After The Walkmen canceled a 2012 show at the Electric Factory, they served a spaghetti dinner. The band is back in Philly after a decade.
The Philly connected band is back in terrific form, returning from "extreme hiatus," playing Union Transfer on Wednesday and Thursday.
Taylor Swift isn’t the only one doing three shows in Philadelphia.
The Walkmen played its first show in its former home base of Philly in nearly a decade on Tuesday night, kicking off a trio of performances at Union Transfer. With a tight, bright, as-if-they-never-left performance that’s part of the band’s return from “extreme hiatus.”
The always well-dressed Hamilton Leithauser-led band released seven albums between 2002 and 2012, and was closely identified with other New York garage-rock punk revival bands such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Strokes, the latter of whom the band sometimes sounds like, but with an artier, more gentlemanly spin.
But the quintet whose members are all originally from Washington, D.C., have always had Philly ties. Bass player and organist Peter Michael Bauer lived in East Mount Airy for a time and drummer Matt Barrick still lives here.
On Tuesday, Leithauser — who was in fine voice despite what he said were the aftereffects of an ill-advised swim in New York’s Sheepshead Bay the day before — shouted out the band’s nearby former rehearsal space at 9th and Girard.
The Union Transfer shows are taking place at a venue at which the band, which also includes Paul Maroon and Walter Martin, has a storied history.
After the group canceled a 2012 show at the Electric Factory, the Walkmen made it up to Philly fans by serving them a spaghetti dinner at Union Transfer, a nod to the building’s previous history as a Spaghetti Warehouse.
That show in January 2013 was followed by another at UT in December of 2013 that was the group’s next-to-last show before the members called it quits for a decade and worked on various solo projects.
This month, the band reunited with one show in Rhode Island, a stop on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to perform its signature song, “The Rat” (which was also delivered in a ripping version at UT), and a five-night stand in New York before heading to Philly.
There’s no word yet on whether new music is part of the reactivated Walkmen’s plan. Here’s hoping it is.
The Walkmen with Lily at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., at 8 p.m. on May 3 and 4. $38. utphilly.com.