The category is: announcements that sound like high school emo kid fever dreams, and the answer is: Hot Topic is launching an in-store concert series. That’s right, the Hollywood-based flagship store is going full Tiny Desk. Except with racks of Tripp jeans where a tiny desk would be.

Actually, Hot Topic Live will take place in a custom built studio space within the flagship store. But the alternative retailer is incorporating familiar elements from the store itself. Bands will perform in an intimate setting against a backdrop of band t-shirts, recreating the wall of shirts we know and love from actual Hot Topic stores.

In addition to the live performances, the series will include quick Q&As with the bands. They will also get to share the stories behind their t-shirts on the wall. So many of us fondly remember heading to the back of our local Hot Topic to gaze up at the wall of band tees, trying to decide which one to get. Including that aspect in the performance space was a smart move on Hot Topic’s part.

Pierce the Veil Kick Off Hot Topic Music Series Against Familiar Backdrop of Band Tees

An even smarter move might be bringing in Pierce the Veil for the inaugural performance. The band has had a long relationship with Hot Topic, so having them kick off the new endeavor seems like a no-brainer.

“We’re excited to kick things off as the first band to perform for Hot Topic Live,” said Pierce the Veil’s Vic Fuentes, per Billboard. “Our band has grown up with Hot Topic since the very beginning, so it’s really cool to see them create a new space for alternative artists like us to bring our songs to life for the fans.”

Pierce the Veil’s performance had great energy within the small space, filling up the room with their familiar sound. Fuentes called the session “fun and loose,” noting that the entire experience felt intimate and intentional.

Watching the band perform in general, Hot Topic Live seems like a promising and fun experiment. Getting a look at the studio space, however, we can’t help but feel like it’s a little too bright in there to really capture the genuine local mall Hot Topic ambiance.

Either way, fans can keep an eye out on the retailer’s YouTube channel for the next performance. Additional content includes the quickfire Q&A session Hot Minute; My First Band Tee, letting bands reflect on the first band t-shirt they owned; and Behind the Tee Wall, which allows artists to have more in-depth discussions about their music.

Photo by DAVID CROTTY/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

The post Good News for Emo Kids Who Used To Hang Out at the Mall: Hot Topic Launched an In-Store Concert Series appeared first on VICE.

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