Tilted Records & 4333 present;
The Shampoo 7" release show
Benny P, Log Flume, Gripper, Shampoo
Ortlieb's
847 N 3rd St.
June 12, 2026
If it has not yet been stated that we have a power pop scene here in Philly, then let me say: we officially have a power pop scene.
There are many different music scenes happening in Philly at the moment. There have been scenes that never completely go away, that somehow continue to move forward attempting to spawn new ideas from the fertile detritus of old genres. Philly has always had punk; Philly has always had hardcore. There has been some form of noise-rock pushing around the edges of these genres, and there have been bands that always do metal, or crust. Power pop is a more elusive genre. In music history, it has arrived in ebbs and flows, emerging in unlikely areas (eg Teenage Fanclub coming up in early '90s underground U.K. subculture). Similarly, in Philly, it comes and goes — usually as a single band or entity emerging that embodies that sound. But we are now seeing many bands locking en masse into the big catchy melodies, chiming guitars, hooks and harmonies that define the genre.
I saw power pop take over this past weekend at Ortlieb's. With the heat wave upon us, you'd think that the audience might have been in a more tense mood, but the energy inside the bar Friday night was relaxed and affable. It was the perfect setting for good-vibes music, and Benny P made a perfect opener. They have a slightly sweet, effervescent, emotional sound with sparkly guitar and close harmony vocals. In the same vein, the third band, Log Flume, really caught me by surprise. I've seen their name before, but I was struck by their live performance. Log Flume is also the only band I've seen in Philly (aside from Mesh) to employ the use of a 12-string electric, which gave their act a special shimmer. Both Benny P and Log Flume pull from a multi-decade history in their employment of power pop. I hear a lot of '60s, '70s, and even bits of the '80s and '90s. Benny P is slightly more twee with touches of '60s or '90s jangle. Log Flume seemed able to borrow from '70s arena rock (like Cheap Trick) while tempering it with with their adeptness at swapping vocal roles, which allowed the crew to change mood and sound throughout their set.
It's no coincidence that Gripper sounds like "ripper." They have a hard rock edge and sounded right at home on this bill. Most people who attend live shows have already heard Gripper, because that band really gets around. They were definitely the loudest of the four groups; despite or maybe because of their superlative nature, they can slide comfortably onto the docket for many different types of shows. This night they particularly ripped. Luk, the singer, is a fantastic ball of energy; the band exudes confidence and bravado. Before Shampoo emerged, people were jubilant and engaged, shouting and ready for the show.
Shampoo seemed a little taken aback at the reception, and gave, at least to my memory, one of their most impressive sets using that audience energy and nerves to really pep-up their songs.
A giant papier-mâché shampoo bottle was set up on stage (is one the coolest stage props I've seen). It stood about five feet tall, was carnation pink with a baby blue cap, had "Shampoo" written in gorgeous font across it, and had comical frothy bubbles pouring out the top. Shampoo is one of the only bands I can think of that's mining back to the '50s with their sound, but I also hear a touch of refined Costello-pop in there as well. It's all close harmonies and sparkly strat-tone, delivered without sounding campy or overwrought. The set was capped off with a sweet little banger. "Don't Call Me Baby." off their new seven inch. It hits all those lulling falsetto highs that pull you longingly back to an era none of us were alive for, but somehow miss. Pretty stuff.
