MX Lonely - Philadelphia, PA - 03.05.26

On Thursday night at Nikki Lopez, the air in South Philly felt heavy with the kind of anticipation usually reserved for a revival tent. But MX Lonely wasn't there to save souls; they were there to exorcise them. Touring behind their visceral debut LP, All Monsters, the Brooklyn-based outfit transformed the intimate space into a cavernous theater of "grunge-gaze" catharsis.

The set was a masterclass in tension and release. From the opening feedback of "Kill the Candle," it was clear that lead singer Rae Haas was in full command. Navigating the stage with a jittery, theatrical energy that sat somewhere between a contemporary dance piece and a front-row mosh pit, they delivered a vocal performance that swung from a haunting whisper to a guttural, bone-shaking howl.

The night featured a surprise behind the drum kit, as Josh Skoudis stepped in to fill in for Andrew Rapp. While he was a last-minute addition for this leg of the tour, you wouldn’t have known it from the precision of the set. Skoudis locked in perfectly with Gabriel Garman’s lurching bass lines, providing a muscular foundation for Jake Harms’ spidery, dissonant guitar work. Whether they were churning through the seasick sludge of "Return to Sender" or the expansive, atmospheric "When I Go Dark," the rhythm section kept the chaos strictly controlled.

By the time the band reached the climax of "All Monsters Go To Heaven," the room was a blur of feedback and sweat. It wasn't just a concert; it was a communal release. MX Lonely has spent years in the trenches of the New York DIY scene, but on this tour, they’ve emerged as something much more formidable: a band that doesn't just play through the pain they make it resonate.