Bush Tetras – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA – May 20, 2017 (A PopEntertainment.com Concert Revi

Updated: Jun 27, 2022

Bush Tetras – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA – May 20, 2017

On May 20, the New York punk rockers Bush Tetras made a super-rare appearance in Philly at Johnny Brenda’s. Originally formed in 1979, the group, as led by Cynthia Sley, still sound like nothing else. They obliterated a welcoming Philadelphia crowd, leaving the ears and bodies of all desiring more inscrutable beats.

Sley is a commanding band leader, stirring the crowd with drumsticks and theatrical hand gestures. Pat Place’s sizzling guitar and Dee Pop’s arresting drum beats combined with newer member Val Opielski’s bass to make songs like “Too Many Creeps” as fresh and wondrous as ever. Sley dedicated “Heart Attack” to the late Chris Cornell in a poignant moment. New musical works appeared too, making one hope that this was not just a one-off departure from NYC for this formidable quartet.

Chris Sikich