Neon green is a hard color to miss — yet it was in plain sight at Rose Music Hall before the “Bumpin’ That: An XCX Dance Party” on Friday, Sept. 13. 

Seen under green string lights were a range of outfits, many of which feature the iconic color of neon green that became associated with Charli XCX after the release of her electropop album “brat”. Attendees came to channel their full “brat summer” spirit as they waited in line anticipating the start of the event. The term, coined by fans of the album, became a trending buzzword and theme throughout summer 2024.

The venue, in full “brat” fashion, created a vibe fit for an underground club. When we entered, the room was hazy from smoke machines but bright from laser beam lighting and neon green glow sticks. As the line began filing inside, the DJs turned on a variety of more chill, non-brat mixes, but the energy inside quickly turned electric when  “Club classics” came on around 9:40 p.m.

“Honestly, it’s just me and [DJ AWKRD] sitting down for a lot of hours and listening to a lot of music,” said DJ Hanky Panky in a phone interview when asked how they curated the setlist. “We just kind of sit down [and] go over artists we enjoy that we think would fit.” 

Both DJs hoped to create the right vibe for the night through some Charli-adjacent hits. We heard everything from Troye Sivan’s “Rush” and  Addison Rae’s “Diet Pepsi” to Caroline Polachek’s “Welcome To My Island” and Kim Petras’ “Slut Pop.” All of these artists have previously collaborated with Charli XCX and are well-loved by her community. These tracks were fitting additions, and although they were all crowd favorites, we were left wishing to have heard more “Brat” discography. 

The album itself is only 41 minutes long (excluding deluxe tracks or remixes), making it an understandably difficult task to spread out over a four hour period. The event ran from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., and we left the venue about an hour and a half before it ended. By then, we hadn’t heard Tiktok trending “Apple”, the newly released “Talk talk featuring Troye Sivan”, fan favorite deluxe track “Spring breakers”, or other popular Charli songs such as “Speed Drive” or “Unlock it”.  

There was chatter among the crowd of when a “brat” song would finally come on, and some unsatisfied audience members even left early. Perhaps it would’ve been better to charge things up with more  “brat” at the beginning, move to other tracks later on, then circle back to some album replays to close out the night.

Regardless, the community that attended made the night remarkable through every song that played. 

The crowd united through a shared love for Charli XCX and the larger realm of pop culture that her music encapsulates. As everyone danced to the same electrifying music, there was an unspoken understanding that they all felt welcome and safe. Hanky Panky aims to shape that very feeling as her favorite part of being a DJ is being able to “create the space” and know that people enjoy the music she plays.

‘Bumpin’ That’ became a moment of collective celebration of this day and age we’re all living in. In the heart of a Midwestern town, it was refreshing to see a diverse group of people come together under the banner of self-expression, individuality and fun. 

“Not a lot of places like Columbia hit that audience at all, [so] having a good, inclusive space is super important for that,” said Hanky Panky. 

“Brat” night at Rose Music Hall brought out the mutual love for music — and the freedom it inspired  within Columbia, proving that pop culture has the power to create vibrant, unforgettable communities.

By the end of the night we were exhausted from dancing, with sore feet and half-blurred vision from the neon lights. Yet, we left Rose Music Hall with countless new friends, and the energy of the evening lingered as we reveled in the collective experience. We wanted more “brat,” but the attendees served every ounce of what defines “brat summer.” 

If they were to host another Charli XCX-themed party, there’s no question we’d be in the crowd, ready to relive it all over again. 

Edited by Ava McCluer | amccluer@themaneater.com 

Copyedited by Alana Sheba and Hannah Taylor | htaylor@themaneater.com

Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com