Photos and article by Paul Monahas
One of the most influential post-hardcore bands of the 2000s, Silverstein, chose to start their 2025 world tour in Philadelphia! On my way to the Fillmore in Philadelphia, PA, I was able to jam out to all the bands that were going to be playing this insane lineup. I’ve been a fan of Silverstein since I was in middle school, so this was an amazing opportunity to hear songs from every album! Now, this isn’t my first time going to the Fillmore. I’ve been there for concerts before, but this was my first time being able to work with their staff. They had propane heaters outside for all the people who were going into the venue and were amazing to work and chat with. Everyone who was already inside was either waiting to buy merch or talking to their friend groups or the strangers they met that night. One of the first things you notice when you walk towards the stage is the beautiful giant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
Kicking off Silverstein‘s “25 Years of Noise,” coming all the way from the UK for their first tour in the U.S., was a band named Split Chain! Crowd surfers were already up and ready as Split Chain played their heavy melodic take on alternative music. You would think Split Chain would have a long history in making and performing their music, but they actually released their first single in 2023! Only having eight singles and one cover of “I Don’t Wanna Be Me” by Type O Negative leaves fans of the band ready for their next releases. With this tour, I’m excited for the band’s future and upcoming plans of their debut headlining U.S. show at NYC’s TV EYE in Brooklyn.
SPLIT CHAIN | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X
The next band that got on stage was Canadian emo band Arm’s Length. The band let all of the fans in the Fillmore know that this was the biggest room they had played to date, which made the fans want to show them their hard work had paid off. Judging by how all the fans were reacting- between the groups of people singing the lyrics back to them and the dancers moshing- you could tell they had grown a strong fan base. You could feel the energy start to kick up during their set, and the band also noticed, letting all of us know that Philadelphia is still one of their favorite cities to perform in. With an already strong discography, the band played a new song, titled “Funny Face,” while playing all their songs from their 2022 album, Never Before Seen, Never Again Found. I will be seeing them again on their next run on the East Coast; this band has left an amazing impression on me!
ARM’S LENGTH | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X
Finishing up the supporting acts was none other than Thursday, a New Jersey post-hardcore band formed in 1997, which was very influential in the 2000s post-hardcore and emo scene for their darker sound and heavy screaming vocals. You could feel the energy coming from the die hard fans that were able to secure a spot upfront. One cool thing I noticed was they had Wade MacNeil from Alexisonfire on guitar. He will be joining them for this run of shows! Thursday preformed their never before played most recent single, “Taking Inventory of a Frozen Lake,” which was released in 2024, making it one of the first new songs they have released since 2011! Their set was packed with hit after hit, such as “Understanding in a Car Crash,” and many more. The energy they brought to the crowd just proves that Silverstein‘s choice to have them go on before they performed was the best decision. Thursday gave everyone hope that they are back in the scene and stronger than ever.
THURSDAY | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK
It was time! The lights turned off and videos began playing on each screen,showing all the band members growth throughout the years performing together. Shane Told, the vocalist, gave a voice over for all of the fans who showed up, thanking them for all the support and for helping them get to where they are today. After the videos, the words “THIS IS FOREVER” came on the screen and the band members walked out. With the eruption of the crowds’ screams and cheers, the band was ready to perform, starting with the song “Skin & Bones” off their upcoming album titled Antibloom that releases on February 21, 2025. The next song to play was another new single they just released, titled “Confession.” You could feel bond the band members have with each other because of the energy they gave out on stage and all the emotion put into the performance.
To pay tribute to the band’s history, they played their discography from newest to oldest. Having 11 albums, the crowd was able to vote for what they wanted to hear. The 20 song setlist did not disappoint. The band then proceeded to play their album from 2022, Misery Made Me, followed by their hit song, “Bad Habits.” During each song, the vocal performance from vocalist Shane Told sounded just as good as the recording, alongside his very talented band who also gave a stunning performance.
The crowd surfers kept coming through even during their more melodic songs while the crowd on the balcony danced along to the catchy melodies. The band played through the years of selected songs from each album and interacted with the crowd in between songs. Once they got to their iconic album Discovering The Waterfront, they started with track one, “Your Sword vs My Dagger,” which had everyone moving and screaming along to the lyrics, before seamlessly transitioning into the song “Call It Karma.” When they played their iconic song “Smile In Your Sleep,” you could hear everyone in the crowd singing along clearly.
The lights and smoke they had shooting from the stage only enhanced the whole show. Even when the band got off stage and Shane Told came out with his acoustic guitar to sing the song “My Heroine,” the crowd was still booming with energy, singing along and being Shane’s echo; even the crowd surfers were up and getting to the front. Shane acknowledged them by stopping the song to tell us that he loved the crowd surfers during this song. After all the members of the band were off stage, the crowed chanted “ONE MORE SONG” over and over, and they were granted that request. Silverstein‘s two encore songs were “Smashed Into Pieces” and “Bleed No More” from their 2003 debut album When Broken Is Easily Fixed. With an explosion of confetti, the band members lifted up their instruments after the final song was over and left everyone in awe, ending the first night of their world wide tour celebrating their very successful legacy as a band. The feeling of not only getting to experience their new songs but getting to hear my personal favorites from their early albums will stick with me through my concert going career.
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