Frank Iero performing with Frank Iero andthe Patience in San Francisco, CA at The Chapel. May 11, 2017. Photo Credit: Jared Stossel
Frank Iero andthe Patience
w/ Dave Hause and the Mermaid
The Chapel
San Francisco, CA
May 11, 2017
Photos and words by Jared Stossel
Packed in a little corner of San Francisco's Mission District, just a half-mile away from public transportation, lies The Chapel, an intimate rock club that hosts both emerging and popular musical talent. Last Thursday night brought Frank Iero, the former rhythm guitarist of alternative rock outfit My Chemical Romance. Since the group disbanded in 2013, each member has pursued a respective musical or artistic project. Iero's comes in the form of a solo act that is rooted in punk but explores alternative and even traditional emo elements of the rock genre. He's currently been on tour promoting his sophomore solo record, Parachutes, which came out in October of last year. Just ten minutes into his set, and it's clear that Frank Iero is a star that shines through, whether he's driving the rhythm guitar lines with intensity in My Chemical Romance or bringing his own project to life as a packed house of hundreds climb over each other and scream the words back with happiness.
Iero's set was preceded by solo artist Dave Hause, who proved to be a star in his own right. I was actually fortunate enough to see Hause open up for punk acts Bad Religion and Against Me! last October at The Warfield. This time around, Hause had a full band with him (dubbed The Mermaid). Their set proved to be an incredibly fun time, as the band powered through a forty minute set list of modern punk rock tunes. The connection with the fans, at least from an opening band, was astounding to me. I was thrilled to see that the band connected with their audience in such an uplifting and positive way, all while producing a fantastic set.
It was rather late by the time Frank Iero got onstage, but no one was restless. Just ten minutes before 10:30 PM, Iero and his band The Patience took the stage to a barrage of screams from the fans that had been packed inside for hours, eagerly awaiting the start of his set. The show consisted of a healthy mix of tracks from both Parachutes and his debut solo record, Stomachaches. The impressive thing about Iero's show is that there really isn't a dull moment, even when the songs slow down. You can sense that there is an incredibly genuine attitude coming from him and his collective of musicians; you know that they love writing and playing music. The crowd can see what they're trying to do, and they're willing to say, "I see what you're doing, and I'm coming along for the ride. Show us what you've got."
It can be a bit unnerving to go from the heightened success that a band like My Chemical Romance experienced, playing night after night in arenas, to coming off of that and essentially making a brand new name for yourself while starting a different kind of project. But I will say that every single time I've seen Frank Iero perform in the Bay Area, the venue is packed, the fans sing every single word back, and Iero always performs with a smile on his face. He appears to be the happiest guy in the world when he's on stage, and that radiates greatly into his music and stage presence. The two albums he's released thus far in his new endeavor are tremendously well written, and both pay off well in a live setting.
It'll be interesting to see how the show resonates when he begins to take on larger venues, but it's clear that Frank Iero knows how to command a room, and truly bring his music to life.
Frank Iero will be hitting the road this summer as support for Deftones, Rise Against, and Thrice. For more information on tickets and showtimes, visit any of the links below.
Frank Iero
www.frank-iero.com
www.facebook.com/frankieromusic
@FrankIero
Dave Hause
www.davehause.com
www.facebook.com/DaveHauseMusic
@hausedave
This has been another Shameless Promotion.