Richard Patrick is an amazing vocalist. I have always kind of liked Filter, but they were never like my favorite band, or anything. During Patrick’s stint with Army of Anyone, I grew to really like his voice and style. Seeing him sing live really got me interested in Filter, so recently I’ve been catching up on some of their work.

Filter just played the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA. I could not pass up the chance to see them so close to home for only $20 (yes that included service charges and all). Since the Chameleon completed their renovations, they have been attracting larger name acts. Although the club has not drastically changed, it appears to be more spacious. A third level balcony has been added and the first floor has been opened up by a ramp being removed and the soundboard has been relocated. In my opinion the club has made some improvements, but still kept the charm of an old rock club.

Richard Patrick’s vocals were amazing as expected and the band sounded great, but I think Filter songs start to sound the same after awhile. This must sound crazy, but I would have liked it more if it was about half the length. Not to mention Patrick inciting a mosh pit. Mosh pits are fine, but when the band requests one I think that’s kind of lame. It’s especially lame when all of the moshers are about 40 years old. I know I’ll be 40 one day, but hopefully I’ll be past the point where I feel the need to mosh. Since this was in a small venue, staying out of the pit, which took up half the floor became a distraction from the music.

Despite a few negatives the show was well worth the $20 and I’m glad I went. I’d probably see them again if they played nearby and for a low price.

Favorites from the show:
Hey Man, Nice Shot
Jurassitol
(Can’t You) Trip Like I Do
Welcome to the Fold
Take a Picture
American Cliché
Soldiers of Misfortune
So I Quit

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As a musician, when I see a great live show it inspires me to play. Once in a great while I’ll catch a show that takes me beyond that point and makes me just want to watch and enjoy. Seeing Stone Temple Pilots is one of those shows for me.

On August 9th, STP played the Borgata in Atlantic City. It was a sold-out performance in a room of only 3,500 people. Between some people stuck in the nineties, the semi-outdated imagery on the large screens and the classic hits from Stone Temple Pilots, I felt like I had stepped into a time machine and traveled back in time about ten, or fifteen years.

The first question anyone asks me is “how was Weiland?” He was awesome. He seemed a little weird when he was talking between songs, but he was dead on with his vocals, so I don’t think he’s off the wagon. Or is that “on the wagon”? The DeLeos were just as great as always. During their stint with Army of Anyone I realized that they are probably the main reason that I am such a huge STP fan. Robert’s intensity on stage was great and he looks like he’s talking to himself while bobbing his head to the beat. Dean just about melted my face off with his guitar solos played almost note-for-note like the songs on the albums. Eric Kretz was solid with his drumming and probably one of the more underrated drummers of the nineties.

As expected they played most, if not all of their hits, but they also slipped in a few album songs from their earlier days and a couple of songs off of their last studio album, Shangri-La Dee Da, from 2001.

Set List:
Big Empty
Wicked Garden
Big Bang Baby
Silver Gun Superman
Vasoline
Lounge Fly
Lady Picture Show
Sour Girl
Creep
Crackerman
Plush
Interstate Love Song
Too Cool Queenie
Coma
Down
Sex Type Thing
Sin

Encore:
Dead and Bloated
Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart

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Check out Instrumental 1. It’s just something I put together in GarageBand. It may, or may not make the album, but I kinda like it. It may end up being a full song one day, but as of now I intend for it to be a short instrumental.

Instrumental 1 (piano solo)

I’ll be posting another song up here soon. I’ve been doing some work on my demos for the album, but I’ll have to decide which one to post.

I’ll also have some concert reviews coming up. I’m going to see STP and Filter within the next few weeks.

Vince and I will be taking a little break from playing out, but we’ll be out again in September. The shows will be posted soon. I also hope to have a recording update in the near future.