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.

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It may not have been the most preferred weather for a concert hosted outdoors, but that did not stop eager fans from traveling down to South Philadelphia for this year’s 104.5 Winter Jam festival. Headlined by New Jersey’s own The Gaslight Anthem, the lineup also featured Walk The Moon, The Cold War Kids, and Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness. Debuting this year at the festival was a second, locals only stage that hosted Cheerleader, CRUISR and We Speak In Sounds.

Wendy Rollins of 104.5 (all photos by Matt Kelchner)

2015 marked a new home for the yearly winter festival. For the past several years, the Piazza in Northern Liberties hosted Winter Jam. This year the station decided to move things south to Comcast’s entertainment destination nestled in between the sports stadiums, Xfinity Live. The new venue gave fans not only a large enough outdoor area to comfortably host two stages, but it also added an indoor option with a handful of different bars and walls after walls of TVs.

As the temperatures hovered just above the freezing mark and the wind blew through the outside concourse, the frigid temperatures were felt all around. Each band had at least one member who was bundled up on stage. Singer Brian Fallon even went on to say “this is the coldest I’ve ever been on stage. Three songs in and I can no longer feel my fingers”. In the end, the chilly weather was only an afterthought as each band put on performances that made you forget about the chilly weather.

Kicking things off was Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness, the latest project of prolific songwriter and artist Andrew McMahon. The former leader of seminal bands Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin. McMahon and his band performed hits from this latest self titled album, as well as hits like “Dark Blue” and “Leaving Through The Window” from his previous outfits.

Following Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness on the main stage was Walk The Moon, who by far had the most energetic and lively crowd of the day. Shortly after they took to the stage, a rainy/snowy hybrid started falling from the sky but proved to be no match for the buzzing crowd. As the groups of face painted followers pushed to the front of the stage, others decided to simply crowdsurf their way up. As Walk The Moon’s performance went on, it was a neverending wave of person after person rolling their way on the tops of their cohorts hands/heads/etc.

In between the change over, locals We Speak In Sounds, Cheerleader and CRUISR performed short but sweet sets on the new locals only stage. While this was the first year that Winter Jam showcased bands that call Philadelphia home, it was the first time an entire stage was devoted to homegrown talent. Doing so allowed for performances to happen seemingly one right after another. And while the stages were at opposite ends of the outdoor area, the local acts pulled their own and drew large gathering of fans.

Cold War Kids

LA’s The Cold War Kids were the second to last band to play Saturday afternoon with a set filled with hit after hit. They reached far into their lengthy catalog to give new fans both old and new a few special treats like “ Something Is Not Right With Me”, “Hospital Beds” and “Hang Me Out To Dry”. It was the perfect intro to those more new to the group and a beautiful recap of sorts for the seasoned veterans. And while their music might not appear to be the most conducive to rapid fans crawling on top of one another, those who were out at Xfinity Live Saturday afternoon proved otherwise.

And then there was one. Just as the sun began to set, our neighbors to the east, the Gaslight Anthem took the stage for the final band of the day. There isn’t too much that can be said about the band that hasn’t already been mentioned time after time. Their perfected blend of folky, rootsy blue collar Americana meets fast-paced, edgy punk was in full force Saturday. That certain type of moxie that every member gives off that makes you feel like they could be your next buddy at the bar was too. These were just a few of parts that made for a fantastic way to wrap up a day full of great music.

Gaslight Anthem

Despite a shorter than normal set length, the Gaslight Anthem managed to squeeze in their own career spanning collection of songs. They reached as far back as their debut album, Sink or Swim all the way up to last year’s Get Hurt, and everything in between. Songs like “1,000 Years” and “The ‘59 Sound” echoed as the crowd sung along to every word. The day ended with a one-two punch of “Wooderson” and “The Backseat”. In a year where Radio 104.5 pushed things to an all new level; a venue change and special stage for up and coming locals, it was an only fitting to have a band from one state over close things out. The bar was raised yet again for the Philly rock radio station, one can only imagine right now how they might outdo themselves next year.

by Meaghan Paulosky

Every year, Philadelphia clears out for Labor Day Weekend. From South Philly to the suburbs, homes empty as everyone heads to the Jersey Shore to celebrate the end of summer. Last year, Jay-Z challenged this tradition. This year, he did it again.

Over the course of two days, an estimated 120,000 people showed up at the Ben Franklin Parkway, ditching shore points for stages but keeping a firm grip on their booze. The festival, sponsored by Budweiser, boasted four stages, food trucks, nearly fifty artists, an amusement park ride, lounges, bars, and restaurant tents. Oh, and Flava Flav.

 The stages, aptly named The Rocky Stage, The Liberty Stage, the Freedom Stage…and the Skate Park Stage, played home to a sundry list of A-List acts. From rap to dubstep, rock to hip-hop, there was something for everyone.

Imagine Dragons

Saturday opened with Walk the Moon and soon gave way to Phoenix, Imagine Dragons, A$AP Rocky, Wolfgang Gartner, Emeli Sande, Haim, 2 Chainz, Balance & Compsure, and many, many others. For diverse crowds of innumerable size, a medley of curious sounds filled the Parkway. There aren’t too many places you can hear a soulful, “When all I need’s a hand to stop the tears from falling…” before a less melodic, “Middle finger up to my competition…”

Then, the clock struck 10:30 PM.

And Queen B took the stage.

Beyonce

Beyonce Knowles-Carter, the one-and-only wife of festival curator Jay-Z and unofficial creator of the term “Bootylicious”, treated Philadelphia to ninety minutes of pure diva bliss. Sporting her signature body-hugging leotards, sneaking in clips from her recent world tour, and belting out Whitney’s “I Will Always Love You,” Mrs. Carter alone was worth the cost of a ticket. Surely every one of the tens of thousands of fans felt the lack of a Mr. and Mrs. Carter duet, but, alas, they soldiered on to Sunday.

Sunday was greeted by a slightly tired, but still excited crowd. Miguel, Solange (Mrs. Carter-in-law), Fitz & the Tantrums, the Gaslight Anthem, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Calvin Harris, Macklemore, Queens of the Stone Age, and still others held the fervent crowds until the second headliner took over.

Macklemore

Well, they tried to. With promises of Capri Suns and rides in a Cadillac, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis inspired hysteria at their wrongfully assigned side stage. Somehow 9:30 came around without a mob, and the second annual Made in America festival was poised to close.

Beyonce is no easy act to follow, but Nine Inch Nails lived up to expectations and held their own. Trent Reznor led his new cast of band mates on a sweaty, thrashing rampage. Crowds struggling to remain standing after a two-day music bender in stifling heat while the glistening Trent rose to Beyonce’s challenge.  Mixing new material with classics like “Closer” and “Head Like a Hole,” NIN then came back to give a proper goodbye with the always welcome “Hurt”.  

NIN

Jay-Z is a man of many talents. Rapper, businessman, father, husband, all-around cool guy, and now founder. Last year’s Made in America set the bar pretty high with acts like Kanye West and Pearl Jam, making Jay’s own shoes pretty big to fill. But, he did it. Not a single attendee missed the crowded beaches and sunburned shoobies.

Philadelphia just might have a new Labor Day tradition.