THE GROWLERS
The Growlers, Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA 4/21/2026
Ever since missing The Growlers in 2016, I had been waiting nearly 10 years for another chance to see them live. Returning to Union Transfer made the experience feel even more special — the perfect way to make up for lost time.
With no opening act, the night belonged entirely to The Growlers, giving the crowd a full two hours of music to soak in. They kicked things off with “Drinkin’ the Juice Blues (Hashima),” a 2011 favorite that had the entire room singing along from the start.
Midway through the set, the energy surged when they played “Love Test,” sending the crowd into a wave of nostalgia for their incredible 2014 album Chinese Fountain. They kept the momentum going with crowd favorites like “Night Ride” before diving into songs from City Club, including my personal favorite, “I’ll Be Around,” which closed out the main set perfectly.
After a quick encore break, the band returned to deliver a final run of songs: “Feel My Funk,” “Empty Bones,” and “Going Gets Tough.” It was the ideal ending to an unforgettable night.
Hopefully, they don’t make Philadelphia wait as long next time, because everyone at Union Transfer left knowing they had witnessed something special.
Shot and Written by Jonah van Bemmelen
