Death Cult at O2 Bournemouth on 16.11.2023 with Lili Refrain supporting.
A special one this. A 12-date one-off tour with Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy from this 1983-4 incarnation of the Cult trilogy: Southern Death Cult; Death Cult; The Cult. Murmurs of expensive tickets but this is on the doorstep in a decent medium sized venue. (More on the venue in my O2 Academy Bournemouth blog.)
I never saw Death Cult in that one-year window, but I did see Southern Death Cult at two memorable gigs from way back. First, supporting Theatre of Hate at the wonderful Hammersmith Palais on 4 July 1982 and then in December that year in the Golden Eagle pub near to Birmingham New Street Station. Both venues are long gone. The Golden Eagle gig audio is available on YouTube amazingly. I was probably drinking pints of mild for a quid.
These gigs were like getting caught up in a native American tribal war dance with all the hair, feathers and ripped clothing to go with it. The chicken dancers were in full swing, elbows everywhere.
It wasn’t until 2001, when The Cult, with a more conventional rock sound but still with Astbury’s unique vocals, had reformed after a four-year break, that I saw Ian Asbury live again, then with Billy Duffy, at Reading Festival. The Cult had another four-year break prior to 2006, since when they have continued.
Tonight’s Support
Support band Lili Refrain is an interesting one – different certainly.
A dark masked figure appears and proceeds to play a variety of instruments and devices including keyboards, guitar and bells in an almost ceremonial way. It creates a spiritual atmosphere, although before long the excited chatter starts to grow – only a 25 minute set but impatience sets in around me.
Her voice dipped into sounds reminiscent of The Cocteau Twins at times and a calling to prayer at others. She appreciated the broad attention with her remarks at the end that sounded like someone who’d just taken part in Eurovision, rather than her mystical stage persona.
Death Cult are on
Necks are craned as the band come on, including frontman Ian Astbury eventually. While it’s a Death Cult billing they open with a Cult song, 83rd Dream.
It’s quite dark and hard to see faces. The crowd is intently looking and listening: not that mobile though. It’s busy but not sold out. People have come see and respect this illustrious visit to Boscombe rather than go wild.
The Death Cult songs, from that one album, dominate the early part of the set – God’s Zoo, Brothers Grimm and title track Ghost Dance for instance – but not a simple plod through the album. Horse Nation is probably my pick of the Ghost Dance songs. Astbury’s voice is still excellent and distinctive and on Horse Nation it maybe the earlier more Southern Death Cult sound that appeals.
It isn’t the mayhem I was expecting – maybe on reflection the Death Cult period wasn’t a high, just a significant stepping stone and part of the Cult story.
As The Cult songs rolled out the set lifted, in my ears. I’d had my wander around to capture some pics and the pace picked up, the crowd jostle increasing to the rockier tunes like Hollow Man and inevitably to the brilliant Spiritwalker and Rain. Hearing songs like that live are worth the ticket alone.
Rain ends the main set. Rest required but the buzz is still there and sure enough they return and this time with the Southern Death Cult classic, Moya – hard to stop your feet stomping to that one. That opening line was and still is the first thing I think of when there’s any Cult mention: ‘The kids of the Coca-Cola nation….’.
To end, it’s what really has to be the end: She Sells Sanctuary. I’m near the back by this point, hovering around the mix desk. What a belter.
Having been reacquainted live with the Ian Astbury vocals and Billy Duffy guitar, I’d go to see The Cult again soon. I wonder if they would do us a ‘Southern Death Cult’ tour.
Gigs with Ivan 