Chicago’s Metro Stage Not Big Enough For Aussie Rockers The Faim

Chicago, IL – Passionate Aussie rockers The Faim took to the stage at Chicago’s Metro on Tuesday evening with the force and power of a Category 5 hurricane. Now if you aren’t familiar with The Faim, don’t worry – you will be soon enough. The band has been touring in their native Australia as well as Europe, selling out shows on both continents all the while gaining momentum with airplay and making new fans along the way. Opening up with their set this evening with the rock anthem, and probably my personal favorite, “Saints of the Sinners”, the bands’ fresh air of infectious music didn’t take long to get the crowd moving. With Josh Raven on vocals, Sam Tye on guitar, bassist/keyboardist Stephen Beerkens and drummer Linden Marissen, the band has an excessive amount of energy on stage that cannot be contained by a mid-sized venue like the Metro. Not once, not twice, but several times Josh Raven went into the crowd to croon. Whether it was during “Beautiful Drama”, “A Million Stars”, “I Can Feel You” or their latest smash hit “Amelie”, it was clear that Raven needed to be closer to the crowd. That did not deter his bandmates Sam Tye or Stephen Beerkens from getting involved, as both musicians were all over the stage jumping, running back and forth, and interacting with the crowd as well. And while they may be constrained to the size of the stage, it did not prevent them from putting on an arena like performance.

While the band has only been around a short time, they sound and perform more like veterans than a group who has just recently gotten their start a little over three years ago. Josh Raven’s vocals sounded terrific this evening, and dare I say better than the performance on their EP, attributing the factor of the band performing night after night and his voice getting stronger with each performance. The group as a whole sounds fantastic live. The camaraderie shared by the members on stage is a treasure to watch, as Raven tussles the hair of his bassist and guitarist, or if it’s Beerkens taking a drumstick and assisting by crashing cymbals for drummer Linden Marissen during the performance of “Midland Line”.

The Faim released a 6-track EP titled Summer Is A Curse in 2018. By the sound of things, it looks like they will also be releasing a full-fledged album after their 2019 Summer Tour wraps up later this year. They have also released a handful of singles that will probably make it onto the record, or at the very least they will be a precursor for what their debut album has in store for the fans. The band played every song from their EP, and also introduced new material such as “Midland Line”, “Fire” and their latest single, “Amelie”. Watching The Faim perform their catchy songs and their performance on stage, it’s clear that this is a band on the edge of a colossal breakthrough ready to happen at any second. And while there were more than just a few of their fans in attendance, it didn’t matter that others didn’t know the words to their songs. As I sat back and watched not just the band but those in attendance, more than several people commented about how fabulous their music and stage presence is, upon hearing them for the first time. The Faim are doing something right, as they left the stage to a fantastic ovation by everyone in attendance. Wherever they are playing, they are gaining new fans at every city and every stop along their way to much larger stages anxiously awaiting their presence.

Setlist:
Saints of the Sinners
My Heart Needs To Breathe
Beautiful Drama
When It Comes
Infamous
Midland Line
A Million Stars
Fire
I Can Feel You
Make Believe
Summer Is a Curse
Amelie

Show Date: 5/7/2019