Sunshine Rock: The Lemon Twigs in Philadelphia

Samantha Blyn
15 hours ago
2 min read

The Lemon Twigs | by Samantha Blyn for Zany Waves

When the weather gets warm, all I want to hear is jangly power pop and shimmery rock and roll. Sometimes, that means I’m stuck in the 70’s come springtime, but a contemporary act that always cuts through is The Lemon Twigs. Brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario have honed their nostalgia-inspired sound to create fresh indie rock that avoids feeling gimmicky. On the eve of their sixth album’s release, they floated into Philadelphia to play at Union Transfer.

Opening the show was the New York-based Josephine Network, whose high-energy set established the perfect tone for the evening. While the band’s sound was in a similar vein as The Lemon Twigs, their guitar harmonies lent a bit more of a glam feel. Their opening song, “Hooked,” off their recent album of the same name, made an instant Josephine Network fan out of me.

The Twigs took the stage and kicked off with “My Golden Years,” rolling right into the standalone single “I’ve Got A Broken Heart.” The crowd was equally excited to hear cuts from the previous Lemon Twigs releases as well as the new album, Look For Your Mind!, which, at the time of the show, was mere hours away from being released. Midway through the set, they played the title track and “2 or 3,” whose recorded version features Eva Chambers, bassist of Tchotchke.

Helping to round out the live sound were drummer Reza Matin and bassist Danny Ayala. The vocal harmonies throughout the set were just as strong as on the records, and the band even swapped instruments for a few songs. Michael and Brian became the rhythm section, playing drums and bass, respectively, Danny played keys, and Reza grabbed the Rickenbacker.

With a fairly even mix of newer and older tunes, The Lemon Twigs put on a killer show that left the crowd wanting more, even after 23 songs. It finally feels like spring.