Pissed Jeans, Purling Hiss and Trophy Wife @ Union Transfer.
Text and images by Derrick Krom.
A trio of local acts brought their raw and raucous sights and sounds back home on Saturday when Philly punk act Pissed Jeans – along with Purling Hiss and Trophy Wife – took over Union Transfer.
It was a hometown showcase that left the lively and near riotous crowd sore, sweaty, satisfied and just-that-bit closer to being deaf.
Two-piece outfit Trophy Wife opened the night by ripping through a set heavy on new material. Both sharing vocal duties, drummer Katy Otto and guitarist Diane Foglizzo kept it straight and simple with a bit of shy banter (trying to figure out what “FTW” really means) thrown in for good measure.
Purling Hiss, masters of fuzz-filled noise rock, took the stage next. Coming off a successful year that included the release of their first major-label LP, Water on Mars, the trio, fronted by guitarist/singer/founder Mike Polizze, showed no sign of slowing down. There wasn’t a single silent (or still) moment in the set as they tore through a number of feedback-soaked and guitar-heavy numbers—most notably their set-opener “Lolita.”
The night truly exploded when Pissed Jeans took the stage. Opening their set with “Bathroom Laughter,” the first track off their latest album Honeys, the Philly four-piece proceeded to slam their way through a blistering set of loud, heavy and in-your face material.
Lead singer Matt Korvette was a force (and freak) of nature. Covering every inch of stage and screaming from the depths of his throat, Korvette continued to hold the constantly moshing and moving crowd in the palm of his hand, all while Sean McGuinness’ drums were literally falling apart.
Korvette also had some strong words for the all-ages crowd.
“This is the best bunch of sober teenagers I’ve ever seen,” he said while pointing down at the audience members in front of the stage.
Then, turning his attention to the older “geriatrics” in attendance, he made clear that “music started in 2004 motherfuckers… and if you don’t like it you can sit on it.”
Ending the high-adrenaline set with an epic guitar jam was the only logical way the show could’ve ended. Not only did every member of Pissed Jeans strap on a guitar to add to the noise, but Mike Polizze and a sober teenager from the front row joined in as well.
After a performance like that, there was no need for an encore.
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 
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