Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Saturday night The Maccabees treated Philly to a rare intimate gig at Milkboy in support of their 4th studio album, Marks to Prove It. Though most of the fans who came out weren’t in fact from Philly. Most of those I spoke to were devoted fans who came from hours away to catch the boys of the Maccabees for a rare headlining tour. A relatively new convert myself, I had been looking forward to this moment since seeing the lads from England on the Gentlemen of the Road tour earlier this summer. They were one of the highlights then, and since acclimating myself with their four discography since, they were even more impressive in the tight room that is Milkboy.
The Maccabees, presented by the label Communion (who seems to carry some of the best bands/acts out there), played a little more than half of their new album for the set Saturday night, and the crowd knew them as well as they did the older songs. After waiting two and a half years for this most recent offering, it was clear Maccabees fans had wasted no time in committing the new songs to heart, with Marks to Prove It and No Kind Words maybe being the standout favorites. I can’t stress enough how enjoyable this band is to catch live, there’s a humility that rarely comes with this level of talent that takes watching The Maccabees up another notch on the already impressive ladder of worthy bands to catch live. And if you’re lucky enough to meet them afterward, you’ll find some of the nicest, most sincere, if not tired, touring musicians around. If you aren’t familiar yet, you can find listen to them on Spotify, or better yet, pick up an album on Itunes.
There are only a three more dates left in the U.S., if you are in one of these cities, don’t sleep on The Maccabees. I’m currently contemplating the 5 hour drive to Pittsburgh, it’s that serious. Here’s where they’ll be before heading off to play the rest of the world:
Tue 20 Oct 2015, Thalia Hall Chicago, MI
Wed 21 Oct 2015, Magic Bag Detroit, MI
Fri 23 Oct 2015, Thunderbird Cafe Pittsburgh, PA
Set list:
Wall of Arms
Feel to Follow
Kamakura
Love You Better
Slow Sunday
Something Like Happiness
Spit it Out
Precious Time
Marks to Prove It
WWI Portraits
No Kind Words
Pelican
