|
Buffalo, NY- Filter took the stage at around 10:00 to an eagerly awaiting audience Saturday, June 28, at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY. Although the crowd was at about half capacity, the fans were obviously loyal, and their cheers and applause made it appear as though the crowd was larger. The group started the night out with the high energy paced, “Welcome To The Fold,” and from there on, after a couple of blown out microphones and amps mid-way through, it was quite apparent that Filter was ready to entertain and rock the audience hard.
 |
Touring in support of their new cd, Anthem’s for the Dead, Filter entertained the crowd with both new and old material. In fact, the focus was more on the past than their present venture. The third song of the night was “Soldiers of Misfortune” which is the first single from their latest release. The song translated extremely well live – bringing a dimension and passion that is absent from the studio version. The added intensity live is due mainly to Richard Patrick’s vocals which were in top notch form. He was able to belt out the industrial laced tunes and rock/pop numbers with equal conviction, which is no easy task. Accompanying Patrick was Mitchell Marlow on guitar, John Spiker on bass, and Mike Fineo on drums. All musicians were able to wind their way through the ninety minute set that ranged in musical diversity.
Highlights of the night included “The Take,” from their latest release, the hypnotic, “It’s Gonna Kill Me,” and the incredibly performed, “Where do We Go From Here?” However, the undoubtedly best part of the evening came at the end when Filter belted out its industrial laced hit, “Hey Man Nice Shot.” This is the Filter that many have come to know and love, and showcases them at their best musically. The crowd was undone when the signature bass line ripped through the hall. There wasn’t a person present who wasn’t taken away by the throbbing bass and frantic vocals. If a band is going to write one masterpiece, this is definitely Filter’s. The band then came back for a three song encore which included their biggest hit to date, “Take A Picture,” which was met with much appreciated applause, as well as the hard driven, “Skinny.”
Filter is definitely one of those bands that must be seen live in order to understand the passion and intensity which Patrick’s vocals are able to evoke. Next time around, see them live, and you’ll know what I mean.
Opening the show with their hard kicking industrial sound was Opiate for the Masses. This group from L. A. was nothing short of amazing, and stunned the crowd with their amazing stage presence, especially the entertaining antics of their drummer, Seven. This is truly a band to watch! |
|
