Roy Jurgens on June 5th, 2022

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If aliens ever needed an invitation, Failure’s show Friday night at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown was a no-brainer. Unfortunately for Failure, their fans, and the aliens,  it was an opportunity missed. Instead of playing upon the outside stage under the stars, Earth’s preeminent “space rock” band found itself sweltering upon the indoor stage in front of a crowd so large, packed in so tight, that perhaps only a third of them actually witnessed the show. Even worse, given the confines and mass of humanity, Failure’s pristine soundscapes didn’t truly make it past the halfway point of the venue. All their soaring beauty should have been roaring across the expanse of an open desert sky, under the stars. instead of being reduced to a tempest in a sweaty cigar box.

That said, about 150 of the attendees actually got to witness a pretty stellar show. The trio kicked off their set with a crunching rendition of “Submarines,” a song that leans artistically into their long kinship with mates Tool. From there, it was two hours and 16 more songs of by-the-numbers perfection that the fans of this band have been accustomed to. Tracks from all six of their releases made the set, including six from their critically acclaimed opus, 1996’s “Fantastic Planet.” Initially under-appreciated, it is one of those records that has become more revered over time. Accordingly, they saved the hits “Another Space Song,” and “Stuck on You” for the encore.

Switching bass and guitar duties with ease, Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards played the part of gifted savants in front of Kellii Scott’s precise rhythms. This is not a band to venture into unfamiliar territory. There are no endless forays into the outer vortex, no ethereal wandering. This is space, dammit, and every note is processed through a digital rig that would make NASA envious. “Houston, we do not have a problem.” Everything is in its right place.

Too mechanized to be grunge, not hard enough to be metal, not snotty enough to be emo, not jangly enough to be indie, not primitive enough to be punk, not acerbic enough to be post-punk, not shy enough to shoegaze, not pretty enough to be glam, not pretentious enough to be goth, not psychedelic enough to be … well, psychedelic, Failure are brilliant because they are their own entity.

Indeed, the term “space rock” has been thrown at them, but truthfully, they lack the remote iciness for even that sub-genre of a sub-genre. Beneath their programmed sheen of instrumental perfection lies a questioning soul. It’s as if three astronauts snuck onto an unmanned rocket and plotted coordinated towards the end of the emotional cosmos.

The Pioneertown show — the second of a 33-date tour that brings them back to L.A. for a concert at the Regent Theater on July 8 — came in support of their new album “Wild Type Droid.” After three artful releases in the first stage of their career, Failure called it a day in 1997, only to reunite 16 years later. “Wild Type Droid” is their third full-length since getting back together, and Failure showcased the powerful singles from that album, “Submarines,” and “Headstand,” on Friday night.

Photos by Roy Jurgens