IDLES / MANNEQUIN PUSSY 6.20.2023

Photos and Words By Danielle Ciampaglia

"Get ready!" yelled the Franklin Music Hall security guards, as if we were going to war.

Not so much war as it was Mannequin Pussy about to take the stage. 

I've been trying to see a Mannequin Pussy show for a long time - the group of Philly legends was hard for me to catch in their hometown until now. Their songs were quick and loud, their stage presence enthralling and commanding without needing to say much to the audience at all. 

A few more warnings from security to be alert. They seemed to expect anarchy in the form of a bunch of kids crowd surfing. 

There are few bands who have the same control of the room that Idles has. When frontman Joe Talbot tells the packed crowd to split in half and open the pit - they do it expeditiously. 

Talbot's little stomp around the stage is endlessly endearing - along with pretty much the band's whole vibe. They're mad, yes. They're frustrated, absolutely. But through their banter, through their cohesiveness on stage, there's a mutual respect for each other and their fans that crawled its way into my heart and stayed there long after the end of the show. 

MANNEQUIN PUSSY

IDLES