sub culture research paper with field notes

John Smith

Prof. L. Phillips

ENGL 1301-5xxxx

12 Nov 2018

Field Notes: Emo Subculture

3/12/11 Swayze’s—6:13 PM

Swayze’s is a discrete venue with a barber shop on one side of it and a graphic design place on the other. It has other shops like a chiropractor, pawn shop, a nail shop, a catering shop, and a food shop. It seems like it was put right here in the middle of all this stuff to cater to parents’ desires that their kids are safe. A lot of the concerts begin early—for example, it’s Saturday, March 12, 2011 and the concert began at 5PM. Seems to be marketed directly at high school kids, specifically emo kids. The website mentions emo music.

Outside of Swayze’s (costs $10 to get in) –probably close to 20 emo kids, all around 15-18 years old hanging out—interesting: I see two kids hugging in the parking lot—long hug where it kind of looks like they are dancing—at first, I think it’s two guys because the hair is the same and the clothes are the same but it’s actually a guy and a girl. Both had long hair and skin-tight jeans. Another couple—a guy and a girl. The guy is not in the stereotypical emo dress—has short hair, baggier shirt (still a band tee) and khakis. Girl has dyed black hair, blunt bangs, glasses, and emo clothes: brown medium messenger bag swung over left side of body.

Bigger group of emo kids—about 8-10—one with baggier yellow shirt and tight-fitting jeans; one with black hoodie over a cap, hands in pockets the entire time he talks, bright orange belt. More animated—makes punching gestures. Another guy is making punching gestures and fighting gestures at this same guy; they keep doing it back and forth. Unable to hear conversation.

Group of three kids—all about 15-16 years of age—two appear to be of Latino/Hispanic descent—one wears a tie-dye shirt, gray khaki shorts, and sneakers with electric green thick shoelaces. The other has a band tee on and gray pants. They are talking to a kid with a flannel shirt, glasses, and light brown hair with an emo swoop and Converse sneakers.

They stand about the same distance apart as would be expected from young males. Kids constantly filtering in and out, even though it is now 6:24 and the show began around 5:00 PM. Group of kids parks next to me then walks up and hug and high five people outside. A few groups seem now to intermingle now that this group of kids has come up. This place seems to create an environment specifically geared toward high school kids to let them have a place to hang out and to play for one another.

People (band members?) constantly bringing instruments out—drums, cymbal, etc.

Two emo kids from earlier are walking with their arms around each other’s necks, then

grab each other’s arms. Emo swoop of hair, very tight jeans, and black Converse shoes. Now a guy is hugging that person—I think it might be a girl. Two guys are standing with these two girls.

A few kids are smoking cigarettes or drinking from plastic cups (maybe 1-2 in the whole group). Lots of kids, including the one I thought was a guy, have streaks of color in their hair—one girl walking past has a pink streak in her blonde hair (3-5 inches in length), the other girl has a bright blonde streak in dark brown hair.

Lots of dark color interspersed with bright colored t-shirts and pops of color in dark shoes, like the shoelaces or on the tops of shoes. Swayze’s has put cones specifically in the first three parking spots in front of the venue so that kids can congregate outside. No one here appears to be over the age of 17-18.

Guys are being physical with one another—fake fighting, then hugging to make up.

One girl walks in with a brown messenger bag slung over right shoulder. Dress. Tattoo on back of right calf. Group of three kids—all about 15-16 years of age—two appear to be of Latino/Hispanic descent—one wears a tie-dye shirt, gray khaki shorts, and sneakers with electric green thick shoelaces. The other has a band tee on and gray pants. They are talking to a kid with a flannel shirt, glasses, and light brown hair with an emo swoop and Converse sneakers.

They stand about the same distance apart as would be expected from young males. Kids constantly filtering in and out, even though it is now 6:24 and the show began around 5:00 PM. Group of kids parks next to me then walks up and hug and high five people outside. A few groups seem now to intermingle now that this group of kids has come up. This place seems to create an environment specifically geared toward high school kids to let them have a place to hang out and to play for one another.

***Field notes modified for education purposes from:

Schmitt, Kaci, "Exploring Dress and Behavior of the Emo Subculture." Dissertations, Theses and Capstone

Projects, Paper 465, 2011.