Despite what you’ve been told, the so-called “emo revival” that everyone has been talking about isn’t really a revival at all; the bands never left, the music never cased and the Township in Logan Square has continued to prove that to be true.

Former owner of Humboldt Park BYOB restaurant, Treat, owner Tamiz Haiderali has teamed up with music promoter Brian Peterson to maintain the Township as a restaurant and bar by day, and a music venue by night. In addition to being a brunch spot on the weekends, the Township has kept a variety of different styles of music alive with the ranging assortment of music that is on the bill each night.

Tiny Moving Parts headlined the bill Wednesday night as Droughts, Gates and Frameworks provided the opening support for the Minnesota-based three piece. With doors set to open at 6 p.m., Droughts got the noise started promptly at 6:30 p.m., wasting no time with a lengthy introduction and diving into their set. New Jersey’s Gates took the stage next and showcased some intricate playing abilities as all five members fed off each others’ energy. 

Gainesville, Fla. rockers Frameworks brought the heaviest presence to Logan Square as they buried listeners with their melodic hardcore. Despite the vocals being tuned down a little too low, front man Luke Pate kept the energy up as he pleaded helplessly into the mic with the cable wrapped around his neck. A precise, aggressive approach to playing kept listeners intrigued as the band featured a variety of tracks, some from their most recent LP, “Loom”, that was just released this past week.

As the last chord fell, music goers filed into the back room to solidify their place for a closer look at the main act, Tiny Moving Parts. “We’re all just super happy to be back on tour and playing again,” guitarist Dylan Mattheisen said. “It’s our first show of this tour, but we’re ready to get on stage,” Mattheisen said. With nothing more than a simple introduction, Mattheisen, drummer Billy Chevalier and bassist Matt Chevalier jumped right into one of their most popular songs “Vacation Bible School”, from their debut LP released in 2013, “This Couch is Long & Full of Friendship”.

It didn’t take long to feed off the energy being transmitted on stage and before long the crowd ventured closer up and filled all the room the space had to offer. With only a 30-minute set, the band ditched any extended small talk and kept to weaving through a fast-paced, high intensity set. High school bands don’t normally stand the test of time, although for these Minnesota natives, high school proved to be just the beginning. Not only did the three start together musically, they’re all family. Mattheisen is the cousin of brothers Billy and Matt Chevalier.

“With being family and such good friends, we know each other so well musically, it makes the writing process a lot of fun,” Billy Chevalier said. Having just announced a new split with friends Old Gray and finishing the process of writing their newest LP that has still yet to be named or given a release date, the band approached this record a little bit differently than past ones.

“With our old stuff we did it all on our free time at home, it was really laid back,” Mattheisen explained. “But with the newest LP, we only had two weeks to get it done and I think that pressure sort of helped us focus and knock it out. We came in with demos already ready and just with a lot more confidence than I think we’ve had before.” And confident they were.

Incorporating a couple new tracks with some old that left onlookers itching for more as the opening notes of their last song trickled in. “Dakota”, the opening song from their first LP closed the set list as the crowd came together with Mattheisen and the Chevalier brothers in unison to scream, “I have never been so scared and sad at the same time!” “All of this is beyond what any of us could have imagined. Whether there’s ten people or 200 people, we’re still up here doing what we love to do,” the band said.