By Alena Bitonti
Arts & Entertainment Editor
College Union Board hit campus with a wave of nostalgia as Neon Trees headlined its fall concert on Nov. 12. Known for their debut single “Animal” and 2012 hit “Everybody Talks,” the band proved they can still bring the energy that made them an iconic act of early 2010s pop rock.
Before the show, students lined up on the sidewalk outside the Recreation Center to secure a spot at the front barricade.
“I came here at 5:30 because I love being first,” said Sammie Zhu, a senior interactive multimedia major. Zhu and her friends sang Neon Trees songs while waiting in line to hype themselves up for the performance.
Also waiting near the front of the line was Sophia Barats, a freshman psychology major. “I saw that they [CUB] posted that Neon Trees was coming to TCNJ, and I was like ‘Oh my gosh!’” she said, adding, “I bought tickets like as soon as the tickets went on sale.”
The Rec Center doors opened at 7:30 p.m., and students quickly made their way toward the stage. According to CUB, the concert sold 1,300 general admission tickets, including both student and guest tickets. Tickets were available to purchase from Oct. 29 until the day of the show.
Riya Patel, a freshman special elementary education and psychology major, appreciated the affordability of the event. “I think it’s great because as a college student, you’re not able to just afford tickets for concerts and stuff,” she said. “It’s cool that it’s only $5 and the fact that you could bring a guest for $10 makes it so anyone you know can come.”
Student DJ Wilmer Amaya played a 30-minute set to build anticipation until student band Eventide took the stage. Eventide earned the opportunity to open for Neon Trees after winning CUB Alt’s Battle of the Bands event on Oct. 22, which was decided by a live crowd vote. The band performed covers including Green Day’s “Basket Case” and Creed’s “Higher,” along with a newly released original song, “Headspace.”
Neon Trees began their performance with “Losing My Head” from their newest album “Sink Your Teeth,” released on Sept. 20. Throughout the show, the band played a mix of new songs, classic hits, a cover of the Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” and a brief cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.”
Although many of the students may not have known the lyrics to some of the band’s songs, they matched the enthusiasm of Neon Trees’ performance. Tyler Glenn, the group’s lead singer, drew everyone in with his energy, making it easy for first-time listeners to enjoy their music.
Their closing song was the fan-favorite “Everybody Talks.” The crowd could be heard singing every word as the band wrapped up their set.
The band reflected on performing on college campuses in an interview with Ally Uhlendorf, CUB’s travel chair and The Signal’s managing editor, with questions provided by Lions Television.
“I mean, it ages us because we feel like, ‘Whoa, we’ve been around for a minute,’” Glenn said. “It’s fun to recognize that people your age probably were listening to us when you were little, and now you’re in college seeing us play.”
The concert would not have been possible without the work of CUB’s student crew. The student organization is responsible for the organizing of the event, from booking the artist to handling event logistics.
“We do a lot of running back and forth between the student center, the Rec Center and just getting things generally set up for the concert,” said CUB Executive Director Stefan Stojanoski, a senior English secondary and special education major, in an interview with The Signal. “It’s pretty rewarding and really bittersweet, especially it being my last concert.”
Although nothing is officially announced, Neon Trees shared that they plan to continue performing their new record in summer 2025 and headlining music festivals in the future.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to add that the questions in the interveiw with Neon Trees were provided by Lions Television.
