Music Is Supposed to Move You
The Babe Rainbow did. My oblique is still recovering.
As I was driving home from the show, I started feeling a pain in my side.
That’s when I realized I must have pulled something doing the Hippie Shake.
The show in question was The Babe Rainbow at The Foundry at the Fillmore in Philadelphia.
Their music was so intoxicating that I spent most of the night dancing, swaying, and occasionally jumping up and down—not exactly recommended exercise for a man whose fitness routine consists primarily of walking to the deli for a cheesesteak.
To make matters worse, this show came immediately after a week-long work trip to Las Vegas. I landed back in Philly the night before, went to work the next day, then headed straight to the venue after work, finally getting home around midnight.
I regret nothing.
The evening opened with Sam Blasucci, a singer-songwriter who put on a really enjoyable set. Later in the night, I realized he was also The Babe Rainbow’s drummer.
So this guy can sing, play guitar, play drums...
...and he looks like Zach Braff…
I hated him.
Just kidding.
He closed his set with a cover of “Linger” by The Cranberries, joined by The Babe Rainbow’s lead singer on drums and their bass player. As my friend Jake said in the moment, it was an absolute crowd-pleaser.
Next up was Sam & Louise Sullivan, an indie folk-pop sibling duo from Philadelphia.
Two Sams in one night?
A Sam-tastic evening?
At the merch table, I ended up talking with Sam’s wife—the Sullivan Sam, who confirmed that Sam and Louise are, in fact, brother and sister.
They have this look that, if you squint just a little, starts to resemble Greg and Marcia Brady. Honestly, they should just lean into it and add “Sunshine Day” to the setlist.
I enjoyed their set. The songwriting was strong. Sam has a wonderfully awkward stage dance that somehow becomes part of the charm, but the real standout for me was the harmony between Louise and Emily, the keyboard player. Every time those two sang together, the songs seemed to lift off the stage.
Then came The Babe Rainbow.
The guitarist looks like Thor.
The singer looks like Kurt Cobain if Kurt had embraced falsetto vocals and oversized sunglasses.
And, as promised, Sam was now behind the drum kit.
These guys might be the coolest people I’ve ever seen on a stage.
They’re effortlessly cool—not the kind of cool that feels manufactured, but the kind that makes you think maybe wearing a rainbow shirt really is a personality trait.
More importantly, they write the kind of music that makes standing still feel like the wrong decision.
By the second song, people all over the room were dancing with the same joyful lack of coordination as Sam Sullivan.
It was impossible not to smile.
On the drive to Philadelphia, I listened to The Babe Rainbow’s newest album, Acid and Honey. My early favorites were “Mangoes,” “Horizon,” and “Camouflage.” On the flight home from Vegas, I went even deeper into their catalog.
If you’ve never listened to The Babe Rainbow before, do yourself a favor. Their music is mellow without being sleepy, psychedelic without trying too hard, and somehow manages to make everything feel like a warm summer afternoon.
My only disappointment of the night was the merch table.
The Babe Rainbow had a shirt I desperately wanted so my friend Jake from 4th Cone Dyes could work his tie-dye magic on it.
Unfortunately, they only had an extra small.
I briefly considered buying it anyway, having Jake dye it, and giving it away. Jake quickly pointed out that an extra-small giveaway probably wasn’t going to attract the masses.
Fair point.
So... no shirt.
I also would’ve picked up one of their records, but they packed up the merch table before the show ended. I always like buying merch after the show so I don’t have to hold a record all night long.
Sam & Louise were selling CDs.
I don’t buy CDs.
Give me vinyl.
Give me cassettes.
I’ll even buy a cassette before a CD just because it scratches that nostalgia itch.
Of course, my kids would probably do the exact opposite.
To them, CDs are vintage.
That sentence physically hurts me.
I also wasn’t crazy about the Sam & Louise shirts. Personally, I’d rather wear a cool piece of artwork than a shirt that’s mostly just the band’s name.
Overall, it was a fantastic night.
I left with a pulled muscle, a few new favorite songs, and a reminder that the best concerts don’t just entertain you.
They move you.
Sometimes...
...a little too literally.
And someday, I still hope to grow up to be as cool as the lead singer of The Babe Rainbow.
