Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy was Dan Drago’s latest guest on the 25 O’Clock podcast, “the longest running Philadelphia music podcast, I think,” as he describes it. The hour-long conversation covered in broad strokes how Dabice came to be known as the punk star she is now, and of course, touches on Mannequin Pussy’s Philly Music Fest date at Underground Arts this Saturday. Tickets for that show are low, but still available. Same goes for Philly Music Fest shows at REC Philly and The Dolphin on the 14th. (Night four tonight at Johnny Brenda’s is sold out.)
Getting back to the podcast episode, fans of MP or showgoers in the local scene should not skip over this conversation. There’s plenty to latch on to and identify with, like Dabice admitting her insecurity about getting a “late start” playing guitar at 23, or experiencing a “benevolent exorcism” at hardcore shows growing up. It’s the combination of those two things, Dabice’s desire to be in a band and make music no matter what because of the cathartic release she felt at shows, that made Mannequin Pussy come to be. Dabice and Drago also discuss the motivations that drive them as creative people, what makes Philly a better place to create than New York, and the power of asking for what you want instead of waiting for it to be offered.
Stay tuned until the end to hear Dabice wax on the purpose of the music hustle. “The point of art is to challenge people, inspire them to feel something. I feel confident we’ve been able to do that,” she says.
Tickets to see Mannequin Pussy at Underground Arts as part of Philly Music Fest are available at the WXPN Concerts and Events page. Justmadnice, Riverby, and Empath open the show. Listen to the whole 25 O’Clock episode here.