FRONT 242
The Mayan
Los Angeles, CA
9.13.24
LIVE REVIEW AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARILYN BELL
Front 242 brought their BLACK OUT: THE FINAL SHOWS tour to The Mayan on Friday, September 13 to play its last Southern California show ever. The art deco Mayan was the perfect backdrop for the group’s farewell to the packed Los Angeles crowd.
The stage was immersed in moody darkness with large visuals in the background and only strobing, backlit lights on the band members for an immersive experience that complemented the pulsating music and lively stage performance.
The Belgian band was in top form, and its synth and industrial influenced EBM laid the foundation for the engaging show. The group still had quite the stage presence, as Jean-Luc DeMeyer and Richard23 kept the intensity high with nonstop movement, jumping, and dancing around the stage to the driving beats and the hammering electronics.
The group opened with “W.Y.H.I.W.Y.G.” and weaved in fan favorites old and new throughout the night. Tracks were pulled from the band’s extensive discography, like “Moldavia,” “U-Men,” “Punish Your Machine,” and “Tragedy for You,” with the main set concluding with “Welcome to Paradise.” For the encore’s closing number and the song the entire audience was waiting for and sang along with was none other than the classic, target locking “Headhunter.”
The band then played a retrospective video of its 43 year career, and the members came back to the stage to salute the cheering audience and give one last final bow.
