I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: September 27, 2024] Mannequin Pussy

After I saw Mannequin Pussy in May I was certain that I didn’t need to see them again.  But when they announced that they were playing in Asbury Park with Margaritas Podridas opening, I knew I had to go!

Margaritas was fantastic, but I couldn’t get over how crowded the place had gotten for Mannequin Pussy.  When I saw them in Philly, I knew that they would sell out (three shows!).  And I know that Asbury isn’t that far from Philly, but sometimes the shows don’t really translate.  But wow, it was packed.

I moved to the higher level (which I didn’t even realize was open for shows).  And that’s where the ADA section was.  So I grabbed a high stool and could see the stage perfectly.

One thing I’ve always noticed about me though is that if I’m not in the mix on the floor, I tend to not get fully involved in the show.  So even though the band sounded great I was mostly thinking about how I saw them first in 2018 when they opened for Japandroids.  They were pretty unknown at the time and didn’t have much of a stage thing going on.  But now, they were like rockstars.

Marisa Dabice’s hair was flowing, she was wearing a fancy crop top (that she must have known couldn’t hold her breasts since she had tape on the nipples.  The stage looked great and it felt like a big show.

The setlist was virtually the same as last time–which makes sense since it’s still the same tour.  And the crowd sang along with just about every song.  And it was fun seeing them from far back where you could see the crowd bouncing and crowd surfing for he whole show.

The show started quietly with their surprisingly mellow first single, “I Don’t Know You,” and it built with the second single “Sometimes” (which the crowd loved).

Everyone also loves “Drunk II” (in which EVERYONE screamed “I still love you, you stupid fuck”).

A few songs later Marisa said they were going to play a song they hadn’t played in a while.   They played “Denial” which I hadn’t heard live before.

And then the set turned heavy loud and fast.  The place went berserk for “Loud Bark” then came “I Got Heaven” and the blistering “Of Her.”

They also played “Anything,” another older song  that I hadn’t heard live before.

Things started to heat up as they played “Cream” and my favorite song on the new album “Loud Bark” (Marisa entreated us to sing along on this one).  The intense “religious” song “I Got Heaven” was cool to see live, just knowing who was doing al of the backing vocals.

Then came some ragers, the fast and intense “OF Her” and “Aching.”  The set ended with one of my favorite older songs of theirs “Clams” followed by what is really my favorite song on  the new album “OK? OK! OK? !OK!,” I love the screamed vocals, the back and forth with the vocals and the old school punk vibe in the second half of the song.  A great set ender

After a short break they came back out and Bear took center stage for his “Pigs is Pigs” a song that gains power every time I see him sing it.  They ended with two songs from Romantic, and when they played the title song, they released a massive pile of balloons that were suspended from the ceiling.

When I saw them last time (they were ending their first headlining tour at Union Transfer) they also released balloons.  So it was a fun full circle.

Believe it or not I’m planning on seeing them one more time this year.  Bu primarily it’s because of their opening act Margaritas Podridas who I have been really hoping to see and this is, I believe the first time they’re playing in my area.

But I know that Mannequin Pussy is going to put on a great show as well, so I’m excited for both bands.

And then three more climactic blasts of punk: “CLAMS,” “OK? OK! OK? !OK!” (one of my favorite songs) and Bear’s always fantastic “Pigs is Pigs.”

Typically they have an encore break around this time, but Marisa told us there was going to be no encore (but they did actually played one more song than in Philly). The set ended just like last time with the great double end of “Emotional High” and the crowd-pleasing “Romantic.”

It turned out to be a great show–even if I wasn’t fully absorbed by the show.  The band has really skyrocketed in six years.

 

2024 (Asbury Lanes)	2024 (Union Transfer)	2023 (opening)
I Don’t Know You Ô	I Don’t Know You Ô	Control √
Sometimes Ô	Sometimes Ô	To Lose You √
Nothing Like Ô	Nothing Like Ô	Drunk II ¶
Patience ¶	Patience ¶	Cream ¶
Drunk II ¶	Drunk II ¶	Pledge ®
Control √	Control √	Romantic ®
Softly Ô	Softly Ô	New song (I was in control)
Denial ®	Cream ¶	New song (Because you want it)
Loud Bark Ô	Loud Bark Ô	New song (I got it, I got it)
I Got Heaven Ô	I Got Heaven Ô	Everything ®
Of Her Ô	Of Her Ô	Perfect √
Aching Ô	Aching Ô	CLAMS ¶
Anything ®	Everything ®	F.U.C.A.W. ¶
Everything ®	Perfect √	Pigs is Pigs √
Perfect √	CLAMS ¶
CLAMS ¶	OK? OK! OK? !OK! Ô
OK? OK! OK? !OK! Ô	encore
Pigs is Pigs √	Pigs is Pigs √
Emotional High ®	Emotional High ®
Romantic ®	Romantic ®

Ô I Got Heaven (2024)
√ Perfect (2021)
¶ Patience (2019)
® Romantic (2016)
ξ Mannequin Pussy (2014)

2021 (headlining)	2021 (opening)	2018 (opening)
Romantic ®	Control √	F.U.C.A.W. ¶
Control √	To Lose You √	Drunk II ¶
Who You Are ¶	Who You Are ¶	CLAMS ¶
Patience ¶	Patience ¶	Romantic ®
Drunk II ¶	Drunk II ¶
Cream ¶	Cream ¶
Pledge ®	Pledge ®
Meatslave One ®	Romantic ®	partial setlist
Emotional High ®	Fear/+/Desire ¶
Drunk I ¶	Everything ®
High Horse ¶	Kiss ®
Everything ®	Perfect √
Kiss ®	Clue Juice ξ
Perfect √	CLAMS ¶
Clue Juice ξ	Pigs is Pigs √
CLAMS ¶	In Love Again ¶
F.U.C.A.W. ¶
Piss Drinker ξ
In Love Again ¶
Pigs is Pigs √