Filter is currently on tour with Tim Montana and Alter Bridge. This concert was not one of those shows. For a few dates during this run, Filter will play a stand alone show with a local opener. That’s what happened in Leesburg on May 13. Opening for Filter this evening was the talented Washington DC-based band AnimaL ioN.
AnimaL ioN played a great set. The band has some serious hard rock chops and sounded impressive.
Filter emerged on stage and proceeded to pummel the crowd with its brand of heavy industrial rock. They opened the set with “You Walk Away,” the opener from their 2002 album, The Amalgamut. The music was relentlessly heavy for the first five songs. It was at that point that founder and singer Richard Patrick decided we needed a break.
He asked if, after so much amazing, incredible heavy music, we wanted to hear something pretty. Anyone who likes Filter knows exactly what song was up next. And so they started to play their biggest hit, “Take A Picture.” Even though Richard has been screaming for over 30 years, his voice has held up.
The band kept the lighting pretty moody all night long. The stage stayed pretty dark and foggy for most of their set. Greens and blues were the hues of the evening with a Matrix-influenced screen behind the band.
The music stayed heavy for the rest of the night and the band’s energy level was high. Bassist Bobby Miller was definitely having a blast onstage while guitarist Jonny Radtke was the epitome of cool on the other side of the stage. Drummer Elias Mallin really has no choice but to stay energetic.
After playing some classic Filter tracks like “Jurassitol” and “Dose,” Richard announced that they would be playing a brand new song. It was so new, in fact, that Bobby had to come to Richard’s tablet and help him find the lyrics! So everyone had the chance to hear “Snakes In The Grass” from the upcoming album!
Filter played a grand total of 16 songs, including the encore that wasn’t really an encore. Instead of exiting the stage, waiting around for five minutes and deciding if the crowd was cheering loud enough, Richard just asked if they could just hang around on stage for a few minutes and then play the encore, “Hey Man, Nice Shot.” This is the song that put Filter on the map. Not bad, considering it was their first single from their first album in 1995.
This was my second time seeing Filter and they have quickly become a band I want to catch every time they play in the area. If you’ve seen them live, you know what I’m talking about. If you’re a fan and haven’t had the chance to see them, make it a point to catch a show.
Setlist
- You Walk Away
- The Drowning
- (Can’t You) Trip Like I Do
- Face Down
- All The Good
- Take A Picture
- No Love
- Obliteration
- Jurassitol
- Thoughts And Prayers
- Dose (w/Band Introductions)
- Be Careful What You Wish For
- Snakes In The Grass (live debut)
- Drug Boy
- Welcome To The Fold
- Hey Man, Nice Shot
Here are some more photos of Filter performing live at Tally Ho Theater on May 13, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Marc Shea.
