First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia — music venue
First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia in Philadelphia has 27 upcoming shows. Next: Shudder To Think on Fri, Sep 11. Full calendar, lineups and tickets on Ckord.
If you want to experience an absolute rite of passage in the Philadelphia music scene, you have to attend a basement show at the First Unitarian Church. Located right in the middle of Center City, this beautiful, historic stone church might seem like an unlikely spot for a rock club, but it has been the undisputed epicenter of Philly’s all-ages DIY punk and indie scene for over two decades.Booked primarily by the legendary independent promoters at R5 Productions, "The Church" (as locals call it) is famous for its subterranean shows. The basement room is exactly what you want a DIY venue to be: low drop-ceilings, famously terrible sightlines thanks to a grid of structural pillars, and zero air conditioning. It is stripped-down, completely unpretentious, and creates an environment where the barrier between the band and the audience totally disappears.It has hosted legendary, sweaty, stage-dive-filled gigs from some of the biggest names in punk, hardcore, and indie rock long before they were playing massive theaters. (They also occasionally host gorgeous, seated acoustic and ambient shows upstairs in the actual sanctuary, which has breathtaking acoustics!) If you want to feel the raw, unfiltered pulse of Philadelphia's independent music community, there is no better place on earth.
Address: 2125 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, United States
Phone: +12155633980
Upcoming shows at First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
- Shudder To Think — The First Unitarian Church — Sep 11, 2026
- Chanel Beads, with Horse Vision, Ivy Knight — The First Unitarian Church — Sep 12, 2026
- ear, with Slauson Malone 1, HappyDranker — The First Unitarian Church — Sep 17, 2026
- Nick Hakim, with Arima Ederra — The First Unitarian Church — Sep 18, 2026
- Plow United, with The Ergs!, Chris Gethard, Crossed Keys — The First Unitarian Church — Sep 19, 2026
- Automatic, with Accessory — The First Unitarian Church — Sep 22, 2026
- Hazlett — The First Unitarian Church — Sep 25, 2026
- Set Your Goals, with The Warriors, Restraining Order, Stateside — The First Unitarian Church — Oct 2, 2026
- Oso Oso, with Leisure Hour, Bad Luck — The First Unitarian Church — Oct 9, 2026
- Knumears, with Catalyst, Love Letter, Static Brian — The First Unitarian Church — Oct 14, 2026
Past shows at First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
- First Day Back — First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia — Jul 22, 2026
- Greg Mendez — First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia — Jul 10, 2026