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In 2024, Seattle-based “heavy pop” band The Home Team’s third full-length album The Crucible of Life was released, and in June of 2025, the deluxe edition for the record was also unveiled. Starting in early November, the band finally embarked on an extensive North American headliner tour in honor of the album. Starting in early November, the band hit major cities across the country, with nearly all of the dates being sold-out. On November 19, The Home Team stopped at Philadelphia’s Theater of Living Arts to perform to a packed, sold-out crowd. The Home Team proved themselves to be “real rockers” as they put on a show to remember, and the energy within the venue never wavered for a second.
The first opener to hit the stage was alt-rock band Makari. With a dreamy, pop-rock style with a hit of heaviness, the band quickly warmed up the audience. Most of the crowd even seemed to be Makari fans already, with many hands raising when frontman Andy Cizek asked if anyone had listened to the band before that night. Cizek also mentioned how Philadelphia is still one of his favorite cities to play, especially since it’s close to his hometown in Maryland; of course, he threw in a “go birds” here. Throughout the set, fans were jumping and dancing constantly, and also waved their flashlights during one song while Cizek crowdsurfed. The band also played their newest single, “Disappearing Act”, which features Brian Butcher from The Home Team. During the final song of the set, the band got the first crowdsurfer of the night. Whether they knew of Makari before or not, everyone in the crowd certainly turned into even more of a fan.
MAKARI: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
The second and final opener to perform was pop-rock trio Arrows in Action. The band opened with the upbeat dance tracks “Empty Canvas” and “Light Like You”, both from their newest album I Think I’ve Been Here Before. It did not take long for crowdsurfing to begin; by the second song, there were already multiple surfers coming through the room. Arrows in Action lit up the room with their explosive energy and fun banter, and also displayed great crowd work throughout the set by getting the entire room to jump or wave their arms at certain points. Halfway through the set, drummer Jesse Frimmel stepped off the kit to talk to the crowd about how much of an honor it is to perform with The Home Team on a nearly sold-out tour, considering that they toured with The Home Team back in 2019 when they did DIY tours in tiny venues. The band closed with the catchy fan-favorite from the new album “Cheekbones”, and the fans made sure to give it their all until the very end, crowdsurfing and dancing until the final note. Without a doubt, Arrows in Action successfully warmed up the crowd for the headlining act.
ARROWS IN ACTION: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
At around 9:15pm, the lights dimmed as the crowd cheered. A voiceover played over the speakers, fueling everyone’s anticipation for the headliner. Soon enough, The Home Team walked onto the stage as the venue burst with excitement. The band kicked off their set with The Crucible of Life’s opening tracks “Turn You Off” and “Brag”, two fun, energetic tracks that immediately ignited the energy within the room. As soon as the first song began, multiple crowdsurfers were coming through as everyone else sang along to every word. Frontman Brian Butcher captivated the audience with his dynamic vocals and unwavering energy, constantly moving and dancing across the stage. Guitarist John Baran and bassist Ryne Olson were equally as lively with their nonstop kicking, spinning, and jumping.
The Home Team is known for their unique, groovy style of pop-rock that easily encourages anyone to dance along. Even during the slower tracks, people are still compelled to move to the beat. The band focused primarily on the new album, but they sprinkled in many older songs for longtime fans to enjoy. They performed 2021’s “Right Through Me”, and even performed “She’s Quiet” and “Fashion Forward” from their 2018 debut album Better Off. No matter what song they performed, however, the energy within the room never ceased, with constant crowdsurfers and even mosh pits forming. Halfway through the set, the band performed “All Squeezed Out”, with Arrows in Action vocalist Victor Viramontes-Pattison coming out to perform, much to the audience’s excitement. A few songs later, the band also brought out Arrows in Action guitarist Matt Fowler to perform; the friendship between the two bands was clear and a joy to witness. Afterward, the band briefly left the stage as another voiceover played over the speakers. After they returned, they performed the emotional “Walk This World With Me”, and the venue was lit up by everyone’s flashlights.
Towards the end of the set, Brian mentioned that every night, fans vote on a different song for the band to play. That night, the winner was “Move It or Lose It” from their 2021 album Slow Bloom, and cheers boomed throughout the venue as the track was revealed. They then performed “Somebody Else’s Face” with Makari vocalist Andy Cizek, another fun surprise that night. After they played the fan-favorite “Watching All Your Friends Get Rich”, the band left the stage again as the fans chanted for an encore. Soon enough, The Home Team returned with the catchy lead single of the new album “Loud”. The second song of their encore was “Danger”, one of the heavier tracks in their discography; they even got a wall of death to happen during the breakdown! They closed with “Worthy”, the exclusive closing track on the deluxe edition of The Crucible of Life. The fans moshed and crowdsurfed until the very end, ending the night with a bang. That night in Philly, the consistent energy within the venue proved that The Home Team will always be real rockers.
