Billy Howerdel in Boston – July 5, 2022

Guitarist Billy Howerdel rocked Boston on an intimate show at Brighton Music Hall. The founding member of A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide is currently on tour for his first solo album, What Normal Was.

VOWWS

The evening started off with plenty of 80s goth and new wave in the background, as fans slowly gathered in the small venue. In near total darkness, Australian death pop band VOWWS took the stage and opened the show. The duo mesmerized the audience with their presence, as well as their mysterious, almost industrial sound. With haunting tracks like “Impulse Control” and “Symbol System”, VOWWS captured the audience right away. The dim lights and DIY visuals added to the arthouse feel the room took on, in what would be a stunning performance.

Billy Howerdel

The stage was perfectly set for Billy Howerdel, joined on stage by a full band. The vibe stayed moody and hazy, as Howerdel focused on his new solo album, which he played in its entirety. From the energetic “Free And Weightless”, to the mesmerizing “Beautiful Mistake”, the album was showcased perfectly to the devoted fans eager to hear the tracks live. Howerdel would interact with the audience and often get up close while playing, as fans sang along to every word. Howerdel would also include “Forever Can Be” from his other project, Ashes Divide. 

Howerdel’s band provided great balance to the set, and one of the highlights of the show would be Greyson Nekrutman’s drum solo, joined playfully by guitarist Danny Lohner. Towards the end of the show, Howerdel would also invite singer Ava Williams on stage for “EXP.”

The show was a great introduction to Billy Howerdel’s solo work, a mixture of synthpop, industrial and goth, which is also reminiscent of his work with A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide. His guitar sound is unmistakable and takes center stage. Check out What Normal Was and Billy Howerdel’s upcoming tour dates here.