Mt. Joy in Camden, NJ: A Night Full of Celebration and Joy
Updated: 5 minutes ago
There’s rarely such a fitting band name as Mt. Joy. Playing to the largest home crowd they’ve had – yes, I’m counting Freedom Mortgage Pavilion as a Philly venue – the band turned their Camden show into a celebration of the city where they got their start.
Touring in honor of their ten-year anniversary, Mt. Joy are currently made up of Matt Quinn (vocals and guitar), Sam Cooper (guitar), Jackie Miclau (keys), Sotiris Eliopoulos (drums), and Michael Byrnes (bass). Before the show, Mt. Joy surprised fans at the tailgate party with a brief set from the back of a pickup truck. It was a moment that set the tone for the rest of the night: nothing felt too much or particularly off-limits. A large amphitheater show could have easily felt disconnected, but Mt. Joy are a band that manage to make any space feel personal.
Opening with “Lemon Tree,” followed by “Sheep” and “Orange Blood,” Mt. Joy quickly established the energy that would carry through the nearly two-hour set. There is something different about seeing Mt. Joy live than listening to them on a record. Their songs may have an easygoing quality, but onstage they were constantly pushing them into something bigger, whether through an extended solo, the entire band jamming out for an extra minute, or even just a rockier edge to their folk songs.
They were also determined to work as many Philadelphia references into the night as possible, starting with openers SNACKTIME. The seven-piece Philly band brought their mix of funk, soul, hip-hop and jazz to the stage before making room for Quinn, who joined them for a song. SNACKTIME later returned the favor, joining Mt. Joy during “Let Loose” and “Lucy,” with the former turning into a snippet of Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.”
They weren’t the only guests that Mt. Joy brought out. Amos Lee came out for “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and Eagles mascot Swoop made an appearance during “Johnson Song,” proving that there is no such thing as too much Philadelphia for one night.
They closed the main set with “Silver Lining” before returning for an encore that included “Bathroom Light,” Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” with SNACKTIME, and finally “Astrovan.”
It would be easy to describe the show as a good time. It was. But that leaves out so much of what makes Mt. Joy special. There is a looseness to their performances that makes it feel like anything could happen, whether that means a surprise pickup-truck set before the doors open, guest artists popping onstage for songs, or a cover that makes you forget it is one. By the end of the night, Mt. Joy had managed to make a massive amphitheater feel intimate, just a large crowd dancing together in celebration and joy.
They’re nearing the end of their tour, with a couple of more dates left this year. Check them out here, and view the full gallery from Camden, NJ below.
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