Released last month via Epitaph, The Menzingers’ latest album, After The Party, finds the quartet in a reflective realm. Maintaining a melodic, polished sense of exuberance, the album stews on reminiscent tales of young adulthood, steadily driving ahead while peaking out from within those narratives to inject crowd-charging, catchy choruses. After numerous nights of travel, their destination is the inviting return home as they set up shop, intertwining Americana-punk sounds at The Fillmore, joined by Jeff Rosenstock, and Rozwell Kid.
Meanwhile, right down the road at Johnny Brenda’s, the engulfing fuzz-torching psych rock of Bardo Pond blazes an invigorating sonic trail to commemorate their new release, Under The Pines, available via Fire Records. They’ll be supported by Sparrow Steeple and Eric Arn so step out of the rain and soak in some replenishing sounds. – Michael Colavita
Other places to hit this weekend…
The Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal St.) FRI The Menzingers
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Bardo Pond (Record Release), Sparrow Steeple, SUN Upperfields
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SAT Phantasm, The Tea Club, Something Like A Monument
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Fame Lust, SUN Geo Metro, Ryan M Todd
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) FRI Aphra
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Full Bush, Grace Vonderkuhn, Sheena & Thee Nosebleeds
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Lupe Garu/Superstar Yay, Brucey Da Rapper, Yog JP, Reek Ivan, Stizz Gambler, Elijah Royce, O Dollaz, Burn The General, City Rominiecki
The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) FRI Dirty South Joe, Gianni Lee, Heaven in Stereo
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Flannel, White Limo/(Downstairs) La Giara, The Water Jug: Musical Memoir/Book Presented by Minas Ensemble, SAT (Downstairs) Rockin’ Docs for Diabetes Cure: Sounds of Society, Runnin’ Late, RD Sting, Rightback, SUN (Upstairs) Nik Greeley & The Operators
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Bern The Bastard, Ezekiel Crow, B. Temporary, Fallible Being, Guillotine Tongue, Malcolm Culleton , SUN Kevin Ripley, Trash Boy, Blushed
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) SAT Lightning Jones, Civil Holdup, SUN Police/Sting Tribute: Thorazine, Boy Wonder, Coco Sol, Lou Lanza, Monopop, The Quirktones
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Square Peg Round Hole, The Vernes, SAT Oolala, Grubby Little Hands, Ton-Taun, Red Queen Lilith, SUN Community Center, Dirty Purple, Burned Out, Still Glowing
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Ed Christof, SAT DJ Deejay
The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI I Think Like Midnight, Conversations, The Deadeyes, SAT The Orange Drop, Satellite Hearts, Dot.gov
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Hired Guns Blues Band, SUN Rusty Cadillac
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Legion 76, Duffy’s Cut, SAT Dr. Beardfacé and the Spaceman, Sweet Eureka, Venice Sunlight, Molly Rhythm
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI Young Graves
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Sixteen Jackies, Slomo Sapiens, Slophouse, The Primaries, Falang, SAT Spaghetti Vacation, Local Smokes, Stargazer Lily, Matt Gauss Band, Tony Ukes
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI West Philadelphia Orchestra, SAT AM Radio, SUN The Grizz Band, Vilebred
Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Agent Moosehead, Mage Hand, Blümntl
Space 1026 (1026 Arch St.) FRI The Whips, Gavin Riley Smoke Machine
The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18th St.) FRI Downtrodder, Hells, Dunning Kruger, SAT Manic Pixi, Moonroof, Honeytiger, SUN Cllctyrslf, Here/Now