Mannequin Pussy has been one of my go to comfort bands since around 2017, so it was honestly a very humble honor to just be in attendance. Their music has gotten me through breakups, moments of figuring myself out, getting through the current state of the world, and some of the harder chapters of my life. Having first seen them back around that time in smaller venues like Johnny Brenda’s and Boot & Saddle (RIP) in Philly, there’s something really special about watching that same feeling and energy carry over to a way larger space. While the scale of the venue has changed… their intimacy, honesty, and advocacy behind their words haven’t.
The Brooklyn based quartet Lip Critic opened the night with a setup that caught my attention off the bat; two drum kits, two samplers/vocals. There was no amp walls or elaborate stage production, just four people surrounded by their gear, ready to make as much noise as possible and I really dig that. I’ll be checking them out live again for sure.
Highly recommend if you’re into bands like: Kneecap, Show Me The Body, Viagra Boys, MSPAINT.
They’ll be touring with Show Me The Body this fall.
As far as MP’s setlist went, it was stacked start to finish. From opening with I Got Heaven and a lot of songs off of their most recent album I Got Heaven, to some classics mixed in like Everything from their second full length album Romantic bringing me back to the small-venue-Philly-days.
I was also really stoked to hear them play a new unreleased song I Stuttered, meaning that there will be an upcoming album release in the near future, woohoo!
As mentioned earlier, the jump in scale has not taken away a single thing from their performances. If anything, I’m genuinely proud to see how much recognition they’ve gained over the years. Watching a band that you’ve loved for 10+ years grow from playing smaller rooms in Philly, to selling out a venue like Starland Ballroom feels like a proud parent moment? They’ve earned every bit of that recognition. It was such a moment for me seeing so many people alike come together for this show.
They’ll be resuming their tour with The Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age (major!), following another tour with Amyl and the Sniffers, following another tour with Wednesday… all before the year ends!
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