From ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ to ‘Go Birds’: Wheatus went full Philly in Fishtown
Wheatus ended their headlining set at Evil Genius Brewing Company's 15th anniversary party with "Teenage Dirtbag," their most popular song.
Taylor Hayward wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when he fired off a DM to the official Instagram account for Wheatus, the early 2000s rock band. He had loved them since his time working as a college DJ in Dublin.
Hayward, a co-founder of Fishtown’s Evil Genius Brewing Company, figured he’d get a polite decline to his invitation for the band to play the brewery’s 15th anniversary party.
However, they said yes.
And on Saturday, six months after Hayward sent the message, Wheatus frontman Brendan B. Brown led thousands of Philadelphians in an ad-hoc Eagles chant under the El tracks on Front Street.
“I’m not even sure how it came out,” Hayward, 42, said Sunday. “It’s Philly, so, to be honest, it could’ve been someone in the crowd. But it was awesome.”
The now-viral moment came in the middle of “Teenage Dirtbag,” Wheatus’ most recognizable song that has become a millennial anthem.
Wheatus played the song during their headlining set for Evil Genius’ anniversary party, held all day Saturday on a closed-off section of Front Street in front of the brewery.
Hayward said the brewery’s block parties usually attract a crowd, but Saturday’s event drew more than 10,000 people throughout the day.
After the show, Hayward said he met the band, whom he described as gracious and down-to-earth.
He believed the band was the perfect fit for a brewery whose beers are named after pop culture references ranging from McLovin’s conversation with a liquor store clerk in “Superbad” to Tommy Tutone’s ‘80s one-hit-wonder “867-5309.″
“We wanted to celebrate,” Hayward said. “Our culture in our company is nostalgia — that’s the type of beer we make — and we felt like it would be such a natural fit to have them.”
“We don’t have a beer named after them, but may have to now.”
