Every queer, punk and queer punk in Phoenix found themselves at Crescent Ballroom on Wednesday for Laura Jane Grace and the Mississippi Medicals as their headlining tour visited the iconic Arizona space. Joined by Alex Lahey, the night contained only celebratory energy with this incredible lineup.
Aussie singer Alex Lahey is already a favorite in the Valley and fans always welcome her back with raucous cheers and sing along to all of her songs. After a sprint through “I Love You Like a Brother”, “Perth Traumatic Stress Disorder” and more, Lahey took a breather to highlight the importance of live music, safe spaces and building community in a positive way- all of which were present on Wednesday night. Her set was pure serotonin, with the whole band grinning ear to ear while jamming along with the audience. The performance flew by in a rush of good vibes that continued all the way to the merch table hangs.
Laura Jane Grace’s latest musical endeavor comes in with the Mississippi Medicals rebrand and this is another band having the time of their lives on the road this spring. This tour meshes her solo work with plenty of Against Me! material and fans of all eras had plenty to mosh to throughout the night. The band is a punk supergroup featuring Grace’s wife Paris Campbell Grace on vocals, Drive-By Truckers’ Matt Patton on guitar and The Ergs’ Mikey Erg on drums and they all bring years of energy and experience to the stage- alongside a joy to be performing for such enthusiastic audiences.
Grace is brash, unapologetic and refreshingly authentic onstage and off and she brings that free spirit to every carefully selected song on this tour’s setlist. “True Trans Soul Rebel” got the people moving while “I’m Not a Cop” got them laughing and even started a mini mosh pit. Longtime fans stayed up past their bedtimes to keep the party going and scream along to “I Was a Teenage Anarchist” and “Give Up the Ghost” before their cheers brought the band back for a four song encore. Even after the final notes faded away, fans milled around reluctant to leave but they eventually dispersed into the heat of the evening with ears ringing and the euphoria that follows special nights like these.
