Sisters Of Mercy @ The Gov, Adelaide 1/11/2022
There definitely was an air of mystique around UK dark rockers The Sisters Of Mercy who are back in the country for another Australian tour. Walking in to The Gov for an early kick off at half eight, no support, there already was a haze of smoke which was starting to fill the room in amongst semi-darkness of blue light coming from the stage. Much has been written about their history and line up changes over the years with the main constant being singer Andrew Eldritch who is now joined by guitarists Ben Christo and Dylan Smith with Ravey Davey, who was hard to see in the background, on keys and computer powering the thundering drumbeats during the set.
With a back catalogue that consists of three defining albums First and Last and Always (1985), Floodland (1987) and Vision Thing (1990) the band probably thought they didn’t need to be topped with new music until now with some new songs included in the set, which really do need to be released. The Sisters Of Mercy are one of those bands that whilst they might not be everyone’s cup of tea they are definitely worth experiencing at least as they are namechecked often having influenced so many other bands.
Opening with new song Don’t Drive On Ice the band played with great precision ploughing through Crash and Burn, Ribbons and I Will Call You. First and Last and Always was stellar and Eldritch, man of few words, said that Alice was for the nostalgists out there. But Genevieve had a similar vibe with plenty of clapping and dancing to the beat. Doctor Jeep/ Detonation Boulevard seemed shorter as did some of the other songs in the set.
With the band fairly well settled now there was quite the synergy and connection with each other not messing with something that isn’t broken. Set staples More and Show Me were great and he brooding and sinister Eyes Of Caligula took things down a darker path. Eldritch left the stage during Instrumental 86 to give the rest of the band a moment to shine. One highlight definitely was the power and angst in new song On The Beach which was created during the pandemic then finishing in blinding fashion with Summer and When I’m On Fire.
Returning for an encore if there was going to be a moment that defined or could sum up the show it would arguably be with the three most popular songs Lucretia My Reflection, Temple Of Love and The Corrosion. Hot damn! Hard to believe that was that with the band disappearing in the haze leaving the crowd with the hope that new music is on the horizon and maybe another tour soon.
Live Review By Rob Lyon