Stabbing Westward at the Gramercy Theatre

Christopher Hall

Vocalist Christopher Hall and keyboardist Walter Flakus formed Stabbing Westward as an industrial rock band in 1986 while working at a college radio station in Macomb, Illinois. They relocated the band to the closest music mecca, Chicago, and started building a following, then moved again to Los Angeles, California. Ten years after forming and several personnel changes later, Stabbing Westward's second album was certified gold on the strength of two radio songs. Subsequent albums did not sell as well, however, and the band split in 2002. The band's fourth and most recent album is 2001's Stabbing Westward. Stabbing Westward reunited for two 30th anniversary concerts in 2016, which then morphed into a 2017 tour. The band presently consists of Hall, Flakus, guitarist Mark Eliopulos and drummer Johnny Haro.

VampireFreaks presented Stabbing Westward's concert at the Gramercy Theatre tonight, the band's first New York performance in 16 years. Oddly, the band played only three songs from its most successful album, performing more songs from the first and third album than from the second. Altogether, Stabbing Westward played 13 songs, including the better-known "Shame", "What Do I Have to Do?" and "So Far Away." Throbbing synth beats and crunching guitar chords made for a pulsating drive that alternately whispered and roared, much like Hall's melodic vocals. On several songs, the band leaned on the softer, dreamier side of the industrial genre, but then quickly provided enough bristle to spike new waves of energy. This was where the band sounded most interesting.

Setlist

1. Drugstore
2. Falls Apart
3. So Far Away
4. ACF
5. Sometimes It Hurts
6. Lies
7. The Thing I Hate
8. Nothing
9. What Do I Have to Do?
10. Violent Mood Swings
11. Save Yourself

Encore:

1. Waking Up Beside You
2. Shame