Written and Photographed by Liv Foltiny

Getting to The Fillmore slightly after 8 pm, I was well aware of the reality that I missed at least one of the bands scheduled to perform this past Friday night, and, honestly, with how I was feeling, I was only concerned about making it for the band I was assigned to cover—The Gaslight Anthem. Knowing nothing about the band other than what I learned from a very brief online search (e.g., that it formed in NJ and seemed to fall within the genres of music I listen to), I didn’t know what to expect and, to an extent, was going in blind.

As I made my way toward the stage, I was greeted by a huge crowd; the place was packed from the barricade in the front to the bar in the back. Joyce Manor, the second band of the night (following Pinkshift), was up on the stage, playing the final few songs of their set. From their short, energetic movements across the stage to their brief, appreciative conversation with the crowd about their love for Philadelphia, the band members drew everyone’s attention and had those familiar with their music singing synchronously. Even though the band wasn’t headlining that night, it was evident that Joyce Manor was capable of giving an engaging, successful performance.

Following Joyce Manor’s exit around 8:30 pm, concertgoers were left to their own devices for a bit since The Gaslight Anthem was not set to take the stage until 9 pm. It was during this intermission that I recognized a familiar face in the crowd — Sara from 93.3 WMMR (@radio_sara). After introducing me to her husband, Jake, Sara and I spoke for a bit, catching up and briefly talking about the show. I learned that she has been seeing The Gaslight Anthem for the past twelve years, and, upon hearing that I had never seen them before, she informed me that they put on a great live show and that, considering they’re from NJ, their performance at The Fillmore was “the closest to a home show we could get.

As 9 p.m. drew closer, I made my way over to the photo pit entrance, and, within minutes, the other photographers and I were given the go-ahead to approach the stage. The crowd excitedly burst into cheers while the members of The Gaslight Anthem took their places and began their set.

For around an hour and a half, The Fillmore was alive as attendees (many of whom appeared to be fans of the band) were immersed in the rhythms and lyrics emanating from the stage. People enthusiastically danced, sang along, and threw their hands up into the air while The Gaslight Anthem played a variety of songs, consisting predominantly of originals (such as “We Came To Dance” and “Positive Charge”) and, at the very end, with help from Joyce Manor and Pinkshift, a cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”.

Throughout their set, the members of The Gaslight Anthem intently focused on their performance. Brian Fallon (lead vocalist), alternating between soft and rugged vocals, belted out lyrics and played his guitar while Alex Rosamilia (lead guitarist), captivated by the venue’s lively atmosphere, regularly bobbed his head as he walked around on stage and, intermittently, leaned over his guitar. Concurrently, Alex Levine (bassist) and Benny Horowitz (drummer), from their fervent playing to their quick and frequent movements, exhibited the most energy out of everyone in the group. Notwithstanding these positive aspects of their set, it felt like something vital was missing.

Now, I didn’t expect Brian to climb and jump off of things like Remington Leith (Palaye Royale), playfully tease the crowd and dance on his toes like Tyler Glenn (Neon Trees), or rapidly spin with the mic stand on his shoulders like Yungblud; however, I guess I assumed, or hoped, that he would have exuded a little more presence on stage, namely when it came to interacting with the audience. Except for two very succinct conversations in which he spoke to the crowd directly, Brian didn’t seem overly invested in establishing an emotional connection with the mass of people standing before him. Then again, it wasn’t something he truly needed to be concerned with since a majority of the attendees there were happily engrossed from the second the band set foot on stage. Their roaring cheer

s and eagerness to participate in the moment undoubtedly evinced the strong, pre-existing connection the band already had with a majority of the crowd before the show even started. For newcomers such as myself, though, it could have been nice to learn more about Brian and the band on a personal level through additional, direct interaction with the audience.

Overall, it’s safe to say that The Gaslight Anthem’s show at The Fillmore undeniably had a positive impact on most — if not all — of the fans in attendance. From everyone dancing and singing on the floor to those doing likewise on the second level of the building, there was no refuting the joyous energy that permeated the venue throughout the entire night. The Gaslight Anthem made sure fans walked out of The Fillmore with memories and a “Positive Charge” to start the impending weekend.

Website | Instagram |Facebook | X | Spotify | YouTube |

Written and Photographed by Angel Park

This past May, Canadian rock four-piece PUP along with support bands Pinkshift and Sherman played to a packed house at Franklin Music Hall. 

This tour marked the celebration of the group’s latest album, “The unraveling of Pup band, and the first show the band had played in Philadelphia in over two years. There was a buzz of excitement reverberating throughout the crowd as they waited impatiently to get into the venue as doors opened. A fan even enthusiastically claimed, “I’ve seen these guys play live since 2014; I’m so f—-ing happy they’re back!”

As the clock hit 8:30 and the house lights dimmed down, the crowd quickly clamored to the front as the members of the opening band, Pinkshift took the stage. This Baltimore, MD-based group kicked off their set with rowdy, punk-rock-inspired energy, with lead vocalist Ashrita Kumar greeting the crowd with a loud, “What’s up Philly?” before going right into the opening chords of their first track. While still very new to the punk music scene, Pinkshift had the crowd moving and even moshing along with their distorted, rebellious tunes. With a new album reportedly in the works for release soon, indie punk fans should keep an eye out for more Pinkshift music in the future. 

Next up were Philly locals, Sheer Mag. Since forming in 2014, the group has released two critically praised studio albums titled “Need to Feel Your Love” and “A Distant Call.” Heavily inspired by throwback 70’srock and punk ethos, the group had every classic rock music headbanging along as they played through tunes such as “Steel Sharpens Steel” and “Hardly to Blame.”

And last but definitely not least, PUP arrived on stage following Sheer Mag’s set. The eruption of ecstatic cheers from the crowd was deafening, and lead vocalist Stefan Babcock took it in stride, smiling as he strapped up his guitar and led the group into their opening track. There wasn’t a single song that fans weren’t mouthing the words to, and several crowd surfers waded their way through the packed audience. Packed with humor and fun pop-punk beats, PUP’s performance was a delight for both fans and new listeners alike.