Policy of 3 w/ Sleepytime Trio, Frail, & Sun Within at the First Unitarian Church

Schedule

Mon Sep 29 2025 at 07:30 pm to 11:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA

Advertisement
POLICY OF 3
Policy of 3 was one of the great (emo) hardcore bands of the late '80s and early '90s. Their sound was passionate and compelling, truly cutting edge; heavily influenced by the late '80s Dischord hardcore sound. At the time, emotive hardcore was something new and exciting. It was all about passion, anger, and creating a DIY alternative to an increasingly violent and apolitical scene. Policy of 3 helped to define the sound/genre, long before emo was turned into frivolous pop punk.
In 1994, drummer Chris Fry & bassist Bull Gervasi (later of Four Hundred Years and RAMBO), alongside their Cabbage Collective cohorts, put on the very first punk show at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, laying the foundation for thirty plus years of all ages, independent music at what has grown to be among the most storied and world-renown non-traditional venues in the world.
On September 29th, almost 30 years to the day of their last show at ABC No Rio with Los Crudos & Shotmaker, Policy of 3 will reconvene on that same stage, joined by some very special guests.
SLEEPYTIME TRIO
Sleepytime Trio started out in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as a side project of the band Maximillian Colby in the beginning of 1995. The original lineup—Drew Ringo on guitar, Ben Davis on bass, and Jonathan Fuller on drums—quickly became more than just a side gig. They played shows around the mid-Atlantic region, building a reputation for their volatile, emotional sound and unpredictable live energy. In the summer of 1995, they added guitarist Dave Nesmith (also of Maximillian Colby), and as that band began to fade, Sleepytime Trio became the main focus for all involved.
By the summer of 1996, the no-longer-a-trio hit the road hard, playing 20 shows in 17 days across the eastern U.S. and into Canada—Virginia to Florida, Chicago to Quebec, and back to D.C.. Sleepytime Trio managed to control chaos at an almost uncontrollable point. Seeing them live was always a surprise: tangled limbs, busted gear, and the sense that everything might combust at any second.
The band took an extended hiatus in 1998 when Drew relocated to Seattle, while the remaining members went on to form or join influential projects like Engine Down, Rah Bras, and Milemarker. But Sleepytime Trio wasn’t finished. In May 1999, they reemerged for a burst of shows in Chapel Hill, D.C., Philadelphia, Worcester, and New York. That December, they hit the East Coast again with hose.got.cable—shows filled with manic kids, catharsis, a band member’s bruised head, and more than a little love. Those two reunion tours became the stuff of lore.
On December 1, 2007, the band reconvened for a one-off show during the Action Patrol reunion gig at Alley Katz in Richmond, VA. Then in 2014—almost two decades after they first formed—Sleepytime Trio took their chaos international, touring Japan with shows in Tokyo, Osaka, and beyond.
Sleepytime Trio remains a cult favorite, revered for their ability to channel disorder into something brutally honest and deeply human.
FRAIL
Being a teenager in the American suburbs of the 1980s and ‘90s often meant that your ideals seemed to outpace your surroundings. By the early 1990s, as a generation came of age that was too young to have seen Black Flag or Minor Threat, straight edge had started to take a militant approach, drawing lines to keep out people who would not blindly follow some of the genre’s shifting ideals. Frail, a straight-edge hardcore band from Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, who were active from spring 1993 to fall 1995, was more focused on communicating ideas and inclusion; they wanted to teach as much as learn, and this duality meant their music was the perfect vehicle to release the tension of that new generation. Their lineup — Mike Parsell and Don Devore on guitars, Brian Berwind on drums, Derek Zglenski on bass, and Eric Hammar on vocals — released 20 songs, a discography spread across a lone demo tape and a handful of small runs of vinyl on various DIY punk labels, all long out of print. Recognizing the impact the band had on their lives, the members of Frail are reuniting in their home state 30 years later to make their own noise once again.
SUN WITHIN
Geeta. Leah. Katy. Guitar. Bass. Drums. Philadelphia.
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103-3146, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

R5 Productions

Host or Publisher R5 Productions

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Philadelphia

Million Dollar Quartet
Mon, 29 Sep Million Dollar Quartet

Walnut Street Theatre

ART THEATRE
Six The Musical
Mon, 29 Sep at 07:00 pm Six The Musical

Academy Of Music - PA

LIVE-MUSIC
Lorde
Mon, 29 Sep Lorde

Wells Fargo Center - PA

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Bad Suns
Mon, 29 Sep at 07:00 pm Bad Suns

Theatre Of The Living Arts

ART THEATRE
Policy of 3
Tue, 30 Sep Policy of 3

First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Parking NL Wild Card: TBD at Philadelphia Phillies (Home Game 1)
Tue, 30 Sep Parking NL Wild Card: TBD at Philadelphia Phillies (Home Game 1)

Citizens Bank Park

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Tariffs & Trade: The New Rules of Engagement
Tue, 30 Sep at 12:00 pm Tariffs & Trade: The New Rules of Engagement

Duane Morris Plaza

BUSINESS
Coffee & Conversations, an open mic spoken word night
Tue, 30 Sep at 04:30 pm Coffee & Conversations, an open mic spoken word night

Walnut Street West Library

ART LITERARY-ART
The Pogues, Ted Leo in Philadelphia
Mon, 08 Sep at 08:00 pm The Pogues, Ted Leo in Philadelphia

Franklin Music Hall

CONCERTS MUSIC
Caamp & Atta Boy
Tue, 09 Sep at 07:00 pm Caamp & Atta Boy

Highmark Skyline Stage at The Mann Center For The Performing Arts

PERFORMANCES ENTERTAINMENT
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Tue, 09 Sep at 07:00 pm Brian Jonestown Massacre

Union Transfer

Pulp in Philadelphia
Tue, 09 Sep at 07:30 pm Pulp in Philadelphia

The Met Presented by Highmark

ENTERTAINMENT CONCERTS
The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Cast in Philadelphia
Wed, 10 Sep at 08:00 pm The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Cast in Philadelphia

Union Transfer

CONCERTS MUSIC
Brian Jonestown Massacre at Union Transfer
Wed, 10 Sep at 08:00 pm Brian Jonestown Massacre at Union Transfer

Union Transfer

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Parking The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Thu, 11 Sep at 12:00 am Parking The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Union Transfer - Philadelphia

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Hunx And His Punx
Thu, 11 Sep at 07:00 pm Hunx And His Punx

First Unitarian Church - PA

Wind Walkers in Philadelphia
Thu, 11 Sep at 07:00 pm Wind Walkers in Philadelphia

Franklin Music Hall

ENTERTAINMENT CONCERTS
Our Last Night, Grayscale in Philadelphia
Thu, 11 Sep at 07:30 pm Our Last Night, Grayscale in Philadelphia

Franklin Music Hall

CONCERTS MUSIC
Eric Clapton
Fri, 12 Sep at 07:00 pm Eric Clapton

Wells Fargo Center - PA

La Dispute at Union Transfer - Philadelphia 9\/12
Fri, 12 Sep at 07:00 pm La Dispute at Union Transfer - Philadelphia 9/12

Union Transfer

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

What's Happening Next in Philadelphia?

Discover Philadelphia Events