Live review: Derby Punks Reunion live at Broken Goblet Brewery

Bensalem, PA – 07 June 2025

This is where we belong, feels like this is here to stay

Nostalgia took over the Broken Goblet Brewery as a full-blown NJ pop-punk reunion exploded, thanks to the Derby Punks podcast and the gloriously chaotic late-’90s/early-2000s NJPP scene that once lit up the Derby Firehouse in South Jersey. Sure, it made zero sense that the “Jersey” show went down in Pennsylvania, and as a north Jersey kid, I didn’t remember every act on the bill, but the ones I did were not ones I was willing to miss, but no one cared once the bands hit the stage. 

Local openers like Take Today, Simple Mischief, Yermomlluvus, Shower With Goats and Go Real Slow set the tone, before scene legends Boxcar, Humble Beginnings and Catch-22 turned the night into a journey back in time.

I know, I know, “who the fuck are Boxcar and what is a Yermomlluvus?” The bands may never have made a wave on the national stage, but if you were around in the late 90’s and early 00’s Jersey scene you know these acts had all the talent and ability of their contemporaries like Midtown, The Early November and Jack Antonoff (Bleachers, fun., Taylor Swift). 

The show opened up at 2pm with a quick reintroduction by Tom and Dave of Simple Mischief, setting a lighthearted tone right from the start. So many vaguely familiar faces lined the floor that I found myself wondering if I truly recognized them, or if God had simply run out of facial features and was reusing features, just me?  The crowd buzzed with energy, despite the AC breaking down the day before the show and the venue feeling hotter than balls, like so many packed firehouse shows we were recapturing today.

Take Today, the most recently formed act on the bill, kicked things off with an impressive burst of nostalgic pop-punk.  They began as a tight 3-piece but evolved into a fuller sound when a second guitarist joined them on stage mid-set. Fronted by Joseph Edwards, affectionately known around the Derby scene as “pedal boy,” the band perfectly captured the sound of my youth.  Those of us there got a sneak peek into the future while enjoying our own past. If this show were a trip back in time, Take Today was the DeLorean that brought us back to the turn of the millenium.

Next to the stage was Simple Mischief, the 5-piece band that put this whole show together.  The band put on a set that was as heartfelt as it was chaotic. Sure, the drummer fell out of sync during the second song, but honestly, most of the bands this show paid tribute to did that kind of thing constantly, it made the whole thing feel more authentic than flawed. They tossed in a few Arena Drive songs (Simple Mischief and Arena Drive had a few shared members).  These included an unexpected personal favorite of mine, “The Fall…” though, to be fair, I’m not entirely sure I ever knew who actually sang it, so it could just as easily belong to someone else. In a moment of genuine surprise, they played a snippet of a never-before-heard track and even admitted that the song they wrote then about a romantic interest being 16 might not be appropriate to premiere 25 years later. Steve Neurotic from Shower With Goats joined them for their penultimate song, capping off a set that was perfectly messy, emotionally nostalgic, and completely sincere.

The first of the bands I remember seeing on a regular basis at hall shows was Yermomlluvus (pronounced Your Mom’ll Love Us if you weren’t reading that phonetically). The rust on the trio was part of its charm; this music isn’t supposed to be clean and perfect. It’s supposed to be accessible and fun… and Yermomlluvus was, and remains, fun as hell. The band joked they didn’t write enough songs to fill a thirty minute set, but they were able to fill the time handily and keep the crowd stoked throughout. 

Out of all the countless times I saw Shower With Goats, Steve Neurotic’s was the only face I ever remembered, being frontman obviously helps with that but something about him always stood out, like his stage presence was meant to leave an impression. Despite the fact that bassist Jonathan and Steve only met in person for the first time a day or two before the show; the chemistry between them was undeniable, almost fated. 

