Heart Attack Man and Phoneboy kick off first night of co-headlining tour in New Jersey | Photos & Review

April 24, 2026 Leave a comment

If you’re wondering what to expect from a Heart Attack Man show: buckle up. Frontman Eric Egan, drummer Adam Paduch, and guitarist Ty Sickels emerged from the depths of Cleveland, OH in 2013 and have been raising hell in the modern rock scene ever since. Over the years, the trio has released four full-length albums and made their chaotic live energy an absolute must-see. The first night of their spring co-headliner with Phoneboy, on April 2nd in New Jersey served as a wild start to their 28-date run across the United States. 

Fans poured into White Eagle Hall before the night began with opening sets from Pony and Slow Joy. Canadian grunge-pop band Pony gave such a delightful performance that won me over by the end of it. Everything from the melodies to their bubbly energy had me completely enthralled for the entire 30 minute set. Slow Joy, the solo project of Dallas-based singer-songwriter Esteban Flores, spent his allotted time delivering an ode to emo and shoegaze influences through catharsis, healing and jumping right into the crowd during one of his songs. 

Pony

Slow Joy

While it took a second for the crowd to pick up momentum, Heart Attack Man were their usual energetic selves the second that the lights went down. Each time I see Heart Attack Man, I am instantly comforted by the amount of sheer chaos unfolding around me. The adrenaline rush of watching as those mosh pits get rowdier and crowdsurfers glide towards the stage ease is truly unmatched. 

They opened their set with “Lay Down and Die,” which is my current all-time favorite in their discography. They delivered a good mix of their last album Joyride The Pale Horse and older crowd-pleasers like “Leap Year” and “Fake Blood.” Heart Attack Man also performed both of their most recent singles, “Limb from Limb” and “Mechanically Separated,” which were extra fun to see come to life for the first time. 

While many come for their intensely chaotic energy, the jokes and bits that occur in between songs are just as great. The funniest part of the night was when Egan asked the NJ crowd about their stance in the ‘Pork Roll’ vs ‘Taylor Ham’ debate before declaring he’d choose the one that matches the band’s acronym (and being met with a handful of boos).

Phoneboy honestly surprised me a lot. While not super familiar with the indie-rock four-piece, I was introduced to their music not too long ago by a close friend. As soon as they kicked things off with “Wayside,” the energy in the room remained electric throughout their entire set. I walked out of White Eagle Hall that night with two things: a shirt from Heart Attack Man’s merch table and a newfound love for Phoneboy. 

The fun thing about this tour is how fundamentally different each band on the lineup is. Pony delivers a sickly sweet grunge-pop vibe minutes before Slow Joy comes on stage with a melancholic blend of emo and shoegaze. Heart Attack Man then feels like whiplash compared to the first two acts as the crowd feeds off their in-you-face energy through rowdy mosh pits and endless crowdsurfers. Phoneboy closes out the night with a dynamic performance that twists the definition of pop-punk and rock into something entirely their own. It’s hard to explain why it works, but the varying atmospheres from band to band made the experience exponentially better. 

The tour continues across the United States until its final show in Heart Attack Man’s home state of Ohio on May 9th. Tickets and information for the remaining shows of Heart Attack Man and Phoneboy’s spring co-headliner can be found here. 

Review & Photography by Amber Bintliff

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Joywave bring ‘Permanent Pleasure’ to New Jersey’s White Eagle Hall 5/21/25 | photos & review

May 31, 2025 Leave a comment

If you’re looking for a new “Obsession,” look no further than a Joywave show. The Rochester, New York indie rock superstars brought their Here To Perform… Spring 2025 Tour to New Jersey’s White Eagle Hall on May 21st with support from little image. 

The penultimate show of this tour began with a phenomenal opening performance from pop-rock trio little image. They were a fun start to the evening and I ended up completely falling in love with their music and pure talent. The band’s drummer, Troy Bruner, is admittedly the most fun to watch on stage. I lost count of how many times he stood on top of his drum kit to get the crowd hyped during and in between songs. 

Shortly after little image left the stage, fans began anxiously awaiting Joywave as soon as they unveiled the giant cat that’s featured on the cover of their latest record, Permanent Pleasure. This little guy is visually one of the best parts of the show and gets a 10/10 for being such a cute addition to their set design (especially when he starts spinning around!).

If there’s one thing Joywave knows how to do, it’s perform. Seriously, there was not a second of this show where my eyes weren’t glued to the men in matching blue silk pajamas that stood before me. Frontman Daniel Armbruster is truly a natural talent who could probably give the performance of a lifetime just about anywhere. The few moments I was released from this trance allowed me to take in the pure joy from those who surrounded me. Everyone in the crowd was singing and dancing like this show was the only thing that mattered in the world at that point–and ever would. 

Their setlist blended a mix of songs from Permanent Pleasure, along with some gems from the earlier parts of their discography. “Hate To Be a Bother,” “Funny Thing About Opinions,” and “Traveling at the Speed of Light” are some Joywave songs I hope are never retired from their time in the setlist spotlight. 

The night ended with the classic double “Destruction,” a track off the band’s 2015 record How Do You Feel Now? that has pretty much taken on a life of its own. Armbruster joked about how they played the song 7 times in a row the last time the band played in New Jersey, confusing an entire crowd of people and probably making them feel like they were going insane. Unfortunately, the state of New Jersey was not blessed with “Destruction” 7 times over this time around, but twice was just as fun. 

I think I’m at the point in my life where I can safely say that I’ll never miss a Joywave show whenever they’re in town. This night at White Eagle Hall was yet another reminder of how much the band enjoys what they do and how dedicated they are to giving their fans a show they’ll remember for a long time. Their shows are a treat, from the immaculate stage presence, good music, and comedian-level jokes scattered throughout the set, Joywave is a band you’ll want to see live at least once in your life.

Photos & Review by Amber Bintliff

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