Mike Posner & Adam Friedman – Theater of the Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA – April 25, 2017 (A

Updated: Mar 19, 2020

Mike Posner & Adam Friedman – Theater of the Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA – April 25, 2017

Adam Friedman and Mike Posner came to Philly to celebrate. Their show had a feeling of riding high; they were passing out handshakes and high-fives like they just won something. I guess in a way they did.

Have you ever heard of a cheese-less cheesesteak? You have now. If you’ve ever wanted to make out with Adam Friedman, all you have to do is bring him one. At least that’s what he told one fan during the show. Just in Philly-style, that’s exactly what someone brought him directly after his set.

Mike Posner would take home a different kind of trophy – the love and crazy passion of the fans at the TLA. Both had an aura of victory while taking and leaving the stage.

Adam Friedman is very literally a one-man band. The stage is set with a full lineup of instruments, so when Adam came out by himself the set up seemed questionable. However, it was not just all for show. Friedman played songs while singing from the keyboard, singing from the drums, and of course with the guitar. Both acoustic and electric.

Not to say that he was spread thin on his capabilities. He performed each task with great prowess, layering and looping his own sounds to create fully dimensional music. All the songs he played were off his brand new EPs (Green and Jam in the Van) made this year, which from a quick internet search seem to be his only albums.

One thing you can instantly recognize in Friedman is his genuine character. There is no façade. Which is something that I wouldn’t say about Mike Posner. Posner knows how big of a deal he is, and it comes off slightly arrogant at times.

Friedman was quick to start conversations with the crowd, even asking about Philly, the people and… of course… cheesesteaks. Anytime an artist comes to Philly and brings up cheesesteaks there’s an instant reaction from the audience. In this case, at the TLA, right across the street from Jim’s Steaks, one was not far.

The second best thing to eating a cheese steak, is sharing the greatness of a cheesesteak with someone for the first time. Even if you neglect the wiz and go straight steak, that’s acceptable at Jim’s simply because they have the best steak. Friedman made his plea that he has a tattered relationship with lactose. In the end, he loved that steak, even mentioning it on Instagram. He ate it while taking pictures with everyone right in the general admission area.

When Posner took the stage, the TLA turned into a huge arena like the Wells Fargo Center. It’s was an eruption of noise that seemed to shake the walls and Posner would just crack a little smile. Posner’s set list was interesting to say the least. He didn’t play anything you would expect to, like some of his biggest hit singles.

He played a mix of old and unheard songs. Along with the proclaimed Legendary Mike Posner Band, which frequently made the most of the musical interludes. Jacob Scesney on saxophone and flute stole the show on more than one occasion.

It was interesting to see Posner taking a step back at times and just watching with the audience. Then, the band would start rocking out together, face to face and even back to back. Afterwards, he would pass out handshakes and hugs to the band, like they just won something. Sometimes the whole band would end up in a huddle as if Mike were congratulating everyone.

One interesting aspect of Mike Posner’s show that the majority of the fans weren’t able to see were his shoes. A pair of all-white leather high-tops that he had written and drawn all over with sharpie. Poetry and symbolism marked his right shoe from bottom to top. The back of Mike’s piano, which was visible to the audience, also had scribbles of poetic notes and memories across the entire back side.

Posner wouldn’t end up with a free steak like Friedman, but upon leaving the stage, you would think there would be a reporter backstage ready for his congratulatory interview. Posner strolled off with a sense of great accomplishment. He wouldn’t return to the audience’s dismay, but everyone was happy to have experienced the show.

The combo of Adam Friedman and The Legendary Mike Posner Band fit together perfectly. They were able to elevate each other’s performances, while looking as cool as can be.

Nick Bergmann