The nine-year existence of “dreamy, grungy, blue-collar” Philly band Creepoid ended in a glorious finale on Saturday night at Union Transfer. Eagles’ chants and instrument destruction bookmarked a solid rock set and a perfect sendoff for the local group.
1. A stunning last hurrah
The quartet of bassist Anna Troxell, drummer Pat Troxell, and guitarists Sean Miller and Pete Urban created a signature fuzzed-out rock sound that lingers like the vapors from their smoke machines. Plucking songs from their three albums and three EPs, they sated the raucous crowds’ demands. Anna Troxell wove back and forth from microphone to husband and drummer Patrick Troxell and to jam with Urban. The music swept through Union Transfer in waves, crashing with applause, jubilation and bewilderment at the end. There was a cake passed around celebrating the occasion and balloons stating R.I.P. were hung behind the band. And as the group unleashed its final song in “Enabler,” it was as if they did not want it to end. Anna cradled her bass on the stage while Miller and Urban kept up their guitar theatrics. Pat ripped through his drums and at the crazed conclusion he aimed the spotlight into the crowd as his drum seat was handed to the audience. What they took from the audience they wanted to give back in spades. And boy did they.
2. An Albatross crackled in the darkness and light
With only projectors lighting some of the performers on stage, the noise rock band An Albatross put on a shadow play of energetic rock. It was quite the sound explosion—with Edward B. Gieda III jumping wildly in the darkness (many times resting on the drum kit) and the rest of the band conjuring up all kinds of chaos.
3. Mannequin Pussy was as brilliant as ever
Somehow one of Philadelphia’s premier bands had never played Union Transfer. That changed on Saturday, as Marisa Dabice, complete with angel wings, and the rest of the alt-punk outfit ripped through a thrilling set. The stage was mostly backlit, allowing for a glowing outline of the winged appendages and the shadow of bassist Colins Regisford’s hair as he thrashed about. The 2016 LP Romantic is still fresh in the setlist, but a few new songs made an appearance.
4. Night Sins opened the night with beautiful gloom
As the crowd began to grow—and the snow began to fall—Philadelphia-based Night Sins began the proceedings with their gloom rock. Led by Kyle Kimball, they set the mood for the night with a sound that thrashed into the soul.
