SNACKTIME
Snacktime, The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA 4/25/2026
For a dreary day in Philadelphia, SNACKTIME was able to instantly turn the mood around at The Foundry on April 25th. SNACKTIME is a Philadelphia-based band that is composed of a seven-piece band (Nico Bryant, Sam Gellerstein, Austin Marlow, Ben Stocker, Larry Monroe Jr., Eric Sherman, and Michael Spearman).
Opening for the night was a New York City-based band called My Momma Is Here (MMIH), which offered a unique, jazzy, retro-pop sound. With the upbeat music, MMIH entertained the crowd by dancing around the stage, engaging the crowd by covering classic songs such as ‘Hollaback Girl’ (by Gwen Stefani), for example. They really brought the energy with their 8-piece band; if you have a chance to see MMIH, you’re in for a real treat with such an unconventional sound.
SNACKTIME has somehow found a way to make music that personifies ‘The City of Brotherly Love’, Philadelphia. As a seven-piece band, they capture Philadelphia’s essence with their blend of soul, funk, R&B, and rock. Initially, in 2020, they started off as a street band performing in Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia). Their ability to perform live is in part why they have been on the road to success. Each member is so dedicated to the band and their contribution to the creative sound. Along with this, they are always seen dancing and having a contagiously good time. They soon began performing as shows, drawing large crowds to the area. As their fanbase grew quickly, more doors opened, leading to bigger stages for the band. Fellow Philadelphia band Mt. Joy has welcomed them to play their hometown shows. They were able to display their raw talent on one of Philadelphia’s largest stages, introducing a whole set of fans to SNACKTIME. They have performed at impressive major festivals such as The Root Picnic, SXSW, Sea.Hear.Now, Newport Folk Festival and Lollapalooza. More recently, they were asked to represent Philadelphia in an ESPN 30 for 30 special, as well as in ads promoting America’s 250th anniversary.
IT’S SNACKTIME! As the band walked onto the stage, Philadelphia welcomed its hometown band with open arms and smiling faces. Nico Bryant, the lead singer, instantly commanded the stage with his presence and voice, reminiscent of 90’s R&B acts like Genuwine, Miguel or The Roots. SNACKTIME has the unique ability to morph each instrument’s sound (saxophone, trumpet, electric guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards/synth, drums) flawlessly, in a way that is unpredictable yet keeps the crowd on their toes. Throughout the set, they played their more popular songs from their 2024 EP, such as “SDTS” and “SPACELUV,” while also playing newer unreleased songs that will be on their upcoming album, set to come out by the end of the year. They honored the late great Brian Wilson & D’Angelo with an emotional cover of “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys. In between songs, Sam Gellerstein, the bassist, spoke about how grateful they feel to come home to such an incredible crowd, while also emphasizing the importance of community in these unprecedented times. He reminded the crowd that you are never truly alone and it's important to lean on others for support. As the show went on into the night, the band delivered a high-energy, soulful performance that the crowd could not get enough of. Overall, it was an amazing live performance from SNACKTIME, and they deserve their flowers as a new band on the rise.
Shot and Written by Sarah Bruno
