Empath played The Lilypad – 4/21

Philadelphia noise-pop quartet Empath rolled through the Lilypad last month with support from locals Nice Guys.

I’ve been an enthusiastic proponent of Empath since seeing them open a couple of excellent Great Scott shows for Swearin’ and Priests a few years back, and was really looking forward to catching them again on a planned run with Fucked Up for their David Comes to Life 10-year shows in February (that’s an album anniversary that makes me feel old…). That tour unfortunately got bumped to the summer with different support (thanks, Omicron), but Empath carved out a headlining spring tour of their own to make up for it. The greater Boston date was another Lilypad affair presented by longtime Boston booker of the psych and psych-adjacent Illegally Blind (who also put on Dummy in the same space a couple weeks back).

In the vein of Philly contemporaries like Spirit of the Beehive, Empath operate in a space that melds noise, melody and psychedelia into a swirling weather system of sound that’s great on record, but really takes off in the live setting. Last Thursday’s set was a short but sweet one, a set of new songs from February’s Visitor as well as some oldies blazing like a particularly loud firecracker and burning off quick. We love dreamy aesthetics and a punk rock sense of timing.

Allston punks Nice Guys opened up the show, filling in last-minute for Somerville neighbors Leopard Print Taser and turning in another of their loveably off-the-cuff performances (though with fewer stage-diving guest vocalists than last time).

Check out photos of both bands below.