Rock acts Sheer Mag, Tweens, and The Ire packed Union Transfer in Philly on Thursday, October 10th for an evening infused with the best of their vibrant, 70’s arena- and punk-influenced sounds. After forming in 2014, Sheer Mag worked their way up the northeast DIY circuit, inspiring listeners with their bold, more contemporary approach to the otherwise brash and unapologetic macho genre. With their combination of rallying, hook-laden vocals and riled up, socially conscious lyrics, Sheer Mag quickly found themselves a loyal following in Philly and beyond. This hometown show served as part of the group’s tour effort in support of their recently released LP titled A Distant Call.
Kicking off the evening was The Ire, a four-piece whose raw riffs and delightfully chaotic energy captivated early attendees. Similar to Sheer Mag, The Ire also found their roots in Philadelphia, playing smaller shows in the city and curating their first self-titled EP. Following a quick greeting to the growing crowd, the group dove right into their set, showcasing their own futuristic and nostalgic blend of post-punk and goth on tracks like “The Adventitious“. This, combined with their simplistic, raw setup, created a punchy impact that set off the blaring vibes that would carry through the rest of the evening.
Up next was Cincinnati-based trio, Tweens. The self-proclaimed “nasty doo-wop band” delivered their set with a heavy dose of sneering punk riffs. Bridget Battle’s vocals projected beautifully against the hard backing of drummer Jerri Queen and bassist Peyton Copes. Combined, they proved themselves a force to be reckoned with as they tore through songs such as “Bored in this City” and “Stoner” from their 2014 self-titled debut LP.
Finally, Sheer Mag took their long awaited place on stage, much to the rowdy and excited cheers of every friend, family member, and fan in the audience. After a few tense moments of pitch darkness, lead vocalist Tina Halladay’s rallying cry resonated throughout the room and the house and stage lights burst on as the band launched into their first song. Right from the start, the crowd ate the high energy levels right up, dancing each song away as the group railed through their hour-long set. While between song banter was kept to a minimum, there wasn’t a need for much talking as crowd favorites such as “Turn it Up” and “Suffer Me” came to play. By the end of it all, there wasn’t anyone without a smile and sweaty face in the crowd.
Watch Sheer Mag’s music video for “Hardly to Blame” below and scrolling to see more photos from the show.
