Emo Nite in Dubai: How a trio of friends aim to find community in nostalgia

Tight skinny jeans, band T-shirts or hoodies, studded belts and side-swept bangs can instantly transport most millennials back to a very specific time in their lives. Back to when bands such as Blink-182, My Chemical Romance and Paramore were dominating the airwaves, inspiring a generation to sing out its angst.

Now, two decades later, friends Pedro Maggion, Rami Boraie and David Celis are hoping to bring back those memories with Emo Nite in Dubai, a one-night themed event set to take place at High So in Al Barsha on Saturday.

For those who don't know, emo is a rock sub-genre built on emotional, often vulnerable lyrics and strong melodic hooks. It grew out of punk and hardcore before shifting into a more polished, mainstream sound in the 2000s.

It just also happened to be the ideal soundtrack for youth who were navigating complicated feelings and finding comfort in music that spoke directly to them. It’s a connection that still resonates with fans today, including the trio behind Emo Nite in Dubai.

Hayley Williams of Paramore. Getty Images

Although all three come from different backgrounds – Maggion is from Brazil, Boraie grew up in Canada and Celis is from Colombia – they’re united by their shared passion for the music genre.

“Emo and pop-punk are what drive us,” Maggion tells The National. "When I moved to Dubai in 2021, I thought my concert days were over. Then I met David in 2022, another Blink-182 fan, and later met Rami in early 2025. Once I saw what they were doing, I said, 'Guys, we need to start an emo night.'"

Boraie says the idea for the event grew out of his work with the Courtyard Playhouse, where he and a friend bonded over punk and pop punk. Noticing the lack of punk nights in Dubai, they launched their own late last year, and the events steadily drew a loyal crowd. A small community quickly formed, with regulars returning, new friendships developing and even the organisers, including Maggion and Celis, becoming close.

As the events expanded to include punk rock karaoke, Boraie, Maggion and Celis eventually decided to branch off and create something that felt more person