Boygenius – TD Pavilion at the Mann Center – Philadelphia (A PopEntertainment.com Concert Review)

Boygenius – TD Pavilion at the Mann Center – Philadelphia, PA – September 30, 2023

Saturday was a night for a supergroup as Boygenius took to stage in Philly. The group is made up of Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers. The three singers have successful musical careers of their own but combined their unbelievable vocals and changed the game.

Their first release was “boygenius,” an EP released in 2018 with hits “Salt In The Wound” and “Bite The Hand.” Their first album The Record was released March 31 of this year and hit number one on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums. “Not Strong Enough” off The Record is the biggest song in their career, hitting number one on the Billboard charts and over 50 million streams on Spotify. This was their first show in Philadelphia, and it was a big one, with a sold-out crowd of 14,000.

Boygenius’ long-awaited first-ever local show was worth waiting for. Fans of all ages and backgrounds gathered together in the TD Pavilion on a beautiful fall night. “The Boys Are Back In Town” by Thin Lizzy started playing while fans were impatiently waiting for the group to come out. It got quiet and a live video from backstage of the three singing “Without You Without Them” began. Fans were crying and singing along with them when the song ended, and the camera followed the three running to the stage. Bridgers, Baker, and Dacus entered the stage wearing their classic business dress of white button ups and gray slacks.

Starting off strong, they kicked it off with one of their more upbeat songs, “$20.” The next four songs came from their newest album. Then, throwing it back to their self-titled EP, they played “Souvenir” and “Bite The Hand.”

Concertgoers were truly in awe of Bridgers, Dacus, and Baker and were belting out the beautifully written and relatable lyrics with the singers. Each of the band members then performed one of their solo songs with the other two members doing backup vocals, giving the audience an updated version of their singles. Lucy Dacus performed her song “Please Stay” with Bridgers and Baker backing her up with angelic vocals. Julien Baker performed “Favor” and the audience was singing along and swaying as it came to an end. The crowd went wild for Phoebe’s song “Graceland Too” and it sounded like everyone knew every single word.

Then, they gave the audience a sneak peek into their new EP coming out on October 13th titled “The Rest,” by playing a new song called “Power.” They followed that with their gut wrenching “Me & My Dog,” which had many in the crowd in tears. Prior to the show starting, a fan organized a project and handed everyone colored pieces of paper to hold over their flashlights during “Me & My Dog.” It lit up the venue in beautiful rainbow colors. The band was touched and exclaimed how much it meant to them.

Bridgers then requested everyone keep their phones and cameras away for her performance of “Letter to an Old Poet.” She walked around the entire venue through the crowds and sang with the fans as they were heard in the microphone alongside Bridgers. She ran back up on stage for their biggest hit “Not Strong Enough.” This brought the energy level up just enough before they left the stage before the encore. Then, after “Ketchum, ID,” they ended the whole night with “Salt In The Wound,” a song that showcases their vocal ranges and how well their voices blend.

The show was incredible and well worth the wait for Philly fans. Keep an eye out for the new EP “The Rest,” coming out on October 13.

Maria Gilles