Filter - Live at Boston House of Blues

FILTER toured with Bush this past fall and on October 15th, they rolled into Boston's House of Blues. This was the second time I have gone to see Richard Patrick and his band. Lining up an hour before doors opened for this early show was well worth the opportunity to stand front and center for FILTER’s electrifying set. They played six songs, taking material from their latest album, The Trouble With Angels, and hits from the early days of Short Bus and Title Of A Record. Their sound reverberates with such thick intensity. Their new material is nicely polished, yet deeply seeded with the industrial-tinged rage we’ve come to love from Richard Patrick. Unlike some bands, whose hit songs sound overplayed and exactly as written, FILTER maintains the same overall vision for their sound while modernizing everything they play. Hit songs like "Trip Like I Do," "Take A Picture," and "Hey Man Nice Shot" sound as if they could have been recorded for the Angels record.

Richard Patrick, who has been the driving force behind FILTER since its inception, puts on an awesome show. He tirelessly runs around the stage, singing and screaming from every platform he can find. For much of the set he leaned into the front rows of the crowd, singing and shaking hands with the fans. He also crowd surfed while singing "The Best Things" and used an electric drill to enhance bassist Phil Buckman's hypnotic rumbling on "(Can't You) Trip Like I Do." The set also included a killer cover of ZZ Top's "Gimme All Your Lovin'." The new songs, "Drug Boy" and "No Love" are fierce and energized, played with blistering intensity by Patrick and the band. 

FILTER manages to cram more energy and musicality into their short, eight-song set than most bands can muster over the course of an entire night. Richard Patrick belts out each song with raw, reckless abandon. I've seen plenty of bands with incredible lead singers. Some do the 'rock-star' thing by enticing the crowd; others just simply do their thing. Both produce great concerts. Richard Patrick is one of the rare vocalist who imbues his performance with such sincere emotion that you cannot hep but be drawn completely into the performance. I'm still in search of my first FILTER headlining show, but this set was definitely a memorable experience.

October 15th, 2011 - Boston House of Blues

Set List:

1. Welcome To The Folder

2. Drug Boy

3. No Love

4. Gimme All Your Lovin'

5. (Can't You) Trip Like I Do

6. Take A Picture

7. The Best Things

8. Hey Man Nice Shot