Fans may know Ilan Rubin as the drummer of Angels & Airwaves and Nine Inch Nails, but for more than a decade now, Rubin has also made music of his own as The New Regime. This fall, The New Regime is on their largest tour to date, supporting Angels & Airwaves on a run of dates that are almost all sold-out.
Included in these dates was a stop at The Fillmore Philadelphia. With their logo lit-up behind them, The New Regime took to the stage with “A Way To Feel Again” – a dark track that might’ve inspired mysterious shadows, but was instead accompanied by a brightly lit stage. Though Rubin plays everything on the record, live, he’s joined by a full band who round out the sound – and make for an interactive, exciting experience.
Earlier this month, The New Regime released Heart, the first installment of the ongoing album Heart Mind Body & Soul. Their Philadelphia set included three out of four songs on Heart, notably the “dark and happy” track “You Can Be (Whoever You Want To Be)”, where Rubin’s vocals shined in the falsettos. Although the meaning of the song was relatively straightforward, fans were kept on their toes: as soon as they thought they knew what to expect (an industrial/alt-rock song), something would shift.
This would continue throughout the set, but not everything was serious: between songs, Rubin reminded the crowd that in addition to the history in Philadelphia, the city is also the home of legendary duo Hall & Oates. The final song’s refrain of “I want your heart, mind, body, and soul” would echo through the room in a way that would almost be anthemic – were it not for the jittery beat that drove the rhythm underneath.
