The Sisters Of Mercy Kick Off UK & European Tour In Tumultuous Style

by | Sep 27, 2023

This was the first of two shows The Sisters Of Mercy were playing at Camden’s famous Roundhouse venue at the start of the band’s current UK and European tour. As Andrew Eldritch points out, he’s amazed that 42 years after The Sisters Of Mercy played their first show, they are still going. I have to say, if you asked me when I first saw them play in 1984, that 39 years later not only would I be seeing them live again, but I’d be on the guest list to review the show, I would not have believed you. Part of the reason for that disbelief is that after almost every show I’ve ever seen by The Sisters Of Mercy about a third of the audience swear they will never go and see the band again as they were terrible, this show was in no way an exception to that rule, yet was still far better than the last show I saw The Sisters Of Mercy play.

Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse

Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse (Adrian Hextall)
Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse (Adrian Hextall)

Opening for The Sisters Of Mercy were The Virginmarys, who have slimmed down from a trio to a duo since the pandemic. They opened with The Meds, a tune that had some furiously expansive guitar to let us know what effect those meds were having on singer Ally Dickaty and drummer Danny Dolan. The tension rose on Into The Dust as all the things that make them want to kill the bastard they are singing about.

Thousand Times had them claiming they were 95 miles from down south while in fact being down south, as the interplay between the duo was helped by Danny’s theatrical drumming, even if some of Ally’s vocals were lost, as he needed them turned up by about 15 decibels. Sweet Loretta is one of the few tunes people they really care about, as the slightly slower place allowed for greater dynamics between the duo.

Ally told us that the band’s new single was out on October 6th but never bothered to tell us it’s called Where Are You Now? before they launched into a thousand-miles-per-hour run through it, super speedy taut rock. They made clear on NYC that they were not singing about California but it was also rather similar to several of the bands other songs. Lost Weekend gives a sordid account of a one-night stand far more staying power than the actual liaison had.

Look Out For My Brother made clear they would rather we all care for each other than fight over nothing, as they brought a tight set to a close with Bang Bang Bang, Danny hitting his bell every time Ally sang Bang Bang Bang. And they were gone to a good round of applause.

As The current line up of The Sisters Of Mercy came on stage, the curtain fell to reveal the as expected mainly black backdrop, for Andrew Eldritch to begin stalking the stage as they opened with new song Don’t Drive On Ice which is great advice. The song sounded like classic The Sisters Of Mercy with Ben Christo’s lead guitar dark and magisterial.

Ribbons was full of the deep dark drum sound of Doctor Avalanche who was being manipulated by Ravey Davey’s last minute replacement Chris Catalyst as Andrew disappeared to the sides of the stage a couple of times. I Will Call You, one of the newer songs, was full of Dylan Smith’s bleak guitar driving us into a drug-induced state as I tried to make out Andrew’s vocals that seemed, at times, a little mumbled.

The first big roar of the night went up for the first few bars of Alice. As the song got going, it was clear the audience were singing it louder and more clearly than Von himself, although he played up to that, encouraging us all to sing along to the only song I think I’ve heard them play live every time I’ve seen them.

It was back to one of The Sisters Of Mercy’s many unreleased songs for But Genevieve, brought a great dark club dance-floor feel with it, with many in the audience dancing along. First And Last And Always was greeted like the old friend it is, Ben and Dylan’s guitars meshing perfectly as Ben seemed to share the vocals with Andrew.

Considering what’s currently happening in Ukraine, I was surprised that they didn’t introduce Dominion/Mother Russia properly, as this classic floor-filler got a great reaction, still sounding magnificent no matter how indistinct some of Von’s vocals were, the audience making up for it.

Summer is one of the less likely things you expect The Sisters to sing about, this version had good dynamics as again Ben seemed to be singing almost more than Andrew. Marian sounded imperious and the effects Doktor Avalanche added really helped. As always, Andrew wanted More, and in this case it would be More guitar and More vocals.

Instrumental 86 might be a newer song that allows Andrew to disappear for a breather, but it has the classic Sisters dance-floor sound, perfect to change some lightbulbs to. Andrew re-emerged at the start of Doctor Jeep/Detonation Boulevard, the classic that had loads of bass from the good Doktor to help drive this classic along.

Eyes Of Caligula is another new one that might have reflected how Von sees himself, as the undisputed dark lord of goth (I know he hates the term), but he really has been king of the sound for far too long now. I Was Wrong isn’t always a sentiment you would expect from Mr Eldritch but everyone has to apologise once in a while, this is as close as he gets to that, I know a lot of the bands fans think they deserve an apology for the bands performance, this may have to do.

I think Crash & Burn was in the set the last time I saw The Sisters, as Ben again took about half the vocals as Andrew was pacing across the stage. Here was one of the newest songs in the set, but it sounded much like a golden oldie, Andrew also seemed to make a point of really singing the lyrics more clearly as if he really was happy to be Here in Camden.

