A Trip to Honolulu-on-The-Schuylkill

On Saturday, December 20, Local Honeymoon presented the second annual installment of their annual holiday show–and I think I've found a new favorite holiday tradition. Christmas in Hawaii in Philadelphia 2 brought us inside from the biting cold, and for a few hours, the South Philly indie rock band transported us to the sunny warmth of Maui.

If you know me, you know I love a theme, and Local Honeymoon delivered. Their set began with a short film, an introduction to the Local Honeymoon brand explaining their affinity for Miller High Life (NOT MILLER LITE), and the reason why the band was escaping to the "Paradise of the Pacific" (and an excellent built-in call-to-action to purchase some merch).

"Buy some merch, you guys, because we have received multiple lawsuits from the Miller Brewing Company this year, and it's important to recoup some of our legal fees," vocalist and guitarist Jeff Linden told the crowd at PhilaMOCA.

The evening began with performances from South Jersey rock quartet Latchkey Kids and Philly indie pop group Madska. Each band presented their own take on the Christmas holiday. Local Honeymoon chose their favorite Hawaiian shirts (obvi) while Latchkey Kids went for a "Goth Santa" vibe. The members of Madska hit the stage decked out in Eagles gear, and lead vocalist and guitarist Maddy Rose Weinman expressed gratitude that the Birds won earlier that night, because it certainly would have changed the feeling of their set. Weinman also helped to transform PhilaMOCA into a winter wonderland before the doors opened, and her efforts even got me, someone who has been a bit of a Grinch this year, into the holiday spirit.

The entire evening was a celebration of the season, our city, and the rich music community Philadelphia boasts. Linden is a self-proclaimed lover of Christmas, and the highlight of the evening for me was Local Honeymoon's performance of their new song, "Christmas in Philadelphia" (embedded below).

I look forward to the third installment, which the band humorously announced will not feature the beach balls they entrusted to the crowd this year (but seriously, guys, maybe don't hurl a plastic ball of air at the people on stage). Let's manifest a Miller sponsorship for these guys in 2026.

And to all who celebrate, Merry Christmas from Music Jawn. Have a listen to "Christmas in Philadelphia," and we'll see you all in 2026–bigger and badder than ever.