Show Review: Partygirl, Admin, Brunch, Self Help at Purgatory, NYC.
August 13th, 2026.
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“Give it up for my mic effect. It's called tremelo. It's called cut in and cut out” -Admin
August 14th, 2026
Bout time we stretched our paws and flexed our claws to get out to another gig. Our whiskers directed us to Brooklyn’s Purgatory last night for several eclectic hours of music. Local groups Partygirl, Admin, and Self Help stepped up to the Purgatory platform along with Vermont foursome Brunch. It was intimate, It was loud, it was a dance party, it was a jam, it was all the things we’ll describe here, come check it out.
First on the stage was Partygirl, a raucous six piece that we’ve covered before once upon a time at The Broadway. We remember that performance for its electric intensity, a violin and saxophone filling out the sound of a full fledged guitar band. On this occasion though, it was a solo performance, just their frontwoman and their guitar. And it still knocked us off our tail. Stripped down to a single source, the power and range of each song still hit like it did with the full band. It was incredible to take in, one of the strongest solo displays we’ve seen in a while. They have a new single released just a week ago, New Orleans, and it perfectly captures the fearless adventure of this bands sound.
Admin had some tech issues getting setup, so when everything was ready they wasted not a single second getting down to business. No slow intro, no buildup, instead every instrument locking in at once to instantly drop into the first song, like the flip of a switch. In matching dark jumpsuits with neon strips across the ankles, elbows, and waist, they ignited a true dance party that had crowd limbs flying by the end of the set. This is an incredibly difficult feat to accomplish and they did it with flair and class. They threw their bodies into the performance and so did we. They reminded us of a less deranged and weird Viagra Boys, or a more synthwave inspired TVOD.
We love to experience an out of town band for the first time, they always bring a flavor that is distinctly un-New York. Burlington, Vermont’s Brunch was no exception. They were playing in celebration of their brand new release, a double single Please Kill Me/Man Alive, out today. We were trying to describe them in the moment and our notes say “Backyard swing punk dance”. Just a bunch of words to try and describe something that was uniquely its own. Our closest comparison might be Philly’s Phil Spector’s Gun, that or Brooklyn’s SNOWMEN. They were sometimes swampy, sometimes bluesy, sometimes heavy, but they shined brightest when they just jammed out and let a guitar solo fly.
Self Help headlined the night with a detailed, five piece jam. Instrumental prowess was high, we watched their bassist walk up and down their frets like a spider. Synth had the tone similar to a Wurlitzer organ. There was a kind of meandering, wandering vibe to their songs that left us squinting and thinking “Is this Jazz?”. Their streaming bio says “Short form pop exploration from NYC” and we indeed felt like we were exploring untouched sonic territory. Crammed onto Purgatory’s tiny stage, Self Help reminded us how boundless music can be.
Purgatory rocks. Hope you get the chance to go there sometime, we always love visiting and hanging around. Shout out again to Partygirl, Admin, Brunch, and Self Help for curating the sounds of the evening. Brunch also took time to interview before their set so check in at name3songs here to see that video when it’s published. See you around, Rrrat Pack.
| Keywords: | New York City | Purgatory | Partygirl | Admin | Brunch | Self Help |
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