I know the smoke is their trademark, and it sure does keep the mystery alive, but I would actually like to see the band I came for, especially when I’ve paid over €30,- to see them.
I know the smoke is their trademark, and it sure does keep the mystery alive, but I would actually like to see the band I came for, especially when I’ve paid over €30,- to see them.
What words can one use to describe the Sisters of Mercy… Mysterious is definitely one of them as I experienced for myself last month. I went to see them twice in three days, the first gig I saw was on saturday the 6th of August, when they played at 013 in Tilburg. The second time was at the Lokerse Festival in Belgium on the 8th. In the audience at the 013 I found a great variety of people, divided in the old and the new fans. I saw lots of thirty and forty year olds who came to see their old idols again and also young people who probably weren’t even born yet when the Sisters got together in 1980.
The band kept their fans waiting for half an hour before they finally showed up… let’s call them fashionably late. Their entrance was announced by lots of smoke which was blown into the room. If they hadn’t started playing I wouldn’t even have known they were there. I know the smoke is their trademark, and it sure does keep the mystery alive, but I would actually like to see the band I came for, especially when I’ve paid over €30,- to see them. Still, they started with Crash & Burn followed up by Ribbons and Come Together.
The gig was two hours and on the whole a success, filled with a wide variety of official and unofficial songs sung by Andrew Eldritch, who was accompanied by Adam Pearson (Guitar/Backing Vocals), Chris Sheehan (Guitar/Backing Vocals) and of course Doktor Avalanche and his nurse. Behind them was a big stage set which was rendered useless due mainly to the fact that it remained smothered in dry ice throughout the whole gig.
Some times the smoke lifted a bit (only to be followed by lots and lots more of it) and only then I could get a glimpse of Andrew Eldritch. I was shocked by his bald head, all that was left of his beautiful hair now grew on his chin in a horrific goatee. His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, as were those of the rest of the band, and he wore tight leather pants, a sleeveless shirt and a coat that he took off half way during Dominion/Mother Russia. Only to hold on to it with a raised arm till the end of the song and then finally drop it like some kind of dramatic gesture.
After Flood II the Sisters left the stage. After lots of exuberant clapping and shouting Eldritch returned alone, set down on a stool and treated us to a magnificent acoustic version of I Was Wrong. It was brilliant, the best thing I heard all night! And this was only the ‘opening’ of their encore, four more songs followed: Neverland, Lucretia my Reflection, Top Night Out and as their big ending a great performance of Vision Thing which had everyone dancing.
For the second gig I drove all the way to Belgium to see them play at the Lokerse Feesten. They were listed for the Monday (the 8th of August) as the big hit of the evening. Monza and Vive la Fete, both Belgian bands, had played earlier that evening. At 23.30 it was up to the Sisters.
Seeing them twice in such a short period gave me the chance to compare their gigs. They pretty much played the same set, only a bit shorter. I missed Dr. Jeep and Detonation Boulevard, which is a pity, as I really like those two. They also left out I Was Wrong, I liked that actually, it kept their gig last Saturday a bit more exclusive, even though I wouldn’t mind hearing it again. A difference from Tilburg was Emma, (a Hot Chocolate number).
Because the Lokerse Feesten are an outdoors event, the smoke quickly disappeared which gave me a clearer view of the band. Beside the stage was a big videoscreen. Earlier that evening it was used to show both Monza as Viva la Fete’s gig, but to maintain their mystery the Sisters had forbidden all use of the screen during their gig. Even though I wasn’t in the front row I still had a pretty good view and I could see Eldritch do the whole ‘coat-scene’ again. What’s that about? You should think a band like the Sisters of Mercy wouldn’t grasp for such timed and acted theatricals. Their music alone is impressive enough. Well, maybe that’s just another part of their mystery..
Words: Anneieke Koomen