Members of the LOU community who long to relive their “emo phase” can do so this Wednesday night at Proud Larry’s as part of the Emo Night Oxford: Angst and Eyeliner event.

Emo is a rock music genre characterized by an emphasis on emotional expression, sometimes through confessional lyrics. At the height of its popularity, bands like Paramore, Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance were just a few champions of the Emo scene. Barney Thompson, the organizer of the event, said the chance to gather with a few friends and go back to a simpler time was too easy to pass up.

“It just seemed like an absurdly fun thing to do,” Thompson said. “The whole format borrows from the whole Emo Nite event in LA that sort of kicked off the whole trend about three or four years ago. It’s sweeping across the country right now, with the East Coast doing a lot of them, and it seemed like an event Oxford could support.”

A former reporter for the Local Voice, Thompson said he was able to use the connections he’s made over the years to create an event that both fans of Emo music and newcomers will enjoy. The event will begin at 9 p.m. and end at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, with a cover band playing Emo’s greatest hits, followed by a DJ spinning songs as requested on the event’s Facebook page.

There will also be a special surprise for those who want to complete their Emo look with signature raccoon-eye makeup, Thompson said.

“The makeup table is basically, if you don’t have the stuff to do Emo makeup with raccoon eyes and whatnot, you can go there,” Thompson said. “OxFilm will have one of their makeup artists, Whitney Friday, manning the table, so you can go there and make a donation of whatever amount and they’ll do your makeup for the night.”

Event-goers can also chronicle their night on Snapchat with a custom filter.

Because of the way the Emo genre has changed since it began circa 2007, Thompson said, one of the most exciting parts about planning the event is the variety of people who have shown interest. Several bands that were part of the initial Emo movement have crossed over into the mainstream, he said, so there’s sure to be music for everyone to enjoy.

More than 300 people have expressed interest in the event on Facebook, but Thompson said he’s expecting between 50 and 100 people to attend. Having Emo Night at Proud Larry’s, he said, was a no-brainer.

“From the get-go, Larry’s has been super supportive,” Thompson said. “Proud Larry’s was the first, and really only, venue I was interested in. I think all of my favorite shows, aside from a couple, have been at Proud Larry’s.”

Tickets to the Emo Night Oxford: Angst and Eyeliner event are $5, and can be purchased at the door or by clicking here.