Melissa Wood| February 21, 2025
On December 6, Albany raised pop-punk powerhouse State Champs brought their boundless musical talent to the four walls of the Fillmore in Philly.
Since 2010, State Champs have been curating and perfecting their natural tone and memorable tunes. In those 14 years, they have managed to acquire a sizable footing in the alternative scene with their gift for gab and knack for memorable hooks displayed throughout 3 EPs and 5 studio albums.
My history with State Champs dates back to 2018, when I first listened to a couple of songs from Around The World and Back and Living Proof. From first listen, I was a huge fan of their lyrics and overall sound, and I’ve been along for the ride ever since. Their 5th self-titled studio album was just released last year on Nov 8. To say the least, I can without a doubt say that this album was indeed a lovely light, as November was definitely not an easy month to get through for many people.
A Daisy Grenade For Sure
The first act of the night was none other than the power grunge duo Daisy Grenade. Having been in the alternative music scene for quite a while, I have heard this name pop into my peripheral from time to time, however, I never quite found a chance to really listen to any of their music in earnest up to this point. From what I heard, their music is a delicate combination of sassy bubblegum grunge with claw scratches of metal throughout to depict the dark reality of being a girl in today’s day and age. My favorite song of theirs was “How To Hide A Body,” as it perfectly encompasses a narrative of feminine rage. Sadly, I failed to get any pictures because not only was I late getting to the concert, but I had failed to turn off my camera after learning how to use it a couple of hours before arriving. It was indeed a moment of weakness. As a result, the entirety of Daisy Grenade’s setlist was heard from the back of the venue, whilst I charged the camera battery. Sorry, Dani and Keaton, the lack of pictures is on my hands, and you deserved better.
Let the Service Begin: Meet Me at the Alter
Next in the lineup was the three-piece easycore band Meet Me at the Altar. This was yet another group to which I had awareness, but no real interaction with. Upon the first couple of minutes of listening to their set the main thought that kept recurring through my brain was how powerful and crystal-clear lead singer Edith Victoria’s voice is. Seriously, with a sound like hers, this woman could sing any genre of music with a high chance of it sounding amazing. Highlights of their set included ” Say It (to My Face)” and “Now or Never.”
Knuckle, Puck This Band Good!
The last opener was Knuckle Puck, an emo group inspired by the ice hockey play of the same name. Prior to this show, I was really only familiar with a couple of their more popular songs from their 2017 album Shapeshifter, so it was nice to catch up with this band’s more recent discography. One thing that I really enjoyed about their sound was how raspy lead singer Joe Taylor’s voice is. It is absolutely perfect for the genre of music they are in. Some of my personal favorites from their setlist included “Groundhog Day,” “You and I,” and “On All Cylinders”.
The Real Winners of America: State Champs
After waiting patiently for around an hour and a half, Derek, Tyler, Ryan, and Evan, finally took to the stage before an ever-ready audience. As their newest album State Champs had just been released, a majority of it was played throughout the show, save for “The Constant,” “Sobering,” “Just a Dream,” “Golden Years,” and “I Still Want To.” The rest of the setlist was filled with hits from their older albums like “Perfect Score,” “All You Are is History,” and “Dead and Gone.”
One aspect of the setlist that I absolutely loved was how four of my all-time favorite songs “Outta My Head,” “Light Blue,” “Criminal,” and “Clueless,” were played immediately after I had stepped out of the pit, ultimately meaning I could relax and enjoy them. In all honesty, this could not have worked out any more perfect. I saw it as a little reward for powering through the stress induced by both a camera battery that I forgot to turn off properly, and unexpected crowd surfers I constantly had to look out for while I was taking pictures. Other songs I was delighted to hear live were “Elevated,” and “Secrets,” the latter which was played as the very last song during the encore.
Aside from the setlist, another aspect that made this show special was the banter between the bandmates themselves and their interaction with the audience. Throughout the show, the band made it a point to thank everyone in the crowd for supporting them several times, as well as leave out time for joking around and talking about their experience as a band so far.
In Closing…
All in all, I would say this concert was a solid performance. Everyone who was on stage at one point or another sounded great and brought some much-needed energy and catharsis to the crowd. Everything down to the concert playlist between sets was amazing, especially when One Direction’s “No Control,” began blaring through the speakers. Whoever decided to put that song on the playlist was doing something right and needs a huge raise. Too bad it was cut off right before the chorus could even play… as someone who was partly a Louis girl, it was a little disappointing. I quickly got over it though because I was able to hear Knuckle Puck live.
As always, the Fillmore served as an exceptional venue with a beautiful atmosphere, great sound equipment, and friendly staff. I honestly cannot say enough about how nice this venue is. It has been one of my favorite venues in Philadelphia for a long time and will most likely remain so for a while!