AFI Takes the Stage at The Fillmore Detroit

October 2, just a day before the world got greeted to Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…, AFI took the stage of the legendary Fillmore in Detroit, MI.

The audience swelled with emotion and excitement as we all began the chant of “Strength Through Wounding” off of 1999’s Black Sails in the Sunset. “Through our bleeding, we are one”. One by one, the band’s members took to the stage; Adam Carson (drums), Hunter Burgan (bass), Jade Puget (guitar), and finally Davey Havok (vocals).

Now, I have seen AFI multiple times throughout the years, and each time, they keep getting better. This particular show, not only due to the band, but the fantastically kind venue staff, its patrons, and the fucking incredible setlist; was by far the best I had seen from the band.

Following up “Strength Through Wounding”, they broke into Sing the Sorrow‘s massive 2003 hit “Girls Not Grey” and Burials‘ “17 Crimes”. The songs that came later, I don’t think anyone was ready for, I know I wasn’t.

If you watched Havok’s recent interview with Hardlore, you’d know that he hinted at how the sets for this tour would go, with over 60 songs for the band to kind of throw into a hat and create a set from. Aside from the large body of work that the band has, he mentioned certain songs he physically cannot do live any longer due to how his voice has changed with age, for example, “Synesthesia” (a Sing the Sorrow bonus track), but also that he had to revisit “secret songs”. This left Art of Drowning‘s “Battled”, Black Sails in the Sunset‘s “Midnight Sun”, and Sing the Sorrow‘s “This Time Imperfect” all up for grabs. Spoiler: We got “This Time Imperfect”, but what made me lose my absolute mind…?

This was my 7th time seeing AFI, the first time being on the first U.S. leg of the Decemberunderground Tour in 2006, and to get to see “Third Season” off of Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes and “He Who Laughs Last…” from Very Proud of Ya (my favorite of the first three hardcore punk records) live for the first time… let’s just say my throat is still recovering. I screamed every lyric until I got lightheaded.

In addition to the older songs, we got a taste of Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… in “Behind the Clock”, “Holy Visions”, “The Bird of Prey”, and the debut of “Nooneunderground”, which is climbing to the top of my favorites from the new album so far (full album review is coming as soon as I figure out how to write it not as a thirsty fan, because I am consuming it nonstop).

It seems that the only thing missing from a classic AFI show this time around was Davey Havok jumping into the crowd and performing his God walk (where he walks upon the hands of the crowd while singing), which is typically done during Black Sails in the Sunset‘s “God Called in Sick Today” or Burials‘ “I Hope You Suffer”. Those at the show in Detroit did get “I Hope You Suffer”, but the amount of crowd surfers during the song was intense, which is why I am sure he did not perform the classic walk. It was refreshing to see a venue allow crowd surfing, so I won’t complain about missing the walk this time around.

I’ve peeped at the setlists from the other shows on the tour thus far, and I can say whole heartedly that I am glad I was present for the one at The Fillmore Detroit. As a fan of damn near 30 years (it feels so wild to say that), and as many times as I’ve screamed my heart along to each word, this setlist blended the best of their catalog with new and old, hits and deep cuts; and to get to dance and sing with so many other people who share such a deep love for the foursome out of Ukiah, California… Well… I think Davey Havok summed it up best in a quote I read when I was around 13.

“Find good people who care about you and surround yourself with just them. If you can’t find them at first, find good music and fall into it. Let it hold you until they come.”

AFI’s music has held me for many years now, and October 3rd, it held us all while we found each other. I look forward to the next.

Gallery.

Setlist.

Strength Through Wounding
Girl’s Not Grey
17 Crimes
Behind the Clock
The Nephilim
The Interview
Beautiful Thieves
Nooneunderground
Love Like Winter
Third Season
Holy Visions
Begging For Trouble
He Who Laughs Last…
I Hope You Suffer
The Bird of Prey
This Celluloid Dream
Encores:
Endlessly, She Said
The Days of the Phoenix
This Time Imperfect

PHOTO CREDIT: All Photos by Stephy Muzio for ZRockR Magazine © – All Rights Reserved