SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE’s homecoming concert at Union Transfer on March 5th encapsulated the broad appeal this Philly band has. They’re a local artist with an “it factor,” they are meticulous and aloof, the music is incredibly interesting but hard to explain without coming up with some hypothetical supergroup. Fans who checked yes to all of the above and ended up under one roof reflected the complexities of SPIRIT and the magic human glue that they seem to have. Opening up for them at UT, the equally unqiue Polo Perks <3 <3 <3 and Kassie Krut shared the stage with them that night.

Polo Perks <3 <3 <3 | photo by Megan Matuzak for WXPN

New York rapper Polo Perks <3 <3 <3’s set at UT was an indulgent swan dive into indie mega hits from the 00s. Intermingling with his lyricism, “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol mixed it up with “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, further layered with drill beats and synth sounds. It was an experimental experience that felt unpredictable witnessing live (including Polo jumping into the pit during “SIR LOOGIE NOISE”).

Extending off the concentrated nostalgic bubble, “ANSWERS” off A Dog’s Chance’s (2024) came across as Polo making his mark. The math rock-ness of the track had people bobbing along, and the upbeat claps and catchy hook Polo sings in his understated tone kept the energy going.

Kassie Krut | photo by Megan Matuzak for WXPN

Next up was Kassie Krut, a New York band made up of former members of Philly experimentalists Palm. The trio sneakily blended each track into the other like a sonic Venus fly trap throughout their set. The intricacies of Kassie Krut’s music had a rippling effect that transformed sonically as one moved around the house floor, similar to dancing in a dim club. Cutely and wantonly, the band introduced themselves with “K.A.S.S.I.E” which involves a lot of spelling in a yellow school bus field trip kind of way. The track is also Krut’s earliest release.

This past December, Kassie Krut dropped their self-titled EP. Still green, Wednesday night could easily be perceived as a debut, even for the seasoned music vets. “Racing Man” has recognizable progressions and is absolutely a dance track, you know, one of those dark lyrics shadowed by upbeat tempo songs.

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | photo by Megan Matuzak for WXPN

So really, what brings a SPIRIT crowd together? It could be attributed to the seriousness of their musicianship that resonates with gear heads or the meanings of the captured dialogue recordings that resonate with stoics. It could be the defiant nature of putting aside (or completely discarding) the “rules” of song structure, or embracing a true full range vocal dynamics, from and moody to gritty and yelling. It speaks to the abstract artists, punks and under-stimulated musicians.

OR is it the human-ness of SPIRIT’s aloofness and dry humor, like Rivka Ravede graciously triggering the “fuck” recording on her sample pad during “1/500,” or Zach Schwartz and Ravede cheekily repeating “Sorry I’m talking too much” to cold lead in to “EARTH KIT”?

Jet-lagged from the UK, SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE stretched their legs and seemingly the set times somehow, which added an expansiveness throughout the venue. It was their first show touring last year’s YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING in North America. The tour had unexpectedly been pushed back this past fall, since their gear was frustratingly stolen right as they were about to go on the road in the fall. At Union Tansfer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ravede, seemingly at the “we can laugh about it now” phase, dryly joked that the t-shirts for the tour that didn’t happen were for sale: “It has all the dates on it for the shows we didn’t play.” Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Corey Wichlin choked on a laugh, maybe a little caught off guard or just amused or relieved.

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | photo by Megan Matuzak for WXPN

Nevertheless, the UT crowd enthusiastically (and metaphorically) welcomed SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE with wide open arms and the homecoming Wednesday night felt special. “We’ve played here before but this is our first time playing last here,” multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Schwartz said. Later he would crown Wednesday night’s performance at Union Transfer the “best Philly show we have ever played.”

YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING very much picks up where 2021’s ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH left off. The raw intensity and offbeat musings between the two albums didn’t let up, which is a feat that a band like SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE — who’s constantly re-imagining themselves and pushing themselves stylistically — cryptically chose to face. There’s always more to new SPIRIT music, especially live like Wednesday night. Performances “I’VE BEEN EVIL” and “LET THE VIRGIN DRIVE,” only experienced through streaming or music videos up to that point, delivered on the songs’ buzzy potential.

It’s SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE’s resilience in making the music they want to make and how they want to make it, as well as navigating band stuff together across five albums (so far), that fosters the confidence and connectivity their fans crave. Their homecoming show was no exception; we can’t wait to see where they go from here. For more photos from the Union Transfer show, check the gallery below, and to keep tabs on the band’s live appearances, check their website.

Jonathan Wilson: “Desert Raven” (World Cafe Version)