For the second show review for The Scope of, Mike (Bring the Noise Photography) and I attended Oso Oso’s album release show at the Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia for their new record “life till bones”.

The local opener was Philly veterans Brackish. I’ve seen them in opening slots a few times over the years, and they always deliver. They brought their high-energy mix of emo and pop punk to the stage, warming up the crowd with a tight, professional set of fast and soft songs.

Next up was Pictures of Vernon, a band I’d never heard of before. I was blown away by their set, which transported me right back to the emo revival with tappy, twinkly guitars and intense vocals. As a trio, I was surprised when the drummer took on lead vocal duties, but he handled it exceptionally well. After just two songs, I added their entire discography to my Midwest Emo playlist. The highlight of their set was the incredible guitar playing from Page Ragan, one of the best Midwest emo guitarists I’ve ever heard live. I’m now very excited to dive into their discography.

I spent the days after Oso Oso’s album release show with their discography on shuffle. Interestingly, the band I heard on the records perfectly matched the live version I just saw. Eddy Rodriguez fit in seamlessly on guitar, effortlessly handling the bands classic percussive lead guitars and solos. Cole Szilagyi nailed the band’s bouncy bass lines, which blended perfectly with Jordan Krimston’s drumming. The band played a 21-song set, featuring tracks from all five of their LPs, with a focus on “life till bones” for the album release.

One of the highlights of the set came in the middle of the show when Jade Lilitri performed three songs solo on acoustic guitar. He started with the emotional “seesaw” from the new album, clearly excited to finally play it live—he almost skipped two full-band songs to get to it! He followed with crowd favorites “this must be my exit” and “one sick plan.” As Lilitri played, his connection with the crowd was palpable. This didn’t feel like just another show; it felt like a special moment in the band’s career, showcasing what makes their music resonate. Oso Oso might not be the most technically skilled band, but their songs connect with people, and witnessing that live was something special.

One of the night’s biggest surprises was the mosh pit that broke out during “the view.” The crowd’s energy matched the band’s, singing along to almost every song. Even the newer material was well-received, with possibly the loudest crowd reaction during the new single “all of my love”—they even nailed the syncopated clapping in the first chorus!

The band closed their set by asking us to choose between “shoes” and “dig.” When both songs received a warm reception, they played both! This was especially exciting for me since “shoes” was one of the first Oso Oso songs I fell in love with, and I didn’t get to hear it live when I saw them in early 2020. “dig” ended the set with its classic post-rock outro, a perfect way to wrap up the night.

Overall, this was a fantastic show, and I highly recommend seeing Oso Oso live with this current lineup. This performance far surpassed their 2020 show, and I’m already counting down the days until I can see them again.

Oso Oso Setlist -Kung Fu Necktie – 8/12/24

many ways 

country club 

the cool 

reindeer games 

where you’ve been hiding 

all of my love 

that’s what time does 

the view 

describe you 

dog without it’s bark 

skippy

basking in the glow 

seesaw

this must be my exit

one sick plan

pensacola

computer exploder 

track 1, side a 

gb/ol h/nf

shoes 

dig

all photos by Mike Capuano

written by Bryan Williams