FAN REVIEW OF FAITH NO MORE PORTLAND SHOW

 

Photo: Colin McLaughlin

A second review from Frank Quinn, this time he was at the Portland show.




So now it's time for Faith No More to hit the stage and this is my second night in a row....it really was and still is a bit surreal that this happened. And don't let the fact the venue was seated fool you....the atmosphere was electric and there was plenty on noise being made and partying being done. In fact it was probably noisier than Seattle as people needed to get their energy out somehow.
So second night and the opener is Motherfucker again (and I can see it being the opener for sometime). It sounded even better than the first night (the sound in The Keller is second only to the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow in my opinion) and the crowd was going crazy. I was more able to appreciate the play between Mike Patton and Roddy Bottum during this song and the fun they seem to have performing it. Land of Sunshine was next and good god it almost near took the roof of the place. Jason and I were slamming into each other in the seats and the whole place was rocking. And yet again you could hear that Billy Gould has really changed up his bass lines......and for the better (again in my opinion).
Caffeine was next that is when people started getting their asses up off their seats in the balcony (I didn't as it was a pretty long drop to the floor and I have balance issues). They had already been doing so on the floor and the whole place looked like a writhing mass of humanity. Evidence was next (dunno why no Ricochet like the night before but hey it's not my decision) and Mike Patton bantered with the crowd about sitting down like at the Opera and broke into Figero before the Evidence. The song is still so smooth sounding and in a venue built for sound it was a monumental Epic......which takes me into the next song quite neatly (and with pun intended). So old faithful was brought out again and was met with so much enthusiasm that even I was swept along with the rest of the fans. Sunny Side Up was next and this song is growing on me so much I can see it being my favourite on the new album. It just has that undefinable magic that the best Faith No More songs seem to have and it sounded even greater the second night as Roddy's keyboards worked. All the while people had got up from their seats on the floor and filled in the space in front of the stage which was awesome....and let's be honest was pretty much down to Mike mocking the Opera house feel of the venue. From my vantage point it was great to see that the chemistry between Mike, Billy, Roddy, John and Puffy is at an all time high. They truly seem to be at the peek of their powers as a band. Get Out was blistering once more and sounded that much more aggressive in the surroundings. Midlife Crisis followed the same pattern as the night before, but with a slight change of the crowd getting to sing some of the vocals before the P-Funk remix part. Really enjoy that bit....go find a video and watch it on youtube folks if you haven't already. And now for the song that was the highlight of both shows for me........Everything's Ruined.
Now I dunno if it's just me but every time I've heard it live I cannot help but see that cheap video and simply grin at the absurdity of it all. That and the fact it's such a monster of a song too. The guys were definitely in the groove now and were killing the show. Easy was again sublime.....however hearing it two nights on the trot kinda took the shine off the song and if I was the band I'd change up the cover they use (damn I wish they'd go back to War Pigs). Mike did get a girl up on stage and the jealous girl cat girls always make me wince (he was later to regret doing as there was no barrier between stage and fans).
Spirit was next and I'd love to review the performance but as it was the third time in three shows I'd heard it I took advantage of the song to run down and buy a t-shirt. I ran back up stairs in time for King For A Day to start and again the high quality sound in the building made this song soar. Ashes To Ashes again took my breath away and the funkiness of Bill's bass and Mike Bordin's drums was sheer musical heaven....and the opening lines on guitar by John  Hudson was the best I've heard it done. Superhero closed down the main set and is so much fun to hear and see them having fun playing.
Encore time and I was in for a treat.....the live debut of a new un played song. Separation Anxiety was a shock......it could have been on Angel Dust but has the feel of a Chuck Mosley era song. Again another song that gives me high hopes for Sol Invictus.
We Care A Lot was the second to last song and it was a brutal version....the band just throwing themselves into and showing more energy than ever. I loved the reaction the Portland crowd gave it....it was like a long lost child come home. Now I'm the first to admit I got confused when Roddy slung on a guitar and they played the closer which I have since discovered was From The Dead from the new album. Due to the confusion I can't really review that well. I will say that what I did hear I enjoyed.