When they closed the set with “Understanding,” dedicating it to Steve’s late father, Laszlo, the moment turned tender, a beautiful and emotional tribute that somehow made the whole room feel like it was holding its breath. In that instant, something deeper stirred; grief, connection, and hopefully a bit of healing. 

Up next was Go Real Slow. The Derby Reunion marked the band’s first performance since 2001, and it didn’t disappoint. The bassist brought all the punk rock energy that defined bands at the turn of the millennium, but what made it truly special was how much of that energy he poured into playing for his kids—it was heartwarming to see the band members focusing on their families while still delivering a powerful set. The crowd fed off the energy too, with the first circle pits of the night breaking out early on. At one point, a dude from the audience even jumped on stage and joined the band, adding to the wild, communal spirit of the night.

The first of the headlining trio was Boxcar. The band was simply put a tent pole to the scene, helping to hold their contemporaries up and raise the bar for all who shared a flyer with them. This was my first time seeing Boxcar since 1998. They were so good at the time, and they remain so good now. From the first note to the last, the energy in the room never dipped. They played their record The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful in full, each track landing with the kind of furious and raw feeling that only these sons of bitches can pull off. The crowd was locked in, and even as everyone sang along, the music managed to feel fresh, like we were hearing it for the first time.

At one point, I had to stop singing just to text a buddy and rub it in his face that he missed this, it was that kind of night. In a fun twist, former member Jay Boxcar wasn’t on stage but out in the crowd, soaking it all in with the rest of us. It felt more like a family gathering than a typical show, and that intimacy only added to the magic. Boxcar reminded everyone why they’ve held reverence for those of us lucky enough to have heard them. They can still bring it, and we all still wish they never stopped. It was one of the purest sets I’ve seen, and yes, I felt myself get a bit choked up. Shut up, go away.

Humble Beginnings weren’t just another band, they were one of the heartbeats of our scene. With angsty vocals and raw emotiveness, especially those off Overanalyzing The Manifestations Of The Unconscious, they became (and have remained) instant favorites among kids looking for something real. Their blend of Drive-Thru era hooks and soul-baring lyricism, anchored by vocals that hit like a diary entry read out loud, made their sets unforgettable. Between their Warped Tour stint, their appearance on the Mulletcore comp and their split EP with Bracket, the stars seemed to be aligning for a breakout. But like so many bright flashes from that era, it just never fully materialized.

Still, time has only added to their legacy. Watching them take the stage again after all these years, you could feel it: the same spark, the same earnestness. There was no pretense, only pure joy radiating from the band as they tore through a nearly 40-minute set. 

They played the songs that made us feel  when we were young and awkward and full of questions looking for a place with answers. We wanted it “All That Way” and had no intention of slagging off on this scene.  The crowd sang along like those lyrics were seared to our brains, etched to our bones. 

No one would’ve blamed the audience for forgetting the words after all these years, but the lost voices at the end of the performance show we didn’t. Thats not really surprising, because Humble Beginnings wasn’t just a band you listened to; they were a band you remembered.

Finally we had Catch.  Sure a good chunk of the crowd cleared out, but most of us were for all of this? I’ve always loved Catch, I always will.  I don’t care if its Tomas Catch, Jeff Catch or Ryan and Kevin Catch… Catch 22 is easily my favorite ska band, and Alone In The Crowd and Keasbey Nights are both in my top 5 ska records of all time.  Catch 22 wasn’t just the proverbial feather in the 3rd wave of ska’s pork pie hat. 

Interspersing jokes, commentary and references to former World’s Strongest Man MAgnus Von Magnussen performances of classics like “Wine Stained Lips,” “What Goes Around Comes Around” and “9mm And A Three Piece Suit” the band gave the crowd everything and got that passion back sevenfold culminating in the explosion of voices while the band closed things out. We were spent, exhausted and completely elated to still have had these moments.

Tonight served as a beautiful reminder that these songs, these artists and this community were there for each of us coming up.. and still are, and can be for generations to come.