Falling in Reverse at the Gramercy Theatre

Ronnie Radke of Falling in Reverse

Ronnie Radke was the lead singer in the heavy metal band Escape the Fate when he sentenced to two years in prison for failing to report to his probation officer in 2008. Previously, he had been charged with battery in the shooting death of an 18-year-old man. While in prison, Radke formed a band that later would be called Falling in Reverse. Falling in Reverse released its second album, Fashionably Late, on June 18, 2013. The band presently consists of Radke, lead guitarist Jacky Vincent, rhythm guitarist Derek Jones, bassist Ron Ficarro and drummer Ryan Seaman.

Falling in Reverse is on a short tour entitled “An Evening with Falling in Reverse—Unplugged & Uncensored.” A billing like that would give the impression that there would be no opening act because the band was going to play a long set. At the Gramercy Theatre tonight, it was a shockingly short “evening with.” The band performed for only 50 minutes, and Radke spent quite a lot of that time fielding questions from the audience. The show itself was enjoyable though, watching the normally hard rocking quintet playing some of its best songs while sitting on stools, plucking and strumming on three acoustic guitars and slapping a little percussion. Radke sang very well, and in this acoustic mode more readily emphasized how his buoyant lyrics were more amusing than soulful. Radke introduced each song with a story of its origin; the narratives of "Pick up the Phone", “Bad Girls Club” and "The Drug in Me Is You" also leaned towards the whimsical. “An Evening with” was far from a comedy act, but it was refreshing to listen to an artist balance levity with good musicianship and intelligible lyrics.

Visit Falling in Reverse at www.fallinginreverse.com.