Filter, Red, Otherwise and We As Human blow fans\’ minds in Indy

When setting up a tour, it’s always good to bring supporting bands with you who can bring a good crowd. No one wants to go to a show where the headliner is superb but the openers are all sub par. When Filter set up their current headlining run, they had the right idea and have brought out some of the best bands you can find to support them in We As Human, Otherwise and Red- all three of which are strong enough to headline their own shows. Recently the tour stopped off in Indianapolis, a market where all the bands are familiar with and vice versa- especially Otherwise, who have played the city twice times this year- not counting this show. The tour also boasts an interesting lineup in that half of the lineup are Christian rock bands, a touring trend that’s becoming more and more normal- Christian rock has made a huge break into the mainstream market lately and fans are loving every bit of it. Kicking off the Indy date was We As Human, who’s self-titled debut dropped in June and has landed them on some outstanding tours and shows, including this year’s Carnival of Madness tour. The band has everything it takes to break it big in the industry and it’s only a matter of time before it happens. Their energy, attitude, stage presence and gratitude for the fans shows in every minute of their set and they appreciate every single fan they get. Opening with “Sever,” frontman Justin Cordle got the crowd into the set from the very beginning and even joined the crowd for “Dead Man,” leaving the stage and climbing over the security barricade to get up-close and personal. They even added “Take the Bullets Away,” which was a duet with Lacey Sturm on the album but, when done live, is just as powerful as heard on the record. Cordle even mentioned the last time they were at this venue, they were in the room downstairs and Tech N9ne was upstairs with all the Juggalos. “Well we’re back and we\’ve taken the stage from him!,” he yelled, met with even more cheering and excitement from the fans. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Filter Fall tour 2013/We As Human/\”] Along with Otherwise, We As Human may just be- wait, no- they ARE the next big thing and the future of rock and roll. Speaking of Otherwise, they followed up We As Human with a set that’s become very familiar to Indianapolis and the surrounding areas. Kicking it off with “Die For You,” the third single from their insanely-addicting debut, True Love Never Dies, Otherwise captured the approval of the fans and catapulted it back to them with even more energy than they got back. It’s rare for a new band to go three singles deep on a debut, but when the fans want more, they want more and Otherwise always gives the fans what they want. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Filter Fall tour 2013/Otherwise/\”] Zooming though a set that included “Vegas Girl,” “Lighthouse,” “I Don’t Apologize” and “Soldiers”- which featured their patented jump off the amp stacks- Otherwise brought the intensity they always bring with them and owned more and more fans by the end of their set. Red were up next with a set that somehow included every Red song imaginable- how they managed to fit it all into one supporting set is amazing. They opened with the reprise of “Death of Me” from their End of Silence album that kicked right into the actual version and was met with a roar of approval from the fans. They went right into “Perfect Life,” “Faceless” and more and, as always, took the energy from the openers and launched it to another level that can only be described as an adrenaline rush on steroids. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Filter Fall tour 2013/Red/\”] They blew the crowd away with “Let Go,” “Die For You,” Feed the Machine,” “Release the Panic,” “Breathe Into Me” and many more and, as usual, frontman Michael Barnes didn’t stand still for more than a verse of each song- jumping around stage and exuding so much energy he had to have passed out the second they left stage. Finishing off the night was rock icons Filter, who played a good 15 songs on the night. They kicked it off with “Welcome to the Fold” and went right into “Jurassitol,” which was met with a roar of anticipation from the crowd. They put on one hell of a set and it’s obvious why they were headlining the tour- they have the fans, the material, the experience and stage presence to do it. Filter fans came out in the hundreds for the show, which is more than a lot of rock shows in the market and Filter did a stellar job of getting the crowd involved in the set. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Filter Fall tour 2013/Filter /\”] One thing that always turns off the fans is when bands show up, play and leave without saying more than a few words during the set- fans didn’t get that with Filter- or any of the bands on the bill. When you put aside the fact that Red came very close to stealing the show, Filter put on a show worthy of headlining status and showed exactly why they’ve been around for as long as they have been and showed no signs of slowing down. -Reggie Edwards