Live music review: Influential rockers Failure played Mohawk Tuesday
There are those bands that achieve levels of status and popularity with fans that many believe to be the definition of success and then there are those that bubble under the surface, off the mainstream radar, quietly gaining a small legion of fans achieving what some of us might see as a more rounded level of success. Failure, despite the short run in the ‘90s, managed a level of success that feels more substantial in ways that may not have been defined by album sales, big tours, or chart topping hits. Their successful tour stop at Austin’s Mohawk on Tuesday is evidence of their sustained influence.
Failure has managed to tap into an audience that is in it for the music. True music fans, high profile peers, and industry professionals. And they achieved that goal by pursuing their unique style of mid-tempo rock that on the surface feels very much 90s-influenced, but incorporates sounds, textures, and a songwriting style that seems to pull from all things good about great rock-n-roll, while maintaining their own artistic integrity. That’s no small feat.
Time is the true measure of a band’s elasticity and relevance and time seems to be serving Failure well. The band has fared better than most of the acts that scratched out their place in the 90s. A soon to be released documentary, which was previewed at Mohawk this past Tuesday before the band took to the stage, taps into the vein of influence and impact that they had as a band on artists and fans alike during their somewhat short-lived career. A career that has seen stops, starts, peaks and valleys, while the devoted stay intact. Check the documentary trailer featuring Hayley Williams (Paramore) and Maynard James Keenan (Tool) below.
Failure attracted a sizable crowd for the Mohawk show despite record high temperatures on Tuesday. A dialed-in collection of dedicated fans crowded the venue. Most were familiar with the band’s newer material which peppered a majority of the set early on before the band touched on songs from its iconic ‘96 release Fantastic Planet.
Trusting a fan-base with newer material is always a risky move for artists in a live setting but proof of the band’s resounding impact on its audience was quickly evident. The group moved through the first dozen or so tracks refreshed with new material, with the skill of seasoned veterans displaying their deft ability to incorporate a wide range of new styles and sounds into their patented sound.
Little was communicated by front-man Ken Andrews during the set aside from minimal chatter regarding songs and albums, and the oppressive Texas heat. If any fan was feeling in any way jilted by the lack of Fantastic Planet material as the band first exited the stage, the band made up for it upon returning for the encore. Failure closed out the evening with a segment that showcased some of the legendary work that has earned them the accolades they clearly deserve.
Check out the trailer for the upcoming Failure documentary to be released in 2023:
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