Diving Deeper Underground

Greg Puciato and company take over at the Fillmore Underground

One of the busiest men in music Greg Puciato has been on the road performing his solo work for the past few years. Since stepping down as the frontman from The Dillinger Escape Plan and the band dissolving, Greg has continued to craft amazing solo efforts while also contributing to supergroups Killer Be Killed and recently announced group Better Lovers. A full summer of dates is ahead for Greg with Better Lovers but for this night we were able to catch him with Deaf Club and Trace Amount on their stop in Charlotte NC, at The Fillmore Underground.

If you are a fan of Greg’s solo work then you can appreciate the industrial side of the music that he has been producing, and you are likely a fan of the chaotic punk and metal sounds that he has always been a part of no matter where he participates.

The openers for this particular stop of the tour, Trace Amount and Deaf Club, both deliver on those two sides often represented in Greg’s music. Trace Amount began the evening and is industrial music from artist and producer Brandon Gallagher. Trace Amount delivers on the heavy and was a welcome treat for my ears. Industrial music was my entryway in the heavier side of music and it had been far too long since I have seen live anything remotely close to this sound and performance. Deaf Club, the next act on the bill, took the vibe of the evening into a whole new direction.

Exploding with energy the hard-core sound of Deaf Club was matched by the ferocity of frontman Justin Pearson both in the delivery of his vocals and the pace at which he prowled the stage. Up and down and in and out of the crowd Justin kept the crowd engaged while the music’s frantic and high pace delivered a sonic assault that got us all hype and prepared for what was to come next.

When it comes to frontmen, Greg Puciato cemented his place as a great singer and performer years ago as the singer for the Dillinger Escape Plan. However, during much of his tenure there, Greg was also contributing to many other projects as well. So it makes sense that as a solo artist, he has been able to deliver on what we as fans have come to expect from his music and his on-stage performances. With his 2020 release Child Soldier: Creator of God, and the album Mirrorcell released in 2022 Greg has established himself as not just a frontman but a musical powerhouse pouring his heart and soul into his own voice and work. Performing this night with tracks from throughout his catalog Greg continues to showcase his power and presence on any stage. His vocal stylings are incredibly powerful and blew me away as I imagine the same for everyone in attendance this night. A fast-paced set, Greg and his band tore through a full set list closing out the evening with a welcome cover of Alice In Chains classic “Them Bones”, a perfect fit.

Just a few more dates remain on this tour before as mentioned above Greg hits the road this summer with Better Lovers. Lucky for you if you are able to catch one of these dates Escuala Grind will be re-joining the lineup adding to what was already a really great show. Beyond that, I am really looking forward to what is next for Greg as he continues to evolve as a musician and the ability to catch him live this night proved to me why I am already a fan.

Click Here for the Full Gallery of the Evening!

If you happened to capture any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see.

Upcoming Tour Dates

06/01 – Dallas, TX @ Studio at The Factory

06/04 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom

06/06 – San Diego, CA @ Voodoo Room

06/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey

Greg will be on tour with Better Lovers throughout the summer.

07/16 Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed

07/17 Louisville, KY – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

07/19 Reading, PA – Santander Arena

07/21 New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall

07/22 Liverpool, NY – Sharkey’s

07/23 Toronto, ON – RBC Echo Beach