By the time I got to the venue, Jane Remover’s set was over and Speed was just starting. The sun was still shining, and the pit was warming up. And between the sounds of the Australian hardcore outfit’s raucous set and Jem Siow’s earnest pleas for love and acceptance, the mood for the night was set: rock the fuck out with love.

The juxtaposition between aggressively loud punk music and progressive, community-oriented declarations of loving one another just about summarizes the current state of punk in America. The overt nihilism and strictly anti-establishment sentiment aren’t gone, but the focus in our current cultural zeitgeist has shifted to a more humanist, emotional aim. It’s no longer just “fuck the man,” but now errs on the side of “fuck me, man.” There’s sorrow and heartbreak and lamentations of injustices interspersed with pleas of love, hope, togetherness, and optimism. And it’s all delivered in the loudest imaginable way so you really get the point…

Speed, well, sped through their set. It was a relentless and committed onslaught of old school hardcore sounds and a band clearly having fun. Nothing groundbreaking, but they never sought to be. If they were the warmup, the one-two punch of Mannequin Pussy and Turnstile, now at the height of their popularity, was the grandest of finales.

Mannequin Pussy

Hometown heroes Mannequin Pussy took the stage as the sky darkened, backlit by pillars of LED light, with the skyline of the city glowing in the distance, stage right. The setup and stage orientation gave an ethereal presence as Missy Dabice and co wasted no time diving into their set. Between the fact that it was her birthday at her hometown show, and bassist Bear’s choice of a Jalen Hurts jersey, they effortlessly cemented their place at the top of the hierarchy of bands that represent this city. They were loud, they were tight, and the crowd responded in kind, hypnotized by the fact that we were all witnessing who is arguably Philadelphia’s greatest band at the height of their creative and technical ability. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have the thought that Turnstile would have a tough act to follow.

But no punk show would be complete without the fierce passion of a band showcased unambiguously, utilizing their platform for sincere advocacy. And Missy Dabice is no exception. From calling out the genocide perpetrated upon Palestinians to toxic masculinity and retaliatory misandry, she pulled no punches and did not seek to throw any sociopolitical softballs. She doesn’t mince words. But did anyone honestly expect she would?

Punk, alternative, and any adjacent subgenres have always maintained a political slant in their respective movements. It’s “Punk Rock 101.” So you’d have to be a complete dumbass (or woefully ignorant) to attend a Mannequin Pussy show and expect it to be apolitical. And therein lies the fearless heart of why punk rock will always resonate with the disenfranchised youth (and us millennials - we’re still young, damnit). The core pillar of punk philosophy, at its most simplified and distilled,  is calling out injustice, and this show was no exception.

Like I said, they were tight. The production value of each subsequent release from the band has increased in quality. There’s more room for experimentation and subtlety beyond rapid power chords and loud vocals. And it translated impeccably. They weren’t just loud, they sounded big. I cannot overstate how much I loved every second of their performance, and it only makes me more excited to hear where they go sonically — especially from a creative standpoint — as they continue to effortlessly up the ante. 

After a fiery rendition of “OK? OK! OK? OK!,” their set was over all-to-soon. Luckily for us, the next act was Turnstile.

Turnstile

I need to preface this with the fact that I can't quite grasp the breadth of the popularity they have achieved since 2021's Glow On. A Baltimore punk band blew up overnight and seemingly cemented themselves into the pop-culture lexicon virtually instantaneously for no obvious reason. Which, to me, is a testament to both their talent, the underestimated wider appeal of the wide net of “rock music,” and the unrest of the youngest generations across the globe.

Backed by a screen displaying the color bar that serves as a constant in the promotional materials for their latest album, Never Enough, the band came out swinging with the title track. The air of excitement was palpable. Seeing thousands of faces lit up in the ecstasy of their performance was something I haven’t experienced in a long time.

Brendan Yates and Co. were mum compared to Speed and Mannequin Pussy, focusing instead on maintaining the energy and flow of their set. But the moments in which Brendan interjected his banter followed suit with the night’s message of love and togetherness. They were tight, energetic, and fully on point, only being briefly interrupted during “Real Thing” to help an audience member who required medical assistance. That, in and of itself, further endeared them to the crowd and solidified the message of unity. The pit was alive, and the energy stayed high to the very end, despite the four-artist affair that made this show a long one.

I’m not sure what the implications are moving forward, but I hope Turnstile’s star continues to shine bright. I have little doubt it will... there appears to be no slowing down in this resurgence of punk in the mainstream. From Green Day’s continued success decades after their artistic height to Mannequin Pussy and Gouge Away’s opening slots next year for the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age tour, to IDLES being included in seemingly every one-off event or festival overseas, I think that so long as people feel passionate, they will continue to express it and resonate with its most pure artistic forms. Sincerity and passion are the key. And these acts have it in spades.

Gatekeepers and purists will always argue against the authenticity of punk artists who achieve any semblance of popularity. But like Rage Against the Machine in the 90s, how can you get the message across playing basements and dives? The underground era is long gone. And the best way forward is to be unapologetically yourself with the spotlight shining. And despite their ever-increasing levels of popularity, I believe that both Mannequin Pussy and Turnstile serve to be the living embodiment of that sentiment.

Get loud, stay loud.

Long live punk.

Setlists

Turnstile

NEVER ENOUGH
T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION)
ENDLESS
I CARE / DULL
DON'T PLAY
Real Thing (Stopped during first verse due to medical emergency in crowd. Song was restarted)
Drop
LIGHT DESIGN
Come Back for More / Fazed Out
SUNSHOWER
7
Keep It Moving
Pushing Me Away
FLY AGAIN
SOLE
CEILING
SEEIN' STARS
HOLIDAY
LOOK OUT FOR ME
_______________________
MYSTERY
BLACKOUT
BIRDS

Mannequin Pussy

Material Gains
Everything
Sometimes
Romantic
Loud Bark
I Got Heaven
Of Her
Aching
Perfect
Clams
Pigs Is Pigs
OK? OK! OK? OK!