There really isn’t a full return to live music without a return to live punk shows and the intimate, rage-filled crowd setting that comes with it. Thursday night, fans were lucky enough to get three great shows from Baltimore acts Pinkshift and Angel Du$t, headlined by Philly indie-punk act Mannequin Pussy.

The evening started with Pinkshift, the up-and-coming post-hardcore group with the stage presence of a seasoned act. With clear influences from artists like No Doubt, My Chemical Romance, and late 90’s punk, Pinkshift hints at a new wave of punk and post-hardcore bands that will share influences from the big pop-punk, emo era of the 2000s.

Highlights from their performance came during songs like, "I'm Gonna tell my Therapist on You" and "On Thin Ice." Each song highlighted lead singer Ashrita Kumar’s ability to implement her Gwen Stefani-style vocals and create great pop accessibility to the dueling guitars, pounding bass lines, and thunderous drumming. However, some of the best moments of their set came during lead guitarist Paul Vallejo’s evident appreciation of guitar gods and the theatrics of bands like MCR.

What followed was the biggest and most enjoyable surprise of the night, Angel Du$t. Another band from the Baltimore punk scene, however, Angel Du$t, should not be held in one category. They are very much a product of the streaming era. Angel Du$t’s lead vocalist and guitarist Justice Tripp is very much the intellectual leader of the group, who in their eight years have had a multitude of different members helping create this vastly diverse catalog the band now has to show.

With influences coming from post-punk, guitar rock, to even hints of country in their sound, Angel Du$t was able to keep the audience enthralled. Not knowing what the next song would sound like or what vibe you would get forced fans to pay attention. Their performance alone made fans draw closer and closer to the stage as you could tell they were seasoned vets of the road and you knew you were going to get a great show.

Fans were also able to pick up an early release of the band’s new album ‘“Yak”: A Collection of Truck Songs”’ that came out this morning on all streaming platforms. If you’re a fan of bands like Grandaddy, Guided By Voices, bands that were able to take jangle pop, and an artistic take on post-punk, you’ll be a fan. Tripp’s ability to create a pop song within this vast soundscape he’s created is by itself worth listening to.

Finally, the band everyone had been waiting for, Mannequin Pussy took the stage. A band that, like everyone, was severely hurt by the pandemic. After their 2019 album “Patience” received well-deserved recognition and praise by critics, the Philly-based indie act was on the rise to become one of punk’s biggest acts. However, touring is an essential part of punk’s DNA and without it, there is always something not fully conveyed through the music. However, if you were to put “Patience” on during quarantine, you would’ve most definitely been able to release some necessary demons through the emotional rollercoaster that Missy Dabice can take her listeners on.

So when the newly rejuvenated band took the stage, fans seemed as eager as they were to be at the Woodward Theatre Thursday night. In support of their excellent follow-up EP “Perfect,” fans could get an entirely new set of songs from the band. Playing songs like “Control” that highlights the band’s ability to blend the aspects of their tender and, at times, melancholy lyrics with the rage of the rest of their catalog and sound.

Some of the most fun aspects of the show came from the chemistry between drummer Kaleen Reading and bassist Colins “Bear” Regisford. Bear’s ability to literally make the ground shake at the Woodward with his bass lines made for some of the most numbing and powerful sounds of the evening. Add the fact that Missy’s ability to jump in between rage-filled wales and somber murmurs allows for the band to be such a versatile live act. A live act that will only grow as this scene continues to grow in popularity. With blow-up of bands like Turnstile, there is certainly a place for post-hardcore punk bands like Mannequin Pussy to appear on festival line-up and in venues around the country.