Philadelphia’s Soul Glo brought their headlining Wants Revenge tour to Conduit in Orlando, Florida. The band have played the city only a handful of times in their nine-year-long career, and the scene showed up en masse to catch the legendary show.
In a very timely way to open their set, the band broadcasted the now infamous “first job” monologue from a 2015 video of a Red Scare set by live music archivist hate5six that had garnered a lot of attention on Twitter earlier that day. They then launched into a relentlessly energetic set that turned the venue into a party for the next 20 minutes, pausing only for a dance break before launching right back into the last few songs. Orlando came out to give it their all on a Wednesday night, singing along and stage diving to their hearts’ content.
Though their stage presence is joyful and carefree, Soul Glo’s music wades through the rawness of the black experience in America and tackles subjects from depression and human connection to institutionalized racism and the frustration at the inaction of so-called revolutionaries. Their shows give fans a chance to find a release, but their voices coming together to sing is a reminder that there is always work to be done, both internally and in the world, once the party is over.
The band have been on a steady touring schedule since their latest release, Diaspora Problems, which is about to celebrate its first birthday. Between securing an opening slot for My Chemical Romance last August and upcoming appearances at festivals like Coachella and Adjacent, Soul Glo is poised to round out 2023 as one of the biggest bands in the scene. Watching them move onto large stages will surely be special, but don’t miss out on your ability to see them at these more intimate shows while you can.
