My first time at the First Uni featured a lineup front to back that's hard to go wrong with: the Steal, Pink Razors, the Ergs! and a rare appearance from the pop-punk collective known as Armalite.
Hailing from the UK, the Steal were playing their first U.S. show ever here in Philly. While those familiar with the band's pensive but fun brand of melodic hardcore were few and far between, plenty were recognizable of how much a blast it was. The band were electrified and energetic, tearing through nine songs of their 14-track self-titled full-length. They cracked a joke about merely being an English punk band sounding like Kid Dynamite and ending up here (alongside Dr. Dan), and gave us props for streaming their full-length. Good times; hopefully the band sticks around long enough to develop a stronger following stateside.
Set list (8:17-8:38):
- Breakout -----
- Waiting for the Simple Life -----
- Little Dip
- World Wide World -----
- Clothing Rack
- New Friend
- Living for the Weekend -----
- The Steal -----
- Wonderstuff
Excruciatingly high-energy and a live thrill, the Ergs! pleased the horde crowded against the stage. Vocals were shouted from every corner of the three-piece's setup and tempos were almost always at full-blast. The band ran through a respectable amount of their wide discography, including "Pray for Rain," which got the biggest reaction, and a fantastic rendition of Gin Blossoms' "Hey Jealousy," taken from the band's recent split 7" with Lemuria. However, the crowd did move plenty throughout the entire 32-minute set. The Pink Razors drummer even came out to assist on the last song. It was a grand ol' time. (Bassist Joe Keller even complimented the Church on its jazz playage over the PA.)
Set list (9:35-10:07):
- Every Romance Language (?)
- Bike Shoppe -----
- Extra Medium
- Kind of Like Smitten -----
- Pray for Rain -----
- Saturday Nite Crap-O-Rama -----
- Running, Jumping, Standing Still
- Trouble in River City -----
- Man of Infirmity
- Hey Jealousy
- Fin -----
- Books About Miles Davis
- ?
Set list (10:26-10:55):
- Dan's Hands Melt
- New Wave -----
- Destination: Not at Home
- Husker Dave -----
- When Nice People Think Dumb Things, Attack, and Vote
- Entitled -----
- Unfinished Business
- Other Entertainers -----
- Grace (Or the Importance of Being Impermanent) -----
- I Am a Pancreas (I Seek to Understand Me...)