Philly Music Fest 2025 is officially underway, and the city hasn’t hummed like this since the Eagles Super Bowl parade. The seven-day, multi-venue non-profit event has become an honored tradition for The City of Brotherly Love, bringing the colorful art scene together through intimate performances from some of Philly’s finest representatives. Everyone from The Wonder Years to Matt Quinn at venues spanning from Solar Myth to Underground Arts, but night one of the festival saw its tentacles reach out to the suburbs of Delaware County.
The Ardmore Music Hall, the historic independent venue that has hosted legendary nights for Philadelphians for over 40 years, was buzzing with the palpable energy of community as Dr. Dog returned home for an awe-inspiring, career-spanning set. Coming off opening for The Lumineers at Citizens Bank Park and a night at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, Dr. Dog brought their big sound to the quaint neighborhood of Ardmore for an exhilarating night of folk-rock excellence.
Ardmore Music Hall is a hidden gem in the greater Philadelphia region. Nuzzled in a bustling area brimming with shops and restaurants, the 600-capacity venue opened its doors to Philly Music Fest and proved to be the perfect setting for Dr. Dog. Their sound system swallows the crowd with an immersive boom, yet the sound never becomes too large for the venue, allowing the energy of the performance to circulate through the crowd with ease. Before Dr. Dog took advantage of this phenomenal venue, the multi-dimensional Pat Finnerty took the stage. Finnerty, a fixture in the Philly scene who works across several bands, impressed the crowd with an improved set of covers, taking suggestions from the crowd. The interactive set proved to be memorable, etching Finnerty’s name into the minds of anyone unaware of the artist that night. Highlights from Finnerty & the Full Band’s set include a beautiful rendition of “Money For Nothing” and an intense performance of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer.”
Now that the venue was properly drenched in stunning musicianship, Dr. Dog paraded on stage to a warm hometown welcome. Joined by a small choir, the band made their city proud with an extensive setlist that touched on almost all the corners of their discography. The band kicked things off with “The ABC’s” from their 2002 debut Toothbrush. Their most recent release, their 2024 self-titled effort, received the most stage time, with the band performing “White Dove” for the first time, along with a cinematic take on “Talk Is Cheap” from the LP. “Exit for Sale” from Dr. Dog’s 2012 album Be the Void was also performed live for the first time, along with “Heavy Light” and “These Days” from this particular album. Other highlights include an ethereal performance of “Coming Out of the Darkness” and a hoogie-fueled encore featuring “Fat Dog” and “Nellie,” with the band handing out sandwiches to close out an unforgettable performance.
With night one of Philly Music Fest in the books, the city’s favorite week is off to a blazing start. Dr. Dog returns to Ardmore Music Hall for a second night on October 14, with shows for the festival going until October 19. You can check out the full lineup here and see the full setlist for Dr. Dog’s first night in Ardmore below.
Photos by Cecillia Orlando
