As many people did, I recognized how spoiled I was with live music experiences as soon as they were taken away during COVID-19. Ever since the outbreak, I’ve been trying to make a greater effort to participate in the local music scene. I knew Echo Kid was going to perform at Milkboy in Philly this month, so I got two of my friends to come with me to the show. As New Jersey residents, we are no strangers to the PATCO train and made our way into the city for the night.

Getting off at 9th/10th and Locust, it was only a 10-minute walk to the venue. By happy accident, we arrived early enough to get some food before the show started. We claimed our corner of the bar before scanning the food and drink menus. We shared some excellent chicken tenders and pretzel bites with cheese sauce while sipping our drinks.

Before we knew it, it was time to make our way upstairs to secure a spot in front of the stage. I had never been to this venue before and was appreciative of the second bar upstairs and the myriad coat hooks to hang my jacket. There was much more space available than I was anticipating. The bar was set away from the music. People filled the space, but you could choose to be right up front with the music or appreciate it from a distance. I ordered the Gansett & Jack drink special from the City Wide menu, a habit I picked up after my brother lived in Rhode Island and I stayed in Narragansett while visiting.

My friends and I ran into another group of people I knew through the band, and we made our way to where they were standing near the stage. The band opened with one of its new songs from the EP Regolith, “Sunshine,” and it was the perfect way to get the crowd going. It ended up being a perfect Thursday night and a great way to shake up my weekly routine!

— Fiona Stewart, account executive