FM Philly Presents: Lo-Fives, Webb Chapel, Added Dimensions, Sweepers
Launderette Records
3142 Richmond St.
Philadelphia
May 15, 2026
This bill at Launderette Records was put together by Malc of the "FM Philly" moniker. It was a blast and the order of acts was picked perfectly. I think a brief description of each band is the only way to respect that.
That said - how to describe Sweepers? The band has an unwieldy, nervous kinetic energy. Their performance imagines the world as apocalyptic and teeming with detritus and throngs of the mentally unwell. Every song they played was expressed through sixty seconds long, spastic outpourings of blast-beat drums and dissonant, strummed chords. The act was almost comedic, but it was all a little too convincing. The crowd was encouraged to throw their beer cans at the bass player, Luke. All the while, Luke consistently warned the audience that he'd had enough and was going to crack. It was easy to ignore Luke’s pleas — because lead singer Renee, who sported a vocal mic gaff-tapped to a large contractor broom, was busy butting her way in front of the crowd and nervously trying to sweep all the empty beer cans throughout the facility, twisting and twirling all the while like an indelicate trash fairy. If what I'm describing to you sounds appealing, then you might be exactly the type of degenerate this band wants in their audience. Side note: none of this would work if the band didn't have the insane chops it takes to pull it off, which they possess in droves.
Added Dimensions was the out-of-town band this evening. They hail from Richmond, Virginia, but the singer/guitarist Sarah Everton was the force behind the Philly band Blowdryer, who I remember seeing a fantastic set from back in 2015. Dimensions easily sustained the energy started by Sweepers. They had a catchy-as-fuck, femme-garage feel. Numbers were quick, tight and had a punchy quality with a little bit of kitsch and solid rock/pop songwriting. I was super pleased to see Everton still going at it strong.
Sometimes I think Launderette's lighting rig has built-in artificial intelligence. I can't think of a more perfect color combo for Webb Chapel than cyan and carnation pink. The music matched the hues, perfectly stretching from soft and serene with a kind of cold neon glow to something more fiery like a burning ember all flickering and jewel-like. Webb Chapel snaked through their set running from pretty and harmonic to powerful and fast without pushing either extreme too far. I found a couple of their songs reverberated through my head long after the show.
Lo-Fives headed this show like a crown. Culling from their experience of the last two years here in Philadelphia and their side project "Ex-Locals," they've solidified themselves as a four-piece band and really stepped forward with a growing confidence that shines through their live performance. The songs were catchy with a dissonant tinge. Tonight they were shining like a new handgun. Their sound had an angular and slightly satanic quality that made a bold exclamation point for a premium show.
