Normally, The Deli New England only covers actual New England-based bands, but I went to a show a week ago at Charlie’s Kitchen in Cambridge, MA and saw a band from Philly called Push Ups, and these guys kicked enough ass to justify getting themselves on a “New England” blog. The four-piece played a short set (only about 20 minutes), but I’ll be hard-pressed to find more local bands who play with that kind of intensity. Lead singer Zac Beaver was all over the place—literally. He ran up and down the room: jumping in the air, crashing to the floor; he even laid the mic down at one point to do a cartwheel. These guys play straight-up raucous punk and it rules.

After the show, they gave me a CD, Grow Up or Try Dying (the background music to this very review), and I was impressed that their recording holds up to their live performance. The opening track on the record, "College Ruined My Life", sounds like a Bronx B-side and it is glorious. For more info about the band, check out their Facebook page.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

 Photo Credit: Dan Cohoon