It was about a year ago that I really started to realize what a great band Philly natives, The Menzingers, are. I had heard some songs in passing from friends’ playlists or music streaming services. I had the pleasure of seeing them open for Bayside in the fall of 2016, and they were amazing. Following that show, I really delved deep into their musical catalogue. To my friends and I, their music is incredibly relatable. We’re all in the late 20’s and early 30’s group that grew up together on punk. Now, as we get older, we’re going through our own marriages, divorces, and trying to figure out what to do with our lives. The Menzingers’ newest full-length, After the Party, embodies this wholly.
While it isn’t always easy to tour for what seems like years straight and have each show be a completely unique experience, they do a damn good job. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live three times this past year. Each show felt one-of-a-kind in its own right. The Menzingers are a well-polished, high-energy live band. With five full-length albums to choose songs from, they have some crowd favorites you’re likely to hear with some surprise sleeper hits sprinkled in. And, they pulled generously from their own catalog, while they also chose great covers to perform.
This last show on July 26th at Frankie’s Inner-City in Toledo, Ohio, was more than worth the three hours it took to get there. The venue is a small dive bar on Main Street. It makes for incredibly intimate shows with no barrier to the stage which, itself, is only about two feet high. I had only been to Frankie’s one other time, but it’s a venue worth the drive. I knew seeing The Menzingers there would be a show to see.
Opening their 20-song setlist with “Your Wild Years” off of their newest album, the show started off with a kick! The venue was packed with a great crowd that knew and belted out every word. Despite being one of the smaller venues to draw bands like the Philadelphia natives, the people gathered to watch one of the better punk bands on the scene today was oddly courteous. The absence of a barrier seemed to be a non-issue for the fans. Being a big fan of the band, I was front and center in the pit and got some photos to accompany this review. However, I never once was shoved or pushed around as I snapped some shots and sang along.
About midway through the set, singers and guitarists Greg and Tom tried their hardest to guess the chords and words to “Comedown” by Bush. This is the type of thing you can expect to see at a show where the band is made up of four good friends all having a good time and putting their heart and soul into their music. It’s why I, among many others, find the band so relatable and approachable. To end, they finished their set with an encore of “Sun Hotel,” Bouncing Souls cover, “Kate is Great,” off of their split, Shocking, with the New Jersey punk band, and “In Remission.” Fortunately, I even saw their drummer, Joe Godino, outside after the show and had a quick chat. That’s the thing about these guys. They are an approachable group just playing music and meeting fans.
The Menzingers are continuing their seemingly endless touring into the fall, and I highly recommend checking them out if you haven’t. And, if you’re into punk music about the realities of growing up and getting your life together, you’ll fit right in. They’ve been on the scene for roughly eleven years, and going through their previous records, you’ll continuously find new favorite song after new favorite song. These guys know what they’re doing, and I already have my tickets to the next show. Hopefully you get the chance to check them out and see them play some great music.
Menzingers Setlist
- Your Wild Years
- Tellin’ Lies
- The Obituaries
- Thick as Thieves
- Good Things
- Burn After Writing
- House On Fire
- Rivalries
- On the Impossible Past
- Nice Things
- After the Party
- My Friend Kyle
- Bad Catholics
- I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore
- Midwestern States (Greg played the original chorus as an intro, which was about Toledo, OH)
- Who’s Your Partner
- Lookers
Encore
- Sun Hotel
- Kate is Great (Bouncing Souls cover)
- In Remission
