Quite often older bands continue to tour and release albums, but to be quite honest most people don't really care after a certain point. People want to hear the songs they know and love, not a load of new stuff they don't know or care about. It can be very disappointing to go and see an artist and barely hear any older material, which is why I think The Cult made a very good decision with the setlist of this tour.
Entering the building I received a stream of compliments on my classic Sisters of Mercy t-shirt, and people asked me questions about what Eldritch is doing now like I'm some kind of walking goth encyclopedia - which of course I am. Last time I wore that t-shirt out I was approached by an old man who informed me that Ian Astbury from The Ministry of Sound was in The Doors for a while. He had confused The Ministry of Sound with The Sisters of Mercy which he had then confused with The Cult, like you do.
The Audience was predominantly grey, balding and leather clad. Besides the sea of silver there were a significant number of fresher faces, an army of goths and standing out like sore thumbs, some hipsters dotted around sporadically. Despite the prevailing arthritis and gloom, the crowd was full of energy and went absolutely crazy. Despite his concern for people's safety, Astbury was impressed.
Ian Astbury's voice seems to have changed over years, becoming slightly deeper and less brightly toned. Defying age, he performed with ease. Each note glided pitch perfectly through the music and resonated across the venue. His stage presence was engaging, and the audience had him just as engaged. What a great atmosphere.
The band still retains original guitarist Billy Duffy who is still on top form. He was backed up by guest rhythm guitarist James Stevenson, and together they masterfully combined The Cult's classic crunching and lead hooks to create that driving yet mystical sound that's unique to the band. The bass and the drums were also played very well. My only complaint on the music side of things would be with the sound engineer, because the guitars were far too low in the mix which took away a great deal of power from the performance.
After the first set I thought things couldn't get any more crazy. I was wrong. Things got totally out of control. Normally I'm able to hold my place in a crowd no matter what's going on around me, but suddenly I was getting pushed, pulled and dragged right across the venue, as was everyone else.
Overall it was an excellent concert. The full performance of "Electric" as well as the band's best classics made for a totally epic set that will be in people's memories for a very long time.
Overall it was an excellent concert. The full performance of "Electric" as well as the band's best classics made for a totally epic set that will be in people's memories for a very long time.