At Irving Plaza on Wednesday night, Filter hit the stage like they were the main attraction—and by the end of their set, you couldn’t blame anyone in the room for thinking they were. Opening for Jerry Cantrell is no small task, but Richard Patrick and his crew came in swinging, ripping through a tight, nine-song set that hit hard and didn’t let up.
They kicked things off with “You Walk Away,” setting an aggressive tone that didn’t waver. “The Drowning” followed, brooding and heavy, giving the crowd a taste of the band’s darker textures. Things turned chaotic—in a good way—with “(Can’t You) Trip Like I Do,” a frantic blast of electronic-laced noise that got the floor moving.
The newer track “Obliteration” kept the energy spiking—fast, loud, no filler. And the rare inclusion of “Jurassitol” earned cheers from longtime fans, its raw, industrial grind a reminder of Filter’s deeper catalog.
The band shifted gears with “Take a Picture,” the one moment of calm in an otherwise relentless set. It was a sing-along, sure, but still carried an edge. That vibe didn’t last, though—“Drug Boy” brought things right back into the gutter with its sneering stomp.
By the time they launched into “Welcome to the Fold,” the crowd was completely in. Bodies moved, fists flew, and Filter fed off it. Then came the closer: “Hey Man Nice Shot.” Predictable? Maybe. But delivered with full force and zero nostalgia—just power.
Filter didn’t feel like an opener—they felt like a co-headliner. And for many in that packed room, they may have walked away the highlight of the night.