Vision Thing was the only song to get a visible mosh pit, as this hit went down better than most of the set. On The Beach certainly isn’t a tribute to Neil Young, but another dance-floor ready goth banger if it were to be released as the single it sounds like it should be.

They then closed with one last new song, When I’m On Fire, the band kind of had been musically, if not vocally, for much of the set, as they sounded far better than the last time I saw them. At the end of the song they just downed tools and walked off to almost silence, it took a minute or two for the clapping and cheering to begin to bring them back for an encore, like people were deciding if they wanted an encore or not.

Eventually they came back on as Ben began to play Lucretia My Reflection, the deep drum machine synth bass really got going, this sounded really great. Then Dylan Smith seemed to have some problems with his guitar, he was talking with the tech guy, at which point Andrew took his guitar from him, handed it to the tech guy and signalled for Dylan to leave the stage, almost as if he was being dismissed. As he didn’t play the second show it does indeed appear he was sacked live onstage.

Then with just one guitar and Doktor Avalanche, they played a fantastic rendition of Temple Of Love that again had louder audience singing than Andrew was managing, but at least this time he was encouraging it. They then closed the show with This Corrosion that, as you’d expect ,went down well showing that The Sisters Of Mercy are just about still worth seeing live, while living up to several of the legends surrounding the band’s live performances, this being a show many fans found hard to take, the acoustics at The Roundhouse not helping matters.

  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse
  • Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse

Live review of The Sisters Of Mercy @ Roundhouse on 22nd September 2023 by Simon Phillips. Photography by Adrian Hextall on 23rd September 2023.

The Courettes Close Their UK Tour With A Dynamite Double Header

Glastonbury Festival 2023 (Kalpesh Patel)

Glastonbury Festival 2025: Full Line-Up, Stage Splits, Secret Sets, And Notable Set Clashes Revealed

The full stage splits and set times for Glastonbury Festival 2025 have officially landed, sending the internet into a frenzy and festival-goers scrambling to finalise their Worthy Farm weekend plans. With over 3,000 performances across more than 100 stages, the legendary Somerset gathering—set to take place from 25th to 29th June—has revealed an eclectic, star-studded line-up bursting with global icons, breakout stars, and fan-favourite returning acts.

Olivia Dean Announces Sophomore Album ‘The Art of Loving’ And London Headline Show Next Week

Rising UK star Olivia Dean has announced the release of her eagerly awaited second album, The Art Of Loving, set to arrive on 26th September via Capitol Records. The new record promises to build on the rich, heartfelt songwriting that’s become Dean’s signature, while pushing her sound into bold and emotionally resonant new territory.

Sabrina Carpenter (Press)

Sabrina Carpenter Unveils Full Star-Packed Line-Up For Sold-Out BST Hyde Park 2025 Shows

American Express presents BST Hyde Park has announced the full supporting line-up for pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter’s sold-out headline debut on Saturday 5th July, as well as her follow-up performance on Sunday 6th July. The eagerly anticipated shows mark a major milestone in Carpenter’s meteoric rise, as she joins a coveted roster of BST Hyde Park headliners for 2025.

Taylor Swift @ Wembley Stadium (Kalpesh Patel)

Taylor Swift Triumphs: Pop Icon Buys Back Rights To Her Original Master Recordings

In a landmark move sending shockwaves through the music industry, Taylor Swift has officially bought back the rights to her original master recordings, marking a triumphant and deeply personal victory in her years-long battle for artistic ownership. The deal closes a turbulent chapter that has fuelled global conversations around creative control, artist rights, and the power dynamics of the modern music business.

Santana (Press)

Carlos Santana Teams Up With Grupo Frontera For Norteño-Rock Fusion ‘Me Retiro’ — Ahead Of UK Tour Dates

Rock legend Carlos Santana has surprised fans yet again—this time by merging his iconic guitar-driven rock sound with...
Blink-182 @ Reading Festival 2024 (Nick Allan)

Reading Festival 2025 Preview: Glitter, Guitars & Glorious Chaos Incoming

Hold on to your bucket hats – Reading Festival 2025 is about to blow the roof off Richfield Avenue from August...

Iggy Pop’s Raw Power Hits Ally Pally

There’s some shows you just can’t miss in good conscience. Iggy Pop, the godfather of punk, last hit the UK for Dog Day Afternoon with Blondie two years ago, and he’s back for a short run of dates. When other punks from the same era are slowing down, settling into nostalgic anniversary shows or stately home summer shows, Pop is sticking to what he knows best: his iconic back catalogue, spread out across a full band, tied together with hypnotic charisma.

Chesney Hawkes (Press)

Chesney Hawkes Announces 2026 ‘Smash It To Pieces’ UK Headline Tour Following A Triumphant Year

Chesney Hawkes, once dubbed the quintessential British pop prince of the early ‘90s, has proved he’s more than just The One And Only. With a creative fire that burns brighter than ever, Hawkes is celebrating a year of musical and personal triumphs as he announces his 2026 Smash It To Pieces UK headline tour — a bold new chapter in a career that continues to evolve far beyond its nostalgic beginnings.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing