Fit For A King Premiere 'The Path' in Virtual Concert
Fit For A King hosted a free virtual concert and it was epic! The band performed recent singles and debuted two new songs from their upcoming album, The Path. The Path will be released next Friday, September 18, so the sneak preview only excited fans further when hearing the tracks “The Path” and “Vendetta.” The band not only put on an amazing show, but they also had an exclusive merch table that had items only available during the livestream. After the concert ended, the band hosted a Q&A session with serious and silly questions asked by fans and streamers from the live chat.
Because this was a free show, the band only made an income from this show based on donations, merch purchased throughout the show, and different features from Twitch, including subscriptions to vocalist Ryan Kirby’s channel. Not only did FFAK have a free show, but they also had guitarist Daniel Gailey, the newest addition to the band, mix the show. Viewers can clearly see that Dan has talent by focusing on each musician respectively and showing the band as a whole. Overall, the virtual show allowed you to watch some of the band members separately in a way that you might not see or think to pay attention to during a live show. Oh, and we can say with confidence that we are all happy to have Bob back.
During the show, the band arranged the setlist to where they started off heavy with some new tracks and then mixed in new and old songs as the show went on. Overall, listeners were able to watch a pretty heavy set and the band were performing as if they had an entire crowd at The Masquerade. The visual effects the band incorporated also made the show more exciting and had some fun and intense backgrounds, similar to some of the visuals some may have seen with Bring Me the Horizon. It worked then, and it still works now.
The band sounded amazing, and this is probably the most clear vocals anyone will hear from FFAK live. There is clarity in each of their voices and instruments, and the harmonies really stood out. Some of the strongest and most distinctive harmonies in the set were during “When Everything Means Nothing” and “Deathgrip.” Also, let’s not forget to mention the extensive use of the whammy and how clean the guitar solos were. There were some parts of the set where it may have sounded a little lackluster only because it is clear where the crowd would chime in. Hopefully people were screaming along in their living rooms and didn’t really notice.
Setlist
The Face of Hate
Breaking the Mirror
Annihilation
The Path
When Everything Means Nothing
The Price of Agony
Backbreaker
God Of Fire
Locked (In My Head)
Pissed Off
Death Grip
Vendetta
When the boys got to the Q&A session after their 45 minute set, it only seemed natural after their virtual performance to say, “Thank you for coming out tonight.” Each band member expresses how much they miss touring and having to find other hobbies and outlets without being able to tour. When talking about their crowdless show, the band explains how it can never replace a real show, but it was still fun and cool to watch. Tuck even went as far to say, “I think I looked cute.” Love it.
They have talked about potentially having another show similar to this, playing their heaviest setlist ever, but this virtual show was an experiment for them as it was a release show. They made the show free so that the new album could get as much exposure as possible without having to force people to pay and watch.
While writing the album, Fit For A King described it as a fun and positive process. This was the first time the band was writing with Daniel, but it was easy for them to write together as well as with their producer Drew Fulk. The band didn’t put too much pressure on writing and didn’t have a gun to their head when they released songs that they like. They even said they produced the heaviest soft song they’ve ever made. Sounds about right.
Working with Drew was also fun for the band because they worked with him on their previous album Dark Skies and hope to work with him on future albums as well. They didn’t have to go through the introductory phase with him this time, which made writing easier because they were all more in sync. They had fun hanging out, though Drew also helped Fit For A King step out of the box and their comfort zone to create more risky songs, including “The Path.”
When asked which songs were their favorite on The Path, the guys all had different answers. Jared and Kirby felt as though “Breaking the Mirror” was really their style, Bobby enjoyed “Locked (In My Head),” Tuck likes the first song on their setlist, “The Face of Hate,” and Dan liked “The Louder Voice,” which we have yet to hear. The band believes they have the most growth with melodies, especially with Daniel now in the band, and the music they are putting out now may not cater to everyone, but they write how they are feeling in the present moment. As for upcoming albums, the band is just going to see how this one goes and go from there.
To hear more about the band’s personal lives and about what they have been working on while they aren’t touring, go watch the livestream on Kirby’s Twitch channel to get the inside scoop. You can rewatch the concert, hear all about Bobby’s plants, and learn about Jared going country sans cowboy hat. Also, let’s not forget that Dan mixed the entire set from their livestream!
Kirby has been streaming on his Twitch channel and has been sitting down with different members of the band to reflect back on their previous albums, which has been fun and a great throwback. You can also learn about Tuck’s new projects with his podcast, Get Tucked, and his new website, Featured X, which is pretty awesome if you’re looking to feature other artists on your songs. Overall, Fit For A King has gone above and beyond for their fans and repeatedly mention how grateful they are for their support while off the road and can’t wait to get back out there. Obviously, we are all anxious to go back to shows, but for now, this virtual livestream will do.
LINKS
Tuck’s Podcast (also on Spotify)