Two young and incredibly electric bands descended on the great city of Philadelphia this past Friday (February 23) for one show you wouldn’t want to miss. Jane Remover and Quannnic brought their Designated Dreams tour to Philly’s Ukie Club, a small basement that on an average day acts as Ukrainian American Citizens Association. This particular night though, kids with dyed hair and piercings took over the 400-capacity venue for a night of heartfelt vocal performances and otherworldly musicianship. Remover and Quannic both released sophomore LPs in the fall of 2023, Quannic’s Stepdream and Remover’s Census Designated each showcased the individual band’s unique take on modern pop and rock. Hearing these studio albums is one thing, but to fully understand the nuance of these songs, catching these artists live is a must.
If Quannnic is ever performing in your general area, sprint to these shows. Their shoegaze style on their studio albums truly comes to life in a live setting. The dynamics of their work come alive in a live setting, huge heads of hair swaying to the distorted guitar tones, which by the way was the highlight of the show. The guitar player here evoked a plethora of emotions, bouncing from lush dream-pop to heady alt-punk. All of this is anchored by the stunning vocal performance of bandleader Nick Quan. Their notes dive deep into baritone territory while the live arrangements make them sound almost cartoonish. An echo effect makes their heavy emotions all the more palpable, thickening the air in the room with soaring melodies and hectic guitar chords. They make the type of music that suits a dusty old bar well, the dense textures fill out the high ceilings.
To say their performance was magical is cliche, almost embarrassing for a writer to rely on such a boring adjective. To be frank, that might be the best description possible and Jane Remover was no different. With a more lyrical performance, Remover cut through the crowded room with surgical precision. With the stage presence of a veteran and a vocal range with attention-demanding highs, Remover felt right at home in the Ukie Club. Playing through favorites from her aforementioned, critically acclaimed sophomore effort while tossing in cult classics from her earlier work. What was so mesmerizing about Remover’s set was her ability to translate her complex production work into a live set. The glitchy hyper-pop Remover creates could have easily gotten lost in translation. Miraculously, these sounds sounded even better live. With her vocals more prominent, the nuance of songwriting was able to come alive.
If you missed Quannnic and Jane Remover while they were in your city, this is your sign to not let it happen again. Each band brought such a uniqueness that echoed throughout Philadelphia that night. The night saw two young artists looking to etch their name in your brain, putting their all out there and fearlessly navigating a packed room. Quannnic and Remover’s time on the road came to an end that same weekend when they performed in Boston on February 25.
