SMOKE AND MIRRORS

THE SISTERS OF MERCY


The date is Friday 18th April 2003 and the general location is Kentish Town in north London…I was meeting up with Nyein and Mark in their local drinking venue (a converted church…wicked idea ) before all three of us went down to the Forum to await the return of the industrial groove machine known to us all as The Sisters Of Mercy…we were to meet a girl friend of Nyein and Mark in the pub next door to the Forum…a simple task you think?...not so when everyone is dressed in the uniform Black clothes of the London Goth community…all that is except for Nyein and Mark…

We squeeze into a small corner by the door of this pub…(the name of which is avoiding me again; as usual)...to await the arrival of said friend...I’m concerned that we won’t see her come in among the sea of humanity that is crowding the bar and is now spilling out onto the street outside...the lil old dude who collected the empty glasses was gonna earn his pint this evening...and then some more on Saturday...maybe he’ll be in a better mood by then!!...suddenly through the door bursts Nyein and Marks friend Abby (I think that’s her name...I could be wrong and if I am I’ll edit this later)...and she’s not wearing black!!...I’m thinking to myself that I’m in a conspiracy of one in this small group...

After a very quick round of drinks we make our way along to the venue...a whole 50 paces from door to door...and into the madness we made our willing ways...now before anyone jumps up and corrects me here that I have missed out some details from within the pub...I’m sorry...I have already thought long and hard about the amusing conversations we had at the expense of the other darkly clad individuals there...and the futile attempts of said individuals to actually be individual from one another...with the exception of those who are loosing their hair at an alarming rate...bald isn’t just an issue for the aged...this is all the detail I shall go into at the moment...I don’t want you all to think that I’m just a bitch in dogs clothing!!

The madness of old men and women trying to cheat the onset of age by hitting the local markets and purchasing all the black leather goods available...is most definitely on show here tonight!!...the support band were doing their best to offend and alienate the crowd with soundscapes of feedback and crunching chords to a distorted backdrop of bass and drums...a little like Jesus & The Mary Chain...but without the talent!...their t-shirt stand is depressingly bland and generally omitted by the gig goers present...whereas the Sisters stand is just throbbing!!...I make my way over and decide to purchase a long sleeved tour shirt...NICE!!...I tie it around my waist and return to where Nyein, Mark and Abby are standing...the last few minutes of the support band are like watching a car crash in slow mo...Drawn out and painful!!...the 4 of us decide that we should head upstairs to the seated circle and enjoy the frantic roadies doing their thing for the next 30 minutes...during this time I ask Abby some small talk questions just to be polite...unusual I know!...she tells me that try as she might...apart from Alice... she can’t remember any more Sisters songs...so I named a couple for her but she has a blank look on her face...hum...tough nut this I thought...

Darkness descended all around us and the dry ice machines started doing their thing...the backing music was it’s usual weirdness...we heard Status Quo, The Cramps and Marc Bolan...but still no Sisters...then the sound of a low menacing rumble and the lights change...our Lord, Andrew Eldritch has taken the stage in the thickest cloud of dry ice ever...through out the opening song Temple Of Love the band is almost invisible...only when they approach the front of the stage do they emerge like ghosts from a deepening mist...they hurled through T O L with a venom and urgency that belied it’s original mammoth proportions in single format...with out as much as a pause for breath they collide headlong into Crash And Burn...I can see that Nyein is like me...itching to get down and party some in the crowd...Mark is feeling his way through the white noise...and Abby is bouncing around like a child with it’s favourite toy...some more SOM classics scream by...Summer...then ALICE...OH FUCK...the audience went daft...Nyein and I are down stage left giving it some...Dominion...First And Last And Always...Anaconda...The Sisters Of Mercy are burning up the venue tonight...they finish with Burn and Eldritch doing his trademark holler/yell...I’m fucked...I touch Nyein to say that I’m going to get a coke from the upstairs bar and mosey off in search of the bogs and some fresh air...from the upstairs bar I had the most amazing view for the first encore...the sound was perfect...the dry ice and the lights worked...and the stage was ablaze during Lucretia...and I had to go back down and get me some more...I met Nyein coming back up the stairs and then Abby turned around from her vantage point on the edge of the balcony and waved to us to come over...The Sisters returned again for the last time with a stinging version of Vision Thing to finish the night off perfectly...Abby and I are dancing away like a couple possessed...Andrew shouting that he is against this fucking war...how cute!!...NOT!!

