MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK/SAY ANYTHING
Motion City Soundtrack/Say Anything, The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA 1/31/2026
As a longtime fan of Motion City Soundtrack, I was thrilled when they announced a stop in Philadelphia, especially with the added bonus of co-headliners Say Anything, another defining band of the 2000s emo and indie-rock scene. The anticipation inside The Fillmore Philadelphia was palpable from the start.
Motion City Soundtrack opened the night with “Some Wear a Dark Heart,” a track from their new album The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World, immediately setting an energetic and emotionally charged tone. The band sounded tight and invigorated, balancing polished musicianship with the raw sincerity that has always defined their sound. A standout moment came with “Particle Physics,” an irresistibly upbeat new song that had the crowd bouncing along from the first note.
They closed their set with their timeless anthem “Everything Is Alright,” and the room transformed into a full-voiced singalong. For a few minutes, it felt like 2005 all over again; nostalgic, cathartic, and communal. The band exited to thunderous applause, leaving behind an electric buzz of excitement for what was still to come.
That energy only intensified when Max Bemis sprinted onto the stage. The crowd erupted as the charismatic frontman of Say Anything immediately commanded attention with his tongue-in-cheek “Willy Wonka killed a kid; justice for Augustus” shirt earning laughs before the first chord even rang out. From there, the band delivered a high-octane performance, leaping across the stage and feeding off the audience’s enthusiasm. At one point, Bemis hoisted the microphone upside down above his head, a perfectly chaotic flourish that matched the band’s unfiltered spirit.
Say Anything’s ability to connect with the Philadelphia crowd was mesmerizing. Every lyric seemed to echo back from the audience, creating a feedback loop of energy between stage and floor.
All in all, it was an unforgettable night in snowy Philadelphia; a celebration of the music that shaped a generation, performed by the very bands who helped define it.
Shot and Written by Jonah van Bemmelen
