Perhaps the most prolific band to come out of the Main Line region in the last decade, Mt. Joy has become America’s folk-rock heroes with hits like “Silver Lining,” “Strangers” and “Astrovan.” When they returned to the Mann Center in 2023 for two shows, they partnered up with Sharing Excess, Jason Kelce’s (Be)Philly Foundation and Connor Barwin’s Make the World Better to give back to the local community, with a special guest appearance on stage from the Philadelphia Eagles legends themselves.
This year, Mt. Joy looks to recreate that magic when they return to the Mann at the TD Pavilion on September 20. Once again, they’ll partner up with Sharing Excess to collect canned foods and goods for local families in need.
Now more than two years removed from their most recent album, Orange Blood, they may very well tease some unreleased tracks from their upcoming album at the September show. (Fingers crossed their latest single, “Highway Queen,” is on that lineup.) We asked about all that and more in our exclusive sit-down with local Conestoga High School grads and Mt. Joy founders Matt Quinn and Sam Cooper.
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Main Line Today: How did you first come into contact with Sharing Excess?
Matt Quinn: I think it actually was last year at the Mann. I hope I’m right about this, but I think the first time [we] worked with them was that show last summer at The Mann.
We’ve worked with Philabundance a few times. I’ve been interested in food drive-type charities and the idea of the charity once we got to know them a little bit. There’s so much excess food everywhere. It pains me to watch and think about how much food we waste as a society. [I like] the idea that we could team up with someone who could immediately do food drive stuff for us and help collect food for people in the city, but also hopefully raise awareness and money for Sharing Excess, which does a lot more than that in terms of trying to connect people with food that’s otherwise going to go to waste.
MLT: What does it mean to give back to the community where you came from?
Sam Cooper: I think we’re always trying to look for ways to do it. This just felt like such an obvious pathway to just give back. Yeah, it feels good.
MLT: Will these shows aid Jason Kelce’s (Be) Philly?
MQ: I mean, we’d love to have him. He’s a busy guy, but we certainly would love to have him and his charity. So I can’t say for sure that there’s a plan because I don’t know yet. We had an amazing experience with him and his charity last year. The door’s open for sure.
MLT: What was it like to share a stage with him and Connor Barwin at the Mann last year?
SC:Â It was amazing. It was a super surreal experience to be on stage with Jason Kelce. You know him and his flip-flops jumping around singing our song is pretty cool.
MQ: It’s crazy, you know, that they’re doing what we want to do, right? They’ve had amazing careers and really been such legends in their own right in the city and in the community.
They’ve done so much good for Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Getting to watch them do what they’ve done for the city, and then to partner with them and have very similar aspirations, it’s really cool. We definitely look up to both of them.
MLT: What was the inspiration behind “Highway Queen,” your latest single?
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MQ: It was a song about my wife and combining that with [how] she had this life where she’d been traveling around since she was like 15. When we started Mt. Joy, we started doing the same thing. You start to notice things about people who live that lifestyle and about yourself, and you see [those traits] in someone else. It’s a life that I feel very few people understand unless you have traveled all the time. [The song] was about seeing that in someone else and noticing things about myself that I’ve seen, and obviously my wife, so someone I love.
MLT: Does it precede any other releases coming soon?
MQ: That’s the plan, yeah. We’re working on stuff. We debuted a bunch of new songs on this tour, but no date yet. We’re working toward another album.
SC: Yeah, we’re definitely trying new things on tour, new songs, seeing what works, what doesn’t, just going for it.
MLT: Can you give us any song titles?
MQ: There’s one called “She Wants to Go Dancing.”
SC: Lots of them have weird names, like there’s one where Matt whistles, so it’s called “The Whistle Song.” But obviously, we’re just working on…
MQ: Working on the titles, really, as much as we’re working on the songs.
MLT: What emotions come with the transition from recording your debut album in a garage and playing at the Fillmore and Johnny Brenda’s to selling out shows at the Mann?
MQ: Yeah, it’s surreal. I feel like each year it’s just sort of gotten bigger in Philly and it’s just, yeah…it’s kind of unbelievable. I guess it’s a dream come true. Each time when we walk out in Philly at these different places, I’m always amazed. I’m sure this show will be bigger than the last one, and I’m sure I’ll feel the goosebumps.
SC: It feels like it’s been this nice organic growth year over year where we play Johnny Brenda’s and then we play…I think we played two Johnny Brenda’s and then we did…
MQ:Â Then Union Transfer…
SC: Then like two [at the] Fillmore. It’s just been this slow [build]. We never had a huge break so [we] never really have skipped steps to the point that now we’re finally playing the Pavilion at the Mann, which is a place that Matt and I grew up seeing shows in high school. It’s going to be pretty surreal to be up there.
MLT: Is the vibe any different when playing shows around Philly?
MQ: I think so. I mean, for one, all of our friends and families are there. So personally, the vibe is different. You don’t want to screw up in front of all of your friends.
SC: It’s true.
MQ: And then, you know, Philly’s Philly, they support things. I feel like we get extra support because we’re a local thing. And I feel like no one supports their own like Philadelphia, maybe to a fault, but no one supports their own like Philly. It’s just so cool to be on the receiving end of that.
Get your tickets to Mt. Joy playing at the Mann Center on September 20 here. Before you go, check out their latest single “Highway Queen.”
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