Last part of this tale is the now usual outside bootleg vendors with their cheap t shirts and hoodies arranged across the pavement...remember I have already shelled out for an official tour shirt with the dates on the reverse...phew...they don’t have the full tour dates on the merchandise...but the hoodies are wicked...and I’m skint!...with many thanx to Nyein who loaned me a tenner I am now sitting here typing this with both the official tour shirt and the unofficial hoody on...both stinking of sweat and smoke...but I don’t give a fuck!!...I enjoyed this show so much that it’s now up there with classics like the Cult @ Brixton 2001 and Ministry @ Barrowlands 94...

Who's that then? is it him? Wheres the bass player then?

Did the Sisters in Leeds on saturday.
Wasnt over impressed, Too much smoke, In fact nothing to see except smoke!
Also no Bass player so Lecrecia sounded shit.... The guy hates Goths... Well I think he just hates everyone. He's just a ... Give me your money now fuck off kinda guy.
Thats fine by me .... I hate Goths too, but to charge ppl £20 to see a band , then fill the place with so much smoke you cant see anything at all, That sucks!
I read this on the sisters site ..... I should have played A slight case of over bombing on my walkman and set light to my house.
Kinda accurate I thought.
Well I never seen them before ... I still havent seen them ..... And I wont be seeing them again....
Saying all that .... I did have fun at the gig ... Just not thanks to Mr Eldrich.

Now here's a man that knows how to write a review of a show!

Quote:

Originally posted by BlackHeaven Did the Sisters in Leeds on saturday. Wasnt over impressed, Too much smoke, In fact nothing to see except smoke! Also no Bass player so Lecrecia sounded shit.... The guy hates Goths... Well I think he just hates everyone. He's just a ... Give me your money now fuck off kinda guy. Thats fine by me .... I hate Goths too, but to charge ppl £20 to see a band , then fill the place with so much smoke you cant see anything at all, That sucks! I read this on the sisters site ..... I should have played A slight case of over bombing on my walkman and set light to my house. Kinda accurate I thought. Well I never seen them before ... I still havent seen them ..... And I wont be seeing them again.... Saying all that .... I did have fun at the gig ... Just not thanks to Mr Eldrich.

LOL and LMAO! I am sorry that Andrew disappointed you BH. Although, I have to agree....Lucretia without a real live bass player would cause me to slap Andrew senseless. I may just have to do that one day!!! GRRR He's screwed my song up!!!!:flame:

Sorry to say, well no I'm not sorry, I still love the guy. Even without hair! As the Eurythmics say, Sweet dreams are made of these.....And he's my no. 1 fantasy..... :P

Ooops, better stop while I'm ahead, right love? X

PG
:angel:


[Edited on 4-28-2003 by Planet Girl]

Danke

thanks Star

Quote:

Originally posted by Star Now here's a man that knows how to write a review of a show!

Cool review Andie ! as to the different experiences "some days are better than others" U2 song applies me think !

JRoberto

BUMP

Sarcasm ... The lowest form of wit

Good job ya didnt blow cash on a Vid
There really was ... Nothing to see 8)

GRRR

Doggie, I'm jealous.

PG

Jealous?...

Quote:

Originally posted by Planet Girl Doggie, I'm jealous. PG

The MERE fact that you were in the same room with Eldy....My God I'll probably never get that close to him! LOL Poor Andrew...He just does not know what he's missing....ME!

I'll get back to you on this later, my Pet.

PG
:angel: