Funeral Party perform on May 1st, 2011 in support of “The Golden Age Of Knowhere” at The Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan – photos by Chris Schwegler
Review By Chris Johnston
Being on a big tour as a smaller known band can be pretty intimidating. Especially if the bands you’re on tour with are The Dillenger Escape Plan and the almighty Deftones. As a lover of all types of music, I think it’s important that bands tour with like bands. I can’t honestly give you a single reason as to why anybody thought California’s Funeral Party were a good choice for this tour. But, as dumbfounded as I am, I can’t sit here and say that it was all for not. Funeral Party is extremely impressive live, musically. They don’t really have an energetic stage presence. Which is something I think is extremely valuable for any band to have. ESPECIALLY a band that’s touring with The Dillenger Escape plan (who’s first requirement for new members is to have health insurance, to give you an idea of how crazy their sets are), and possibly THE MOST solid live band out there right now in the Deftones. The only member that actually moves more than two steps away from their starting position is vocalist Chad Elliott. That’s not to say that he’s doing cartwheels or anything. Really he just kind of turns around a couple times or shakes a tambourine. However, if a band is to have a 50/50 balance to put on a good show (50% stage presence, 50% performance), Funeral Party makes up for their lack of stage presence with their stunning ability to play their music FLAWLESSLY. I’ve seen hundreds of shows, maybe even in the thousands now, and it’s extremely rare to find a band of their stature that’s able to sound even better than the produced sound of an album. To be frank, I didn’t really like this band before seeing them live. I had listened to them, gave them a shot, and decided it just wasn’t for me. But I love it when a band can make me a believer live. And as soon as Funeral Party cut into current single, “Finale,” I dropped all reservations that I previously had. Sometimes that’s all that it takes, and if you’re one of the people going into this show not really sure about this band, you’re going to be jamming them the next day. I guarantee it. Great sound, great tones, and a deep understanding of what they want to project live all came together to make the very well put-together setlist really pop. There isn’t a bad song on it. They manage to cut the fat of their most recent release (The Golden Age of Knowhere) and showcase the songs that will both identify with current fans and make those not in-the-know take notice. On a tour that features two of the most revered live bands currently working, Funeral Party make a prominent case for themselves.
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