Brigitte Calls Me Baby Bring Arena-ready Synth-rock to Philadelphia’s The Foundry (SHOW REVIEW)

A couple of years ago, just days after the release of their debut LP, Brigitte Calls Me Baby walked out onto the Lollapalooza stage to play in front of thousands. Months later, they continued to perform for huge crowds, opening for bands like Fontaines D.C., Muse, The Last Dinner Party, and playing several shows in Europe with Morrissey.

And when the Chicago band took a much smaller stage in Philadelphia on May 12th as part of their latest headlining tour, they showed just as much energy and enthusiasm performing in front of the few hundred fans who came out on a Tuesday night. “You guys showed up for us before a lot of other people ever did, and we don’t forget that,” said bassist Devin Wessels.

The band opened their set with the guitar-driven “Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction,” off their latest effort, and it was quickly met with an enthusiastic response from a Philly crowd not known for handing out easy approval – even to those they love (just ask the Phillies, the Eagles, or pretty much any local team). The crowd matched the band’s energy throughout the entire set.

They played a solid mix of songs from the newly released Irreversible and their 2024 debut, The Future Is Our Way Out. The band’s influences are clear: an inspired blend of ’80s college synth-rock bands like The Smiths, The Cure, and Echo & The Bunnymen, alongside more recent acts like The Strokes and Interpol. Singer Wes Leavins’ smooth crooning style recalls Brett Anderson and, of course, Morrissey – but also Roy Orbison.

About two-thirds into the show, the band broke out the only cover of the night, a stellar version of The Strokes’ “Is This It,” which managed to pay homage to the now 25-year-old classic while also giving it a distinctly synth-heavy makeover.

Closing out their set with a two-song encore—“I Danced With Another Love in My Dream,” from their new record, and the title track from The Future Is Our Way Out – Brigitte Calls Me Baby played with the same urgency and swagger as if they were back in Manchester, performing for 23,000 people opening for Morrissey. On a random Tuesday night in Philadelphia, in front of a small but engaged crowd, they proved they have just as much substance as style – the kind of band capable of making even the smallest room feel like the center of the universe for an hour and a half.