Not even the stubbornly persistent, bone-chilling cold in Manhattan last weekend could stop fans from coming to cozy downtown Mercury Lounge to see Meet Me @ The Altar. The pop-punk gems broke out onto the scene in 2023 with their debut album Past // Present // Future, and they’ve just returned with the EP “Worried Sick,” released in December.
Meet Me @ The Altar have been leading the way for women-of-color representation in the alternative music scene, and that spirit couldn’t have been more present in the crowd that night. The duo’s message rings loud and clear: gone are the days of rock being gatekept by white men. It is a space for everyone, both on the stage and in the audience. All the various faces in the room were brought together for an ephemeral moment, connected by the band’s bright melodies and classic pop-punk sound that takes you right back to the 2000s, filled with such reverence and authenticity for the genre that it makes me nostalgic for a time and place I’m too young to even remember properly.
By the time I made it into the venue, rushing in from a long and busy day, opener Pollyanna’s set was sadly almost over, but the moments I caught of the DIY rockers didn’t fail to leave an impact. Singer Jill Beckett spoke out against ICE before the band launched into a raw, breakneck final few songs. With two albums under their belt so far and tours with popular bands such as Waterparks, I can see Pollyanna becoming a breakout act in the blink of an eye.
Meet Me @ the Altar’s set was short but sweet, making the most of their hour on stage. I was lucky enough to get a setlist after the show, which revealed that they unfortunately had to cut “Brighter Days” and “Strangers,” but we still got a great set across the full range of their discography and more. They played their viral song “Say It (To My Face),” a playful diss track to their haters that sounds straight out of a teen movie in the best way. They then jumped into a medley of pop-punk classics, including “Sweetness” by Jimmy Eat World, “My Friends Over You” by New Found Glory, and “My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit.
In maybe the most fun moment of the night, frontwoman Edith Victoria, dazzling even in the dim lighting with her signature bold makeup and neon-colored braids, brought all the ladies of the crowd together for a girls-only mosh pit. I would’ve immediately jumped in if I weren’t busy trying to shoot; it’s moments like these that remind me how much I love being a rock fangirl. Over the last few years, as I’ve gotten to see acts such as Honey Revenge and Daisy Grenade, listened to bands like Spiritbox and Winona Fighter, I’ve witnessed a scene once notoriously hostile to women be taken over by them; Meet Me @ The Altar are yet another entry into a long line of bands blazing the trail into new and exciting music.
Meet Me @ The Altar’s winter tour wraps up this week, but there’s no doubt there’ll be more to come from the band soon enough; they’re just getting started.
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