Fans of the band Failure may have thought they had seen the last of the band back in 1997, when they announced they were disbanding due to personal differences. To much delight, Failure reunited in late 2013 and has been hitting cities across the country. In support of their new album The Heart Is a Monster, which was released on June 30, Failure headlined a show at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY on Friday July 17.
Opening the evening was Queen Kwong. Although many fans weren’t at the venue yet when the band went on shortly after 8pm, those who were witnessed an incredible act. Queen Kwong is an indie rock band that was founded by singer/guitarist Carré Callaway. With a couple of EPs out already and a new album due in August, Queen Kwong have been busy playing shows all over the world. The band consists of Carré Callaway on vocals and some other familiar faces. Playing guitar for Queen Kwong is none other than Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit and Black Light Burns. Many fans were delighted to see Wes, while others didn’t recognize him without full costume. Playing the bass for Queen Kwong is former Marilyn Manson bassist, Fred Sablan. Finally, filling out the band is Hayden Scott on the drums, who was part of AWOLNATION. The mix of raw talent and musical passion created an energy on stage that transformed right into the crowd. Skeptical at first about what they were going to see and hear, fans quickly seemed to get into the groove. Queen Kwong left the audience warmed up and ready to finish the night with Failure.
Failure took the stage just after 9pm to a large crowd of eager fans. Opening the night up with a couple of tracks off the new album The Heart Is a Monster, Failure fans knew they were in for a great night. Back together after 15 years, the original trio of Greg Edwards, Ken Andrew and Kellii Scott didn’t seem to miss a beat or note for that matter. When thinking of rock trios, the names Rush, Blink-182, Chevelle, Muse, Nirvana, etc. all come to mind. It’s incredible how bands with only 3 members can sound so great live and make live performances match the studio records or make the songs even better live. Failure belongs in that category with the great rock trios. The entire night, the band was playing with rejuvenated energy and passion.
For a small-scale production, Failure made it perfect. Behind the band, 3 symmetrical LED screens illuminated with various psychedelic designs and animated videos. Some of these images could have been compared to the likes of Pink Floyd’s, “The Wall” movie. Fans were able to focus on the music without over the top distractions that would normally take away from the actual musical performance. Failure’s setlist was composed of mainly 3 albums the entire night. Asides from The Heart Is a Monster, Failure’s newest album, they also played tracks off of Fantastic Planet from 1996 and Magnified from 1994.
Fans from all around New York State as far as Long Island, traveled to Syracuse to see Failure perform. These fans were thanked time and time again throughout the set by the band, who let them know how much they appreciated all the support. Many fans around the venue were wearing VIP laminates showing that they had participated in the meet and greet with the band. Others were walking around with the new album The Heart Is a Monster on CD and even vinyl. Failure’s fan base is definitely still intact after all of these years. For over an hour and a half, fans were sent back in time 15 years to when Failure’s first albums came out and got to experience the whole thing again with a mix of awesome new material.
Setlist: Segue 4/WalkOnCue, Hot Traveler, A.M. Amnesia, Atom City Queen, Otherwhere, Counterfeit Sky, Mullholland Dr., Heliotropic, Undone, Frogs, Another Space Song, Saturday Saviour, Sergeant Politeness, Segue 1, Pillowhead, Stuck On You.
Encore: Smoking Umbrellas, The Nurse Who Loved Me, Daylight
Failure has tour dates planned in the United States into the middle of October. If you missed your chance at the Westcott Theater, click here to find out where Failure is playing next.
The Westcott Theater Website: Click here
Queen Kwong Official Website: Click here
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