The Cult Rocks Harder Than Ever Under A Super Moon Sky
by Timothy Abbott , photos by Stan Martin
Courtesy of Sound Profile Magazine
http://www.soundprofilemagazine.com/
Courtesy of Sound Profile Magazine
http://www.soundprofilemagazine.com/
The Cult have been around since 1983 in one form or another, going from being a big hair metal band with nods to glam and goth over the decades and has morphed into one of the better rock bands around today with a charismatic lead vocalist pushing the envelope.
Built around the nonstop buzzsaw guitar chops of Billy Duffy and the one note vocal prowess of singer Ian Astbury, they took the stage after opening act Leopold And His Fiction warmed up the packed house. It was standing room only, because that is all you can do at Stubbs is stand with a general admission ticket. But the vibe was agreeable, the moon was beautiful in the way it hung in the sky and made the show just a wee bit more magical than it already was. The stage was set up with the main trio in front of Ian Astbury, guitarist Billy Duffy, and bass player Jim Ashurst.
The band wasted no time in showing what they are made of, ripping into “ Horse Nation”, with it’s Native American theme, a great opening number for what can be described as an intelligent yet very meat and potatoes hard rock band. The 5 piece then went straight into “ Rain” , with lead singer Astbury sporting dark sunglasses and a leather jacket, his hair and overall look was reminiscent of a young Jim Morrison. The rest of the band wore matching black long sleeve shirts and pants and the entire show screamed out ROCK BAND, without inviting mockery ala’ Spinal Tap, though, that said, the band has been thru a pile of drummers over the years.
The pagan-pleasing songs “Lucifer” and “ Li’l Devil” followed and the band began to loosen up, especially vocalist Astbury. He’s aged well over the years, still has a youthful bravado that has matured and his vocals are at the top of his game. I never liked the earlier version of the Cult, but he’s grown some natural charm and makes the old music sound much more inviting with a seasoned delivery and revamped approach to his vocal phrasing.
“ Y’all still love us after all these years?” he intoned,” you have no idea what the fuck is coming!”
Which was more of the predictable songs from the massive pile they’ve written in the over 32 years they’ve been doing this. The set contained many of the songs I saw them play a few years ago at ACL, when they played a choice time slot there. Astbury isn’t Freddie Mercury on the range scale, but what he has, he’s polished well over the years. He knows his comfort zone and never once hit a vocal clam the entire night.
“ Witch” from a 1993 was a fine example of that, which was the next number. Many of the songs may sound like they are sung and played in the same key, but there’s some nuances that were appreciated by guitarist Duffy and the energetic vocal power pushing the song.
The band wasted no time in showing what they are made of, ripping into “ Horse Nation”, with it’s Native American theme, a great opening number for what can be described as an intelligent yet very meat and potatoes hard rock band. The 5 piece then went straight into “ Rain” , with lead singer Astbury sporting dark sunglasses and a leather jacket, his hair and overall look was reminiscent of a young Jim Morrison. The rest of the band wore matching black long sleeve shirts and pants and the entire show screamed out ROCK BAND, without inviting mockery ala’ Spinal Tap, though, that said, the band has been thru a pile of drummers over the years.
The pagan-pleasing songs “Lucifer” and “ Li’l Devil” followed and the band began to loosen up, especially vocalist Astbury. He’s aged well over the years, still has a youthful bravado that has matured and his vocals are at the top of his game. I never liked the earlier version of the Cult, but he’s grown some natural charm and makes the old music sound much more inviting with a seasoned delivery and revamped approach to his vocal phrasing.
“ Y’all still love us after all these years?” he intoned,” you have no idea what the fuck is coming!”
Which was more of the predictable songs from the massive pile they’ve written in the over 32 years they’ve been doing this. The set contained many of the songs I saw them play a few years ago at ACL, when they played a choice time slot there. Astbury isn’t Freddie Mercury on the range scale, but what he has, he’s polished well over the years. He knows his comfort zone and never once hit a vocal clam the entire night.
“ Witch” from a 1993 was a fine example of that, which was the next number. Many of the songs may sound like they are sung and played in the same key, but there’s some nuances that were appreciated by guitarist Duffy and the energetic vocal power pushing the song.
" Wildflower” was the next tune,with Astbury exhorting the audience amid the hammerhead buzz sawing by Duffy on his guitar.
“Wonderland” slowed the pace down bit, and seemed little frayed at the edges, but that smartly set everyone up for the show’s highlight, “ Sweet Soul Sister”, a song that the extended live take blows away the much dated recorded version you’ve heard years past. Again, this song was miles ahead of the earlier incarnation you can see on old YouTube clips. Astbury delivered the chorus with such élan that he soon had the entire audience singing raptly along. The tune should be rereleased, as the band hit a high point on every level, and showed you what a touring rock band is supposed to be about. This is a Show, and Goddamn it, you better jump on the train, or evaporate! They owned that moment, and the audience certainly felt like they got something they were waiting for.
This was followed by a spirited version of fan favorite “The Phoenix” which bordered on prog rock and then “Fire Woman” on it’s heels, which was a riff-burner for guitarist Duffy who solo’d over the vocal lines without being annoying. The grand close out was a run thru the old hit “Love Removal Machine”, then “Gone”, “Rise” “ Nirvana”and the big one everybody waited for, “She Sells Sanctuary” and the closer was cinched with “ Spiritwalker” to an appreciative thundering applause. The Cult delivered the goods. Ya wanna rock? Ok, the Cult can do that for you.
The Cult show itself hit all the levels the fans expected. No surprises aside from how tight the band sounded, and how much better Astbury has evolved as a vocalist over the decades. Solid from beginning to end and played with a zeal and passion that makes one feel it’s not a dial -it-in performance.
“Wonderland” slowed the pace down bit, and seemed little frayed at the edges, but that smartly set everyone up for the show’s highlight, “ Sweet Soul Sister”, a song that the extended live take blows away the much dated recorded version you’ve heard years past. Again, this song was miles ahead of the earlier incarnation you can see on old YouTube clips. Astbury delivered the chorus with such élan that he soon had the entire audience singing raptly along. The tune should be rereleased, as the band hit a high point on every level, and showed you what a touring rock band is supposed to be about. This is a Show, and Goddamn it, you better jump on the train, or evaporate! They owned that moment, and the audience certainly felt like they got something they were waiting for.
This was followed by a spirited version of fan favorite “The Phoenix” which bordered on prog rock and then “Fire Woman” on it’s heels, which was a riff-burner for guitarist Duffy who solo’d over the vocal lines without being annoying. The grand close out was a run thru the old hit “Love Removal Machine”, then “Gone”, “Rise” “ Nirvana”and the big one everybody waited for, “She Sells Sanctuary” and the closer was cinched with “ Spiritwalker” to an appreciative thundering applause. The Cult delivered the goods. Ya wanna rock? Ok, the Cult can do that for you.
The Cult show itself hit all the levels the fans expected. No surprises aside from how tight the band sounded, and how much better Astbury has evolved as a vocalist over the decades. Solid from beginning to end and played with a zeal and passion that makes one feel it’s not a dial -it-in performance.