Live Review: Philadelphia Grand Jury, Feelings, The Creases

Going to the Casino The Standard! Tomorrow night! What could possibly go wrong? Not much if Saturday night was anything to go by. Everything felt pretty right, in the end… “delightful confusion”, in the bands' own words.

Brisbabes The Creases got us off to an easy start with their sunny, washed-out guitar pop. They seem like a cool bunch although there's not really too much original about their four-chord ditties, like their current single, I Won't Wait. They have an understated slacker vibe – no jumping about the stage – but they're having fun and the audience seems to be too.

Things got a little weird with the two main acts – weird in a good way. First there's the disembodied voice (more on that later). And also, Feelings and Philadelphia Grand Jury appear to be the same band.

How? Why? If you're not a loyal fan who broke down when the Philly Jays broke up in 2010, faced with the prospect of no more Party (Parties), then you may not know Feelings, the solo project of Philly Jays frontman Simon Berkfinger. In 2011 he moved to Berlin, recorded his album, Be Kind, Unwind, grew a beard and this year, returned in need of a band to bring his music to the stage.

He couldn't have found a better team than the original Grand Jury: MC Bad Genius (aka Joel Beeson) on bass and keys and Dan W Sweat (Dan Williams, also of Art Vs Science) on drums. So tonight was one big love-fest-mash-up of songs from both outfits.

The crowd was all over it, especially favourites from the Philly's record, Hope Is For Hopers. When Your Boyfriend Comes Back To Town saw the whole room sing every ooh-wee-ooh before losing it to a thumping rendition of I'm Gonna Kill You. Bad Genius hooked the audience with fierce stares and rousing backup vocals while Dan Sweat couldn't help but stand up from the kit and bust a move during the joyful frenzy that is Going To The Casino.

Berkfinger's banter between songs was, as you'd expect, bouncy and super excited. All seemed normal until you realised he's not actually saying anything; it's pre-recorded it seems, and flowing out of the speakers – unless he has a voice-doppelganger in the shadows. A clever way of maintaining the hype when you're tired perhaps? Strange because he was hardly spent of energy, spending much of his time down on the floor among sweaty fans.

After a catchy round of Feelings' Intercourse, the lead single from Be Kind, Unwind, the room bounced for The Good News and I Don't Want To Party (Party), and the final song – the much-loved Philly rendition of Jay Z's 99 Problems – saw Berkfinger lurch among the delighted crowd. Trying to avoid tripping on the frontman's mic cord while singing along into his mic? That's a classic crazy Philly Jays experience – this time packed with extra Feelings.