Ally Lowery
Oct 8, 2026
Touring behind his latest album, "King of Having Fun," Nick Carpenter brought his deeply personal songwriting and playful stage presence to Philadelphia
On October 6th, the singer-songwriter Nick Carpenter of Medium Build, brought his electrifying sound from his King of Having Fun tour to the stage at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Before the show, the audience was spectacularly warmed up by Carpenter’s opener, Ken Yates, who delivered a touching blend of folk, indie, and rock elements alongside his band.
As soon as the intro started, you were immediately teleported into this dreamy and almost otherworldly atmosphere. By the time Medium Build began performing, the crowd was instantly switched on. Sounds of fans screaming the lyrics right back to the band were all around you – along with the clear realization that everyone there had a purpose in singing along. The setlist had plenty of diversity in feeling and overall sound.
But one thing that seemed to be consistent was the absolute rawness of the show. The way each lyric and note tells a story that Medium Build was able to pour right out straight from the soul was truly spectacular. Medium Build's indie rock and alternative blend of sound spilled throughout the now-alive venue full of dancing fans.
Not only did Carpenter put on an absolutely touching and engaging performance the entirety of the set, the immersion also started long before it. Right before the show, Carpenter and team brought out two best friends from the audience with the goal of a pre-show “glazing”. The fans were brought on stage, as one then proceeded to pour out their love for their best friend.
Later, then, using Carpenters bit, and crowning their friend the “Queen of Having Fun”. This interaction as a whole set the entire vibe of the night. Not only did it practically feel as though the whole room was a group of new friends, but it brought an immense amount of positivity and love to the performance – which is clearly important to Carpenter's plan and tone of the night.
There was never a moment throughout the show where I felt disengaged. Carpenter let himself move through the music, showing not only his incredible vocals, but also his ability to let the entire song flow out of him for the fans to then receive and send right back.
Solely based on his visible comfort and vulnerability throughout the show, whether he was stopping for a quick chat or singing a relatable line, you could see Carpenter absolutely took this packed venue of strangers and acted as though it was an intimate gathering with life-long friends.
The entire production kept the venue warm and colorful in order to keep up with every switch of sound and emotion. The band never missed a second, keeping the atmosphere and music perfectly curated to the overall sound and feeling of what it's like to hear what it truly means to witness the King of Having Fun.