Photos and words by Taylor Shields
The ’80s were alive and well on Saturday night, as Philly’s own electro/synth-pop duo Korine closed out their winter tour with a sold out show at Ortlieb’s. Korine, composed of Trey Frye and Morgy Ramone, was supported by Born Losers Records labelmates Johnny Dynamite & The Bloodsuckers and Catherine Moan.
Catherine Moan, a solo electro-pop project by Philly native Angel Jefferson, warmed up the room with songs off her 2021 release Chain Reaction, also performing a stellar cover of Depeche Mode’s B-side cult-classic “Fools”. Brooklyn’s solo bedroom goth-rocker Johnny Dynamite & The Bloodsuckers took the stage shortly after, immediately informing the crowd that he was Johnny Dynamite and we, the crowd, were The Bloodsuckers. Together, we were Johnny Dynamite & The Bloodsuckers, and suddenly it felt like we were living inside a John Hughes film. Johnny Dynamite, the stage name of solo artist John Morisi, performed an eight-song set, including the single “Bats in the Woods“, off his latest release Sleeveless.
Korine closed the show with a nostalgically new wave performance complete with flashing neon strobes and rhythmic synths, as vocalist Morgy Ramone thrashed about the stage while delivering haunting vocals reminiscent of ’80s era bands like New Order and Tears for Fears. Korine is truly some of the best modern day synth-pop the genre has to offer, and we’re psyched to see it coming out of Philly. The band has released two records with Born Losers, 2018’s New Arrangements and the 2020 follow-up LP The Night We Raise. The band finished off Saturday’s set with the aptly-titled track “The Last“, just as the venue announced on social media that they would be postponing all shows until 12/30 out of an abundance of caution due to the recent surge in COVID cases nationwide.
Check out Korine’s music video for “Cruel” below and keep scrolling to see more photos from the show.
