by Ziggy Merritt
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who has as much fun on stage as Diet Cig’s own Alex Luciano. Thursday night at PhilaMOCA showcased her talent for rambunctious acrobatics and refreshingly if somewhat brutally honest songwriting alongside bandmate and drummer Noah Bowman.
The sold-out show was a benefit for Girls Rock Philly, a non-profit after-school program empowering girls, young women, and trans youth in the greater Philadelphia region through music education. GRP’s own alums, Wolf Pack, opened the show to a crowd who enthusiastically ate up their good-natured vibes and eagerness to perform. They capped off with an impressive cover of Best Coast’s “I Don’t Know How” and their own single “Lies.” Wolf Pack was of course also featured in Diet Cig’s video for their single “Tummy Ache” off of their full-length debut, Swear I’m Good At This.
Philly favorites, Sports, followed up with an equally infectious set, greeted by the usual whoops of their name after each track. Equal parts pop and punk contributed to a set featuring favorites such as “Saturday” and “Get Bummed Out”, both belted out with an inspiring earnesty so reflective of their chill attitude.
Diet Cig’s eventual turn at the mic revitalized a room that, not long after Sports left the stage, grew hot with anticipation and a thick, visible sheen of sweat. Luciano’s jumps on and off the amps and drum set and general zany theatrics complimented her own direct and conversational lyrics that go anywhere from hooking up in the back of a car (“Sixteen”) to just straight up telling jerks to fuck off (“Link in Bio”). Her latent superpower for hooking up directly to a crowd’s energy empowered her to deliver a thrilling performance that promised a safe, inclusive place for all.
You can check out Diet Cig’s music video for “Tummy Ache” below featuring members of Wolf Pack. Follow Girls Rock Philly on Twitter and Facebook for ways to support music education for young women and trans youth in Philadelphia.
