Justin Nuoffer
Filter
w/ The Faith Hills Have Eyes
5/1/25 – The Majestic – Madison, WI
©Justin Nuoffer/NuofferMedia.com
A rainy and cold Thursday left little in the way of desire, but Madison, WI, played host to the legendary FILTER. Despite the weather, the capital city was busy with a flurry of activities around the capital city. The bars that lined King Street were busier than busy with folks having dinner and beginning their night out. The Majestic Theater was a buzz. The venue in the middle of the block dons a classic red brick facade and golden trim with a vintage marquee hanging down with the week to come’s scheduled performances.
The glass doors below opened for the line out front and it moved smoothly through the security checkpoint. The balcony down the front hall was closed to the public, but the opera boxes and standing area were open to those who rented them out. Walking through the main entrance, the merchandise booth is to the immediate right. Straight ahead are three tiers of standing room areas down to the main general admission floor. On the left-hand side is a bar that wraps around the wall with standing room spots along a rail that overlooks the tiered area. The stage itself is a large space with a classic hardwood floor. The history of the building is told within the scratches and stains on those boards. The old vaudeville theater’s life is alive and well.
The opening act is a Madison local who has played around town for years and has a following of fans that always turn out. The Faith Hills Have Eyes is a unique blend of rock, metal, and post hardcore. The five-piece hail from right here in Madison, WI, and even took extra time when one of the other acts had to miss the show at the last second. Despite all of that, they had the room moving and getting warmed up.
The vocals were reminiscent of Cameron Heacock of American Head Charge fame. The parallel was uncanny. With wild song titles and distinguishable lyrical content, The Faith Hills Have Eyes took full advantage of their moment.
The Majestic stage was darkened, and white light softly filled the backline. The band took the stage first, followed by Richard Patrick, the brain trust that is FILTER, who walked out, grabbed his microphone stand, and adjusted it. This was a routine throughout the performance. Then he took two steps back, dragging the microphone stand towards him and unleashed a signature Richard Patrick scream. Like a rocket on takeoff, they blasted through their first two songs, “You Walk Away” and “The Drowning,” without any stoppage.
FILTER as a band is an extremely tight and cohesive unit. Their timing and precision were on full display. The early portion of the show was dedicated to The Algorithm, featuring tracks like “For The Beaten”, “Face Down”, and “Obliteration”. Songs sprinkled in between them were “What Do You Say” and the popular soundtrack song “Trip Like I Do”. The banger from the Spawn soundtrack garnered a ton of crowd reaction. Slowly, but surely, the general admission floor began to move and bump into each other.
Another cult classic track, “Jurassitol”, overwhelmed the Majestic crowd. The slow building and Richard Patrick’s vocals were everything one could’ve asked for. Without any doubt, the track is one of the more beloved and off-beaten FILTER recordings. The song was one of the anchors of the The Crow: City of Angels soundtrack. The placement next to “Take a Picture” couldn’t have been a coincidence either. Patrick commented on the radio smash, “This is probably our most famous song, so let’s see some hands in the air.” The entire venue raises their hands in the air, swaying back and forth. Heads bobbed along with the rhythm. Patrick also changed the lyrics at times to reflect the passage of time, from “Hey dad, how do you like your son now” to “Hey son, how do you like your dad now”. Regardless, the song stands the test of time. The voices of the fans filled the room.
The raw power and emotion of everything put forth by Patrick were highly impactful. You heard the importance of the words he sang. This was the end of the lighter side of FILTER. The rest of the way was dirty and grimy. “Captain Bligh” from the Title of Record and the single “Thoughts and Prayers” started shaking the room while the atmosphere turned ridiculously fun. It was a good old-fashioned rock show.
Patrick often spoke to the crowd in earnest. He said, “We’ve put out eight albums, that’s a fuck load!” He continued, “This is from The Amalgamut.” The album from 2002 is an underground favorite and has produced some killer works like “American Cliche” and “So I Quit,” which once again struck a chord on this night. There’s something about that release; it is special, and FILTER selected the perfect tracks to represent it.
With the final three songs upon us, “Drug Boy” from The Trouble With Angels kept the punches rolling. The heaviness factor of FILTER was alive and strong. Closing the night out, they saved “Welcome To The Fold” and, of course, their landmark industrial back breaker “Hey Man Nice Shot”. At one point, a crowd surfer was carried around the floors, and Patrick screamed, “That’s what we’ve been waiting for!” The crowd joined in every chorus, shouting out with the band, “Hey man, nice shot,” over and over. As the final notes rang out, the audience lost their minds. The band waved and high-fived each other and the fans along the front row. Richard Patrick made sure to stop and sign autographs for fans who asked, then walked off to the dark corner of the stage.
Check out our concert photos of FILTER below:
FILTER is a true master of their craft. With a nineteen-song setlist and very few moments of stoppage, the Majestic Theater was electrified from start to finish. Since 1993, Richard Patrick has captivated audiences with his live show, down-to-earth nature, and unparalleled vocal abilities. Tonight’s performance was only a blip on the radar in their history, but to the dedicated fan base in Wisconsin, it was a moment in time that won’t be forgotten. To have a metal band such as FILTER come to town on an off date and rip through a career-spanning setlist like they did is unimaginable. This is what makes FILTER a beloved and cherished band.
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