Barriers, Frank Iero’s third solo go-round,
dropped in May, and the rapid-fire band has already released
two videos for it, "Young
And Doomed" and "Great
Party." Iero’s lyrics are always gut-wrenching,
and, when he performs live, every drop of the emotion of
into each song translates directly from the stage and pours
itself visibly into the chests of the crowd, screaming along
with every note. It takes a special type of artist to accomplish
this type of visceral reactivity in a listener, and Iero
has always had that gift. The presence of the uber-talented
band in back of him really gives the album that extra punch.
Thursday’s Tucker Rule is one hell of a drummer, and
his participation alone would be enough, if not for the
accompaniment of the multi-talented Kayleigh Goldsworthy,
Murder By Death star Matt Armstrong, and the ever-present
Evan Nestor providing harmonies and trading guitar leads
with Iero.
Jake Szufnarowski’s “Rocks Off” cruises
are always a good time. The basement feel of a punk show
of yesteryear, along with Jake and his crew dressing up
in silly outfits (even on such a hot day) – this time,
it was bunnies - and the literal feel of the house a-rockin’,
is a pretty cool combo. Iero and the Patience (along with
eclectic supporter James DeWees of Reggie and the Full Effect
fame), really took things to the next level.
James DeWees
DeWees is always a sight to behold live. In addition to
“Reggie”, DeWees takes on other characters during
his sets: most commonly Klaus, lead singer of Finnish metal
band, Common Denominator, and Fluxuation (a flirty, flamboyant,
British techno pop star). He also peppers his sets with
jokes, anecdotes (often about his fellow tour companions),
and vignettes of other songs. He’s interactive, and
just the right combination of dark and cheerful. Crowds
always love him, and this crowd, already familiar with DeWees
from his other projects with Iero, was no exception.
Iero likes to move his projects along at a breathtaking
pace. No sooner has his audience absorbed one EP or LP when
he’s already onto the next. “Barriers”
feels very much like a continuation of the works which have
come before it: an expansion – even an evolution -
if you will. The double LP is ambitious, catchy and heartbreaking
all in the same measure, but live, it is simply an explosion.
Iero is careful to include already established crowd favorites
in every set. These include “Stomachaches”’
“Joyriding” and “She’s The Prettiest
Girl at the Party, and She Can Prove It With a Solid Right
Hook” (a song made all the cooler by being about Iero’s
first meeting with his clearly badass wife, Jamia), and
“Parachutes”’ “I’ll Let You
Down” and “I’m A Mess”.
However, it was the material from Barriers which
really brought down the house. An album recorded in part
as a poignant response to surviving a collision with a bus,
and all of the emotions which follow such a near-death experience,
Barriers is, quite possibly, the rawest expression
of Iero’s soul which listeners have ever heard. In
addition to “Great Party” (about destructive
relationships), standouts include the shattering “Basement
Eyes” and the hopeful “A New Day’s Coming”
(the personal favorite of his children). Fan favorites include
the bouncy “Moto Pop” and the first single,
“Young and Doomed” (about self-sabotage). The
most interesting thing about this album is the change in
sound, use of harmonies and expansion in instrumentation
(thanks in no small part to the musicianship of his Future
Violent counterparts, in particular, Kayleigh.) Because
the entire band also worked on the album together, it translates
perfectly live.
The interplay between all of the Future Violents is both
pleasant to observe and fun to participate in. If they are
coming to a town near you, I’d suggest checking them
out – you will not be disappointed! Here is the balance
of their tour schedule for the summer:
Tue, JUL 23 - Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
Wed, JUL 24 - The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
Fri, JUL 26 - Knitting Factory Boise, Boise, ID
Sat, JUL 27 - Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT
Mon, JUL 29 - Marquis Theatre, Denver, CO
Tue, JUL 30 - Meow Wolf, Santa Fe, NM
Thu, AUG 1 - Gas Monkey Bar & Grill, Dallas, TX
Fri, AUG 2 – Barracuda, Austin, TX
Sat, AUG 3 - Paper Tiger, San Antonio, TX
Mon, AUG 5 - 191 Toole, Tucson, AZ
Tue, AUG 6 - Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ
Wed, AUG 7 - House of Blues San Diego, San Diego, CA
Fri, AUG 9 - Chain Reaction, Anaheim, CA
Sat, AUG 10 – Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA
Mon, AUG 26 - St Luke's, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Tue, AUG 27 - The Liquid Room, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Wed, AUG 28 - Manchester Academy, Manchester, United Kingdom
Thu, AUG 29 – Scala, London, United Kingdom