I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: August 1, 2024] Crossed Keys / The Bad Ups

I had never been to The Broken Goblet before.  It’s a brewery in Bensalem in a stripmall type environment with a parking lot.  It’s a big venue (which is expanding).   They have a bar (with their beers on tap) and a large stage.  They also have (at some shows) some tables and chairs (which I took advantage of).

I arrived a few minutes after The Bad Ups has started, and by the time i got into the venue they were probably more than half way through their set.  Which is a shame, because I really enjoyed their upbeat, borderline ska sounding music.   Or as this review from New Noise magazine puts it

Being of Jamaican descent, frontman Travis McKayle named his band after the patois term “baddup,” which means to treat someone poorly or violently. Pulling influence from the best of the ’90’s and 2000’s Epitaph bands,

I’m a fan of that era of Epitaph music and I enjoyed the few songs that I heard.  I didn’t see a setlist anywhere so I don’t know what they played.

After about fifteen minutes, Crossed Keys came on.  Like The Bad Ups, Crossed Keys are also from Philadelphia.  Crossed Keys lead singer Joshua Alvarez described their live show like this

The Crossed Keys live experience is, simply put, a celebration. This band has the distinction of being the only band that I’ve ever played in where I’ve had stage specific costuming for literally every show we’ve ever played. My dear friend and collaborator, Grace Ryung Kim, has made me a shirt for every time we’ve ever touched a stage. They’re all beautiful garments; floral shirts made with love and care.  I like to think that our live shows are high energy and aggressive while still being welcoming and fun.

And he is absolutely correct.  The band plays anthemic punk (with lots of backing oohs and ahhs).  The songs are catchy and immediate and Alvarez had a great colorful shirt on.

I enjoyed their set and the explanations behind the songs (RIP Arch Street is about defunct Philly club the Trocadero).  The only problem I had was that I found it really hard to hear Alvarez.  Either he wasn’t loud enough (the music was really loud) or he wasn’t singing very clearly.  Which is a real shame because the vocals are crisp and clean on record (I like his voice a lot).  I’ve just checked out his first band Halo of Snakes and I note that he screams more than sings and t hat’s kind of what we got tonight.

The band is a supergroup of sorts with each member having played with another band or bands: Joshua Alvarez (Halo of Snakes), drummer Dave Wagenschutz (Ink & Dagger, Kid Dynamite), bassist Andrew Wellbrock (Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer), and guitarists Beau Brendley (The Curse, Kill the Man Who Questions, R.A.M.B.O.) and Dave Adoff (Step Ahead, Jackie Thousand).  So they were comfortable and rocking on stage.

There was a guy up front who grabbed the mic a few times and sang along, and I’m guessing that Crossed Keys has a decent following.

I enjoyed their set, but as I said I would have enjoyed the songs more if the music was a little clearer.  It may have been where I was sitting, too, I realize.