shoegaze artists like Julie and They Are Gutting A Body Of Water.
Los Angeles’ Modern Color follow after, demonstrating another side of the coin of the emo genre with their energetic brand of emo-pop. They’re a band that has built a steady reputation for raucous live shows, joining on tours with hardcore titans like Scowl and Thrice. They’re another band on the bill that cite Title Fight as a reference, departing their metalcore origin after the first EP release in 2014 in favour of a more experimental sound. But for Modern Color live, the energy and intensity of metalcore still pulses through. Whilst the set flits between the infectious hooks of ‘Head Change’ and the intricate intro of ‘On and Off’, the energy stays at a constant maximum; bassist Chris Martinez bouncing across the stage, wielding his guitar like a spear. Their infectious earworm brand of emo is a perfect fit for the lineup, and one fan stands at the front of the barrier, dangling a sign for a setlist whilst tears mist her eyes, mouthing every word right back. Behind her, fans bounce against the barrier, unable to resist.
Finally, it is time for Citizen, and the crowd is ready. They’ve been waiting a while – their last appearance in Manchester was at Outbreak Autumn in 2024, supporting The Story So Far. And it seems they’ve been waiting too, as at the strike of 9:30 pm the band explodes onto the stage, barely giving time for the lights to lift before opening the show with their latest single ‘Good Fortune’. Immediately, limbs begin to fly, and bodies reign over the barricade, as slightly flustered security scramble to catch people. Kerekes surveys the scene, the chaos unfolding in front of him as he clutches the microphone stand, drinking in every second. He extends the microphone into the front row, wanting to hear his people.
It’s a raucous set from beginning to end, as the band flies through their meandering discography. Naturally, the tracks from ‘Youth’ receive a big pop, an album that has only benefitted from the time since its release. It’s a record that has had time to sit in people’s hearts, to soundtrack memories from fans' lives, carried from adolescence to adulthood. ‘The Summer’ shines amongst the deep cuts of the album, the whirring guitars and gentle breakdown drawing on their influences of Hum, whilst Kerekes’ vocals drift between tender and uncompromising. New tracks from ‘Halcyon Blues’ also receive equal excitement, fans singing back lyrics despite its recent release late this summer.
Amongst the chaos there is also the calm, and this is where the technical prowess of Citizen shines. Title track ‘Halcyon Blues’ showcases the tender, sensitive side of Citizen, twinkly guitars soundtracking the gang vocals as the crowd sings back “got your own friends”. ‘Always the Last One to Leave’, a euphoric piano backed with indie guitars, similarly is barely audible over the crowd singing it to the band.
It’s a heart-warming night; fans of young and old throw arms around each other, each song holding a special place in so many people’s hearts. ‘Youth’ managed to capture a generation’s heart, and ‘Halcyon Blues’ seems to be ready to capture another. It’s a night that captures the full spectrum of community in emo, from emerging talent like thistle. to the veterans in Modern Color and Citizen. It’s been a long ride for Citizen, from various lineup changes to the ever-expanding growth of emo as a genre in the modern day, but if this night is anything to go by, they’re not stopping anytime soon.
Kaitlyn Brockley
Images: Kaitlyn Brockley