Support: Mayatrix & the Psychics
Sydney Opera House
Tuesday, 26th November 2024
Rating: five stars.
For many bands, lining up a show at the iconic Sydney Opera House is a benchmark or achievement. Sonically, the venue is superb, with second to none acoustics, facilities, and unbeatable location. For an energetic rock show from a band such as England’s gothic tinged, hard rock band The Cult, which thrives off audience interaction, there was an element of an uphill battle for that sense of intimacy that existed at unseated venues, and glorified beer barns of past tours. Irrespective of that reality, The Cult were triumphantly returning to our shores to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary with their aptly titled 8424 Tour. Seeing such a legendary rock band cherry pick over their stunning eleven album discography at such a venue was indeed a delicious prospect. Once the energy in the room started to feel universal, with everyone in the audience standing, then half the work was done, and enthused punters eagerly ticked off the many hits.
To open proceedings, Perth based band Mayatrix & the Psychics perhaps should have used their extrasensory skills to read the room. A musical stream of consciousness from a one-off, pared back band in duo mode wasn’t exactly what a hard rock audience were likely to embrace. In this instance, they elected to perform as a guitar and vocals duo of Willow and Moana Mayatrix respectively, as opposed to a full hard rock band, providing a more psychedelic immersions into rare and yet-to-be-released songs. Starting with a newer, upcoming track, and followed by “Peasant Girl”, Mayatrix’s vibrato is unique, with melody lines via a sustained projection, melding to a semi-yodelling embellishment, which suits the stage costume seemingly with remnants of pagan references. Guitar wise, it was largely strumming with mild distortion gain, and some arpeggiated aspects, as the music was primarily vocal driven, although Mayatrix was soon sporting a feather adorned Stratocaster herself. Finishing their short three-song set with a track about an escapist personality, it musically consisted of various jangly, reverb drenched chords, with bursts of vocals and a half spoken, slightly enraged, poetry reading styled delivery. Brave yet somewhat confounding.
As the PA cranked out classic tracks from Depeche Mode and Killing Joke, the road crew tweaked equipment settings, and sound levels, and then spread the wafting plumes of burning incense smoke across each band member’s stage rig location, as well as onto the audience, many of whom saw it as a ceremony to indulge. For others, it was just another form of dry ice or smoke machine outpourings filling up their nostrils.
But when the lights dimmed, on walked the rhythm section of drummer John Tempesta [Exodus, Testament, White Zombie, Anthrax] and bassist Charlie Jones [Page and Plant, Goldfrapp, Siouxsie Sioux] took up their positions, whilst the Apocalypse Now film embedded version of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” filled the Opera House, aptly enough. Strolling on soon after, frontman and Ludwig tambourine enthusiast, Ian Astbury wearing a fur hat and artistically red and black stained white collared shirt, over a kilt greeted the crowd. Guitarist, and co-songwriter, Billy Duffy, dressed in all black jeans, vest and open neck t-shirt, appeared with the first of many guitar selections, choosing a glorious sounding Gibson 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty re-issue with white binding, to kick off opening track, “In the Clouds”, a mid-nineties compilation album [previously unreleased at the time] single cut.
“Rise” from Beyond Good and Evil continued with the direct slicing chords as Astbury’s bellowing vocals filled the venue. Astbury briefly ventured over to Duffy’s area to engage with the stage left crowd and hit his tambourine with shaking and synchronised hand gestures, as Duffy leaned back and let his guitar’s tone scream wide vibrato notes. The power of the rhythm section was evident during Electric classic “Wild Flower”, as Jones hammered bass notes through his twin Aguilar bass amp and cabinet rig, whilst Tempesta smashed his snare and kick drums on his Tama kit, with Duffy delivering blues hard rock soloing, with octave shifts on his low hung Gretsch G7593T black Falcon guitar.
For those who remember The Cult’s jaunt here during the days of the Big Day Out, “Star” and Duffy’s wah-pedal fuelled “The Witch” offered a reminder of the tumultuous days of the band in the face of the grunge onslaught, and how beautifully The Cult saw off the concerns. Astbury, now without fluffy hat, enlisted shakers to suitable effect in the latter track. Duffy’s workhorse Gibson Les Paul Classic 1960 Reissue Goldtop was aided by his tri-amp rig of 50-watt Friedman amplifier heads, Roland and Vox combo amps through twin Marshall cabinets, as soloing guitar lines and percussive double stops hit the sweet sonic spots in the venue.
Their most recent album, Under the Midnight Sun, got some attention in the set list with the signature, subtly delay and wah-pedal effected melodic rock of “Mirror”, that allowed chords, and notes, to ring out, and Astbury to howl. It was followed swiftly with the heavier, drum prowess showcasing “War (The Process)” from Beyond Good and Evil, and the pulsing “Resurrection Joe”, a standalone Dreamtime era single from late 1984, during which Astbury made masturbating gestures to the audience, trying to coax a volatile response. Duffy’s Les Paul Custom Black Beauty and Gretsch G7593T black Falcon were used for said tracks and provided some searing guitar lines. Astbury implored the audience not to overthink things and be instinctual on appreciating the music. Fair point but the Opera House on a weeknight is not Selina’s back in the glory days, on a weekend. By this point, a destroyed tambourine had been offered up to eager stage left fans.
The first track aired from the world dominating Sonic Temple album was in an acoustic, stools at the stage-front, Duffy and Astbury duet for the remarkable track “Edie (Ciao Baby)”. Prior to the song, Astbury offered up some heartfelt thoughts on Michael Hutchence’s career significance, with a segment of “Need You Tonight”. Duffy’s mastery of guitar was evident with the gorgeous chiming tones from his Gibson J-200 acoustic guitar.
Another classic from Sonic Temple appeared with “Sweet Soul Sister”, as Duffy took to his Gibson Les Paul Custom wood top guitar with unbridled command. After a long handclap, call and response, middle section, to build back to the chords, some ferocious soloing kicked in. Duffy’s harmonics soared as he pulled at the string behind the nut, flicked the pick-up selector, and enhanced some feedback with his picking hand, manipulating note resonance over the bridge pick-up.
Playing tag team on whose song it was for the spotlight, Astbury took his microphone from the stand during the powerful track “Lucifer” from Choice of Weapon, and traversed the bulk of the red lit stage, standing on the front of stage monitors, under the edge of the stage lighting, geeing up the front rows, launching the odd Ludwig tambourine, or throwing empty water bottles high into the stage left wings. At some song conclusions, Astbury would duck down at his stage, to spring up at the commencement of the next song. It seemed to work at getting attention.
“Fire Woman” from Sonic Temple was a show highlight, the pace, build to chorus, all starting with those wide bends on the opening riff, the half time post solo crowd engagement handclaps, it lifted the energy in the room. “Rain”, the first track to be heard from Love, was met with similar enthusiasm. Duffy’s Gretsch G7593T white Falcon was brought out for the task and the tone was simply captivating. Holding the guitar almost vertical as rhythm parts were played, Duffy moved around his amps and stage left, as Astbury sang with power, hitting his tambourine in time.
“Spiritwalker” from Dreamtime had a chiming quality, against sustained chords and effortless cymbal work from Tempesta, as Astbury would sometimes go over to the drum riser, before returning to the stage front. Of course, the main set closer of “Love Removal Machine” from Electric, was a given, and that roused the audience to peak enthusiasm levels, introduced by Astbury discussing the upcoming reaming tour dates with a sense of deadpan humour, comparing it to the Opera House venue. Duffy returned to his Gibson Les Paul Classic 1960 Reissue Goldtop for the aforementioned Led Zep and AC/DC inspired track, adding the odd pick scrape. Jones, who had alternated between plectrum and fingerstyle throughout the show, was also offering back-up vocals during the show, along with Duffy, in this case giving the chorus a powerful reprise of sorts as the song hit the double time stride.
Encore time hit and with a draped silvery snakeskin backdrop, the emotive “Brother Wolf, Sister Moon” from Love was assisted by fingerstyle bass, Duffy’s Gretsch white Falcon, and Astbury’s restrained vocals, with some tambourine emphasis where needed. The majestic, musically inspired “She Sells Sanctuary” from their classic debut album Love, naturally closed the show. Duffy’s windmill picking attack to big chords, audience singalongs, and Astbury’s impassioned vocal delivery brought the remarkable, once in a lifetime show to a perfect conclusion. To witness this fantastic show at the Opera House was a rare treat. Astbury warmed to the venue as the show progressed and the dividends paid off immensely. One of those shows that comes along and moves up through your list of top shows ever. A goosebump inducing type of event.
Set List
Intro – Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner from Apocalypse Now soundtrack.
In the Clouds
Rise
Wild Flower
Star
The Witch
Mirror
War (The Process)
Ressurection Joe
Edie (Ciao Baby) w/ INXS’ Need You Tonight portion
Sweet Soul Sister
Lucifer
Fire Woman
Rain
Spiritwalker
Love Removal Machine
Encore:
Brother Wolf, Sister Moon
She Sells Sanctuary
Outro – La Ballata di Sacco e Vanzetti by Joan Baez.