I long considered Faith No More a band that was ahead of their time, and thus they never achieved success commensurate with their abilities and influence during their initial run. I’ll even admit that my affection for them was not as great when their albums were new. I came to really enjoy them years later, well after their breakup.

Their openers consisted of Neil Hamburger and Rahzel. Neil Hamburger has a brand of comedy that may not appeal to everyone as much of his set involves him clearing his throat. Rahzel is fantastic for all, not just hip-hop fans. Hearing him on CD or over the net does not do him justice. He did a half-hour set of beatboxing. If I didn’t see it live, I would swear that he was overdubbing or looping parts. He was not. Fans of Tuvan throat singing should take notice.

Faith No More is primarily listed as a heavy metal band. They opened with Reunited by Peach & Herb. They also played Easy and I Started a Joke. It makes for an interesting live show of moshing and very awkward dancing by people who have obviously never danced before. They were spectacular. They were everything I was hoping for and they played all the popular songs (at least popular among their fans). They also played the mega hit that got them national exposure in the first place, Epic. They had plenty of energy and the sound was marvelous.

The show took place on the Williamsburg Waterfront. The backdrop is the Manhattan skyline. It is not a incredibly large venue, like Central Park, but there was a substantial crowd. Other concerts in the series also include Weezer, Damien Marley, and Primus.