Photo by DAN LONG
Last night, I stood in the uncomfortable throng of enthusiastic attendees at the Electric Factory’s sold out Faith No More gig, the room alive with an ear-crippling volume from both the band and the voices around me. Faith No More, the alt-metal superstars whose appreciation and influence peaked in the early to mid-90s, were gracious and thankful for the positive reception from the crowd. Following an impressive and highly entertaining performance from the opening band, Le Butcherettes, (whose wildly charismatic DEVO-meets-Grace Slick frontwoman Teri Geri Bender who abandoned the stage at one point to shimmy, shuffle, crawl and dance through the audience), Faith No More opened to everyone’s immediate delight with “Motherfucker,” the first single from the band’s upcoming new release, Sol Invictus. Since last night’s set precedes the new album’s release, Faith No More leaned on their catalogue with songs like “Land of Sunshine,” “Caffeine,” “Everything’s Ruined,” “Surprise! You’re Dead” and “Epic,” drawing elated responses from the crowd. They also had a bit of fun with “Midlife Crisis,” holding back as the audience sang the hook and then launching into an unexpected rendition of “Lowdown” by Boz Scaggs before finishing the song. “I don’t care what New York says! You guys are cool!” spoke vocalist Mike Patton before then asking the audience to come up with insults for New Yorkers. Despite a sluggish rendition of “Evidence” from 1995’s King For A Day… Fool For A Lifetime, Faith No More fulfilled many an expectation, serenading us by disco light with Lionel Richie’s “Easy,” offering reverence to original FNM singer Chuck Mosely with “We Care A Lot” and finishing up their set with “I Started A Joke.” I certainly heard what I wanted to hear and it was clear I wasn’t alone. — SEAN CALDWELL