Despite the fact that the Sisters of Mercy haven't released any new material since 1993, they've been touring off and on. They even handled the opening slot on part of the Sex Pistols' reunion tour in 1996. I saw them last a few years ago, and they put on a great show. So when I found out they were coming to Detroit, I was quite excited to see this legendary band.
Seeing the Sisters?
I can now say that I think I saw the Sisters of Mercy Monday night. I can't be quite sure, though.
I couldn't get a photo pass for the evening. It wouldn't have mattered. The smoke machines on stage were cranked so high that I only occasionally caught a glimpse of various members of the band, and I wasn't always sure which one.
When he ventured out of the fog far enough, I was able to see singer Andrew Eldritch's clean-shaven dome in the spotlights, so I could at least be considerably sure that I was looking at him. Then again, it could have been a lip-syncing look-alike, as thick as the smoke was in the theatre. I occasionally had a hard time seeing the people I was standing next to.
Hearing the Sisters?
I didn't have a hard time hearing the people I was with, though. The sound was so low and muddy that my friends and I were able to carry on conversations in a normal tone. It was like hearing the band playing in an outside arena - while standing in the parking lot.
I didn't mind chatting with my friends, though. The set was low-energy and uninspired. Andrew Eldritch has brought in some fresh new blood for the tour. Ben Christo, formerly of AKO, and Chris "Robochrist" May fill now out the lineup, accompanied by Doktor Avalanche, the band's trademark drum machine. The new guys seemