Joyce Manor Brings the Chaos to The Fillmore in Philadelphia
- Kara Maddox
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
California-based punk rock band Joyce Manor have been rapidly increasing in popularity in recent years, especially after a tour with Weezer in 2023, going from small indie band to major rockstars. This year, they have recently released their highly anticipated album, I Used to Go to This Bar, which is their first full-length album since 2022. To celebrate this, the band embarked on a massive North American headliner tour starting in early March, hitting major cities across the U.S. and Canada. On March 22, Joyce Manor arrived at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, playing a lengthy 24-song setlist. At the nearly sold-out show, the venue never saw a quiet moment as fans were almost bouncing off the walls the entire show, embracing a true punk rock energy.
The first opener to kick off the night was rising indie-punk band Combat. The band’s dynamic, fast-paced songs are heavily influenced by emo, featuring raw, personal lyrics and intricate guitar work. Each track was full of intense energy that would encourage anyone to get off their feet, so it did not take long for the crowd to start a mosh pit. The band also performed a new song called “Push”, which is yet to be released. As the set came to a close, frontman Holden Wolf left the crowd with a final message: “Free Palestine, fuck ICE”. The band concluded their set with a lengthy 8 minute-long track, “Weird Ending Explained, Pt. 1”, which Holden said was inspired by watching the film Mulholland Drive. With the song being nearly four times the length of the rest of the songs in their setlist, the track was an exciting and memorable conclusion, and the crowd kept moshing until the end. Even if many people in the crowd have only just been introduced to Combat, the band definitely made many new fans in Philly.
The second opener to take the stage was DC-based punk duo Teen Mortgage. Led by vocalist and guitarist James Guile and drummer Ed Barakauskas, the band creates a signature raw sound with heavy riffs, harsh vocals, and fiery tempos, defining a new era of punk music. Teen Mortgage also uses their music as political activism, commenting on the injustices of the world. This was further driven home when James took a moment to condemn the U.S. government and its supporters, saying “Fuck the fascists in America”. The band also performed their newest single “Burn”, an openly political song about the current state of America. Until the very end of the set, the crowd was jumping and moshing; Teen Mortgage certainly made an impact on the fans that night.
The final opener of the night was alternative rock band Militarie Gun. Despite only having been active since 2020, the band has garnered quite the fanbase. From the moment the band stepped on stage, fans were cheering, jumping, and even crowdsurfing. Militarie Gun combines melodic hooks and choruses with a punk rock twist, making it easy for fans to sing along and mosh at the same time. The band also deals with heavy themes in their lyrics, such as battling addiction with the tracks “Very High” and “Kick”, making it easy for fans to connect emotionally to the music. Throughout the set, crowdsurfers kept on coming as the mosh pit remained active. Before they closed out the set, frontman Ian Shelton wanted to remind fans what side of history the band is on, saying “Fuck Trump and fuck ICE”, as the crowd cheered in agreement. They concluded with the catchy and fast-paced “B A D I D E A”, and the fans screamed along to the lyrics, spelling out “B A D I D E A”. With such an active crowd, Militarie Gun successfully warmed up the room to prepare for the headlining set.
At 9:45pm, the lights began to dim for the final time that night. Soon enough, the lights shined purple and green as the Goosebumps theme song began to play. As the theme was playing, Joyce Manor walked onto the stage as the venue erupted with cheers. The band opened with the existential “I Know Where Mark Chen Lives”, the opening track of their new album I Used to Go to This Bar. From the very start of the set, multiple fans already started crowdsurfing, and this never slowed down anytime soon. Joyce Manor’s songs, usually only about 2 minutes long, create a sense of urgency and excitement, which was clearly seen throughout the crowd. Frontman Barry Johnson’s raw vocals and upbeat riffs captivated the fans, as nearly everyone was off their feet and moving. Guitarist Chase Knobb delivered intricate, emo-inspired solos, and bassist Matt Ebert served up fast-paced rhythms to ensure the energy never died down.
The crowd in Philly that night was by far one of the most active crowds imaginable, which is quite a feat for a large venue such as The Fillmore. The fans never stood still for a moment; if they weren’t in the mosh pit, they were jumping and singing along, fully immersed in the music. Crowdsurfing reached record numbers as well, with sometimes even four different people surfing at once. The band performed many new songs from I Used to Go to This Bar, as well as many older songs such as their 2014 track “Christmas Card”. Barry dedicated the older songs to the longtime Philly fans who saw Joyce Manor at First Unitarian Church, a tiny basement venue that is a staple for hardcore and punk bands playing in Philly. The fans clearly loved both old and new songs, as the energy within the venue never dimmed for a moment.
As the set came to a close, Joyce Manor performed the fan-favorite “Catalina Fight Song”, followed by the newer track “Falling Into It”. The band walked off the stage, as the fans clamored for “one more song!”. Not long after, Joyce Manor came back on stage as the crowd cheered. As they were about to play their encore, Barry noticed a fan holding a sign that said “Please play ‘The Jerk’”. Barry mentioned how they did not practice that song, but they were willing to play it after the whole room cheered at the idea. Barry joked that the fans could leave and get tequila as they briefly practiced the song, and after a few seconds of refreshing their memories, they went straight into “The Jerk”, which was performed so amazingly that no one would be able to tell that it was a last minute addition to the setlist. Later in their encore, Barry mentioned that the next song was supposed to be cut since they played “The Jerk” instead, but they loved Philly so much they decided to keep going, thus performing “Orange Julius”. Barry joked “We’ll play a whole unreleased album for you guys tonight”, and the fans were clearly receptive to the idea. The band concluded the set with “Five Beer Plan”, and the fans made sure to give it their all for the final song. Tens of crowdsurfers came through the room as the mosh pit kept growing, ending the set with a bang. Joyce Manor’s massive headliner in Philly proved to be a night everyone will remember, for both the fans and the band.
