Tonight (28 October) punters gathered under The Fortitude Music Hall's chandeliers to celebrate the live experience of legendary British dark rockers, The Sisters Of Mercy (TSOM).
This band was influenced by rock legends before them and have in turn inspired so many other dark rock and industrial musicians who came after them.It's only a couple of years shy of 40 since TSOM released their debut record, 'First And Last And Always' (1985), followed by their 'Floodland' (1987) and 'Vision Thing' (1990) albums.
Still, TSOM are celebrated as icons because of their truly timeless tunes which are dark yet get ya booty moving and arms snaking up and around your head.
Not to mention how amazing that their following has been built as a touring-only project (after ceasing to make new records in the early '90s as a protest against their then label WEA). How is that we all know the lyrics of what came after by heart? Hmmmm.
Punters tonight are greatly varied in age with many dressed in goth, emo and punk fashion among those in regular gig gear – you know, the good-old band tee and jeans.
The gathering crowd moves into the main area front of stage to welcome Brisbane band Elko Fields. Fronted by the sassy and sultry Kella Vee (guitar and vocals) with Dillon James (drums and vocals) they are the opener for TSOM tonight.
Elko Fields - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Elko Fields takes no time to set about getting the stage hot with their set of blues-infused garage rock. Some punters are asking who they are – a local band that should not be missed. If you are running late to the Elko Fields party, best you get on that scuzzy rock bus NOW!
The smouldering and at times sludgy six-song setlist is over way too soon. The crowd are giving rowdy cheers towards the end of 'Cough It Up' – and Vee stops to introduce James and herself before riffing into the end of their set.
I feel more than a few hundred hearts have been won tonight as a booming voice begs them to play some more.
Elko Fields - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Punters are now covering the main floor as they eagerly await the main act. We see the stage become an ethereal platform before us. Smoke is rising from the floor and catching in the spot lights that partially illuminate the outlines of the band members.
TSOM – Andrew Eldritch (vocals), Ben Christo (guitar) and Dylan Smith (guitar) – take their places onstage and I see Ravey Davey, who is in charge of operating Doctor Avalanche on this tour, take his place at the deck up back.
I can make out that the band are sporting a cool rock fashion, including and wearing sunnies (Corey Taylor did sing that song back in the '80s). How on earth can they see up there? Maybe they're blue-light blockers, lol. Nonetheless it adds to their onstage rock ambience.
The Sisters Of Mercy - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Punter presence continues to increase as we squash in and the escalating sense of anticipation is now pure electricity. I myself am filled with an inner frenzy that I have to avoid looking like a hysterical mess.
A newer tune 'Don't Drive On Ice' is the opener for tonight's set and punters around me are straight into it. This is no warmer-upper by any means, as this banger is let loose on extremely receptive fans.
TSOM follow through with a stellar live version of 'Crash And Burn' followed by 'Ribbons', which gets the energy back up to a point where it is bouncing off all venue surfaces and bodies in the room.
Fans are getting into 'I Will Call You', 'First And Last And Always', and 'But Genevieve', while the air gets dense with the goth-rock of 'Alice'. I feel it is the dark and daunting electronica that gives this a heavy mood and sends us into a goth-style mosh.
The Sisters Of Mercy - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Eldritch is stalking the stage like a panther in the night, slow and deliberate. He is stopping on occasion to look out over his captive audience before alternating from side to side to be nearer to the guitarists. He even stops on occasion to cast an eye on the Doctor and Davey, and when he crosses through the lights, we glimpse that he's wearing a black shirt with silver stars sparkling.
I am pleased to hear the electro vibing notes at the start of 'Giving Ground' (The Sisterhood cover). That it made the setlist puts a smile on my dial and on many punters around me too.
We are now visiting the goth tones of 'Marian', then the band are turning up the rock with 'More' and then 'Show Me', which is causing a very loud sing-along. Now comes the heavy and rock riffing 'Doctor Jeep / Detonation Boulevard' and dark and anthemic 'Eyes Of Caligula' that also gets punter vocals over Eldritch's.
The Sisters Of Mercy - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Eldritch is not engaging a lot of dialogue with the crowd, and to be honest the length of this set doesn't really lend itself to a lot of natter. So our bang for buck is definitely getting punters more bangers.
Christo is delighting his fans by stepping up to the front of stage often posing in classic guitar stances like a true rockstar. Smith does this at times, but also hangs back a little more. It also seems his side of the stage is darker.
The lights onstage have gone from being blue, red, green, amber and yellow and crimson. Maybe there was purple too. The criss-crossing spotlights are leaving the band members obscured by the dark, moody shadows between their beams and often they are swallowed by a near blackness.
At least shadows do not swallow sound! That would be disastrous for a live show. In a way, it focussed the senses more on the energy and music vibrating in the room.
To give you an idea of the enormity of the setlist, we are now indulging guiltlessly on 'Something Fast', 'I Was Wrong' (this got ear-splitting whistles and cheers), 'Here', and 'Instrumental 86'; 'There's A Door' gets green lights and its quick beats has us dancing and dancing. Then comes 'Summer' before the band set us alight with 'When I'm on Fire' before they exit the stage, leaving us hanging.
The Sisters Of Mercy - image © Clea-marie Thorne
However, I felt we would at least get one more encore song as they had not played crowd favourites 'Lucretia My Reflection' and 'Temple Of Love' that would have spurred the goth-mosh back into action. This would cause a riot if left of the setlist, for sure.
After some foot stomping and calling out, TSOM returned to the stage to further enflame the crowd frenzy with those two exact songs. 'Lucretia My Reflection' was our first encore song then Ravey Davey sparked up Doctor Avalanche while Christo and Smith get amongst the hard riffing and thumping to bring in 'Temple Of Love'.
Punters sang along with Eldritch and some banging heads as we all get nuts for it. 'This Corrosion' lets loose the "animal deep inside" as we are belting out "Hey now, hey now, now. Sing this corrosion to me. . ." while rockin' along to the beats to the very last one.
The Sisters Of Mercy - image © Clea-marie Thorne
What a show! TSOM shook and shuddered the chandeliers of TFMH! The lads gave an incredible performance from a truly moody stage to immerse the audience of rockers, punks, goths and emo kin in an aural wash of their brand of rock & roll. Atmosphere plus.
TSOM never lost it, still have it and judging by tonight's performance, these legends could rock punters for a couple more decades.
More photos from the show.
