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The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia (A PopEntertainment.com Concert Review)

Writer's picture: PopEntertainmentPopEntertainment

Updated: Feb 4


The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025
The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025

The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025


The Vaccines’ Triumphant Return to Philadelphia 

 

Loyal fans and music lovers gathered for a memorable night of heartfelt alternative sounds, the first stop of The Vaccines’ North American tour. Their newest album Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations has sent the band back on the road, landing them in Philadelphia for the first time in twelve years. Opening the show was Thus Love, a self-styled queer post-punk band of friends from a small town in Vermont. Following them, The Vaccinesthe English indie-rock band took to the stand for a long-awaited, high-energy performance that lit up the room. 


Thus Love – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025
Thus Love – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025

As the crowd slowly filtered into Union Transfer, claiming their balcony sections and grabbing drinks at the bar, Thus Love entered the stage and gave a captivating half-hour performance. The four-piece band – featuring two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer, with occasional keys – delivered a set filled with driving beats and raw emotion. I was extremely impressed by the lead singer Echo Mars, a truly remarkable band leader with raw star quality. He stood out with a powerful, unique vocal tone that was both dynamic and deeply engaging. While he didn't have many interactions with the crowd – likely due to nerves and the fact that only half of the audience was present for most of their set – his vocals did all of the talking for him and left everyone thoroughly impressed. 


Thus Love – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025
Thus Love – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025

Their talent and quality of musical excellence won over the audience pretty quickly, which can be difficult as an opening act. My favorite songs that they played were "Birthday Song," because of the vulnerability in the lyrics, and "Lost in Translation," due to the chaotic synths and commanding dual guitar solos. I loved seeing the way the band interacted, their chemistry incredibly palpable. As it turns out, their group started as a trio of roommates writing music during the start of the pandemic, putting their quarantine downtime into their first ever album. You could feel that intimate dynamic amongst the band members as they played. I briefly spoke to the group after the show by the merch stand, and they were very humble and appreciative. They gained some new fans in Philadelphia, and I am excited to see where they go in their musical careers.


The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025
The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025

You could feel the tension in the room as the audience waited for the first of the fourteen-stop tours to begin. The Vaccines entered the stage at 9 p.m., for the first time in Philadelphia in over a decade, and for the first time performing live as a band in two months. The night kicked off with "Love to Walk Away," an upbeat tune from their newest 2024 album, Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations. The crowd's enthusiasm surged as the band followed the song with an oldie titled "Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)," released in 2011 as a part of their album What Did You Expect from The Vaccines? The band made a point to show appreciation to their committed fans of over a decade, who joined in, screaming every word of the throwback song. 


The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025
The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025

Lead singer Justin Young's charismatic stage presence was evident as he engaged the audience with every lyric. He stayed consistently in tune with his audience, asking questions and responding to random shouts from fans between songs, even having personal conversations with front-row concert goers. Some of the longest-time fans in the audience had even been to their last show in Philadelphia twelve years prior. Some fans told Young that they'd be following the band on the tour, coming to subsequent shows in Brooklyn, Boston, and even Chicago. At one point in the night, fans began chanting for our Philadelphia NFL team, so Justin decided to dedicate a song to them, saying, "Well, alright, this next one is for The Eagles."

 

Overall, the band was really tight, a result of a decade and a half of playing together. The instrumental solos were really awesome, and the musicians laughed and bounced off of one another. Young made sure to introduce the entire band to the audience, allowing each member to receive the applause they deserved. Their feel-good, nostalgic sound lifted people to a whole new level.


The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025
The Vaccines – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – January 16, 2025 – Photo by Shannon Sophy © 2025

Predictably, fans were not prepared to say goodbye to the treasured group, clapping and shouting after The Vaccines exited the stage, until the band returned for their encore. The encore was a perfect finale, beginning with the heartfelt "Sometimes, I Swear." (my personal favorite song in the album), "Take It Easy," "Lunar Eclipse" and "All My Friends Are Falling in Love." The entire venue erupted in a euphoric celebration, a testament to The Vaccines' ability to connect with their audience. Their lyrics are very vulnerable and poetic, portraying lyrical excellence, a notable addition to their intricate compositions that their songs exemplify. 


The band thanked the audience, leaving the stage, the closing of the show leaving all of their fans wanting more. The lights came up over Union Transfer, the energy of the room was light and energetic. Everyone smiling and talking amongst themselves about their favorite moments of the performance as they trickled out into the cold city streets. I am hoping that they don't wait another decade to make their return to Philadelphia. They are absolutely worth seeing live, especially if you are a fan of their indie style of music and are okay with shedding a tear here and there.


Brenna Hallman


Copyright ©2025 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: January 19, 2025.


Photos by Shannon Sophy © 2025. All rights reserved.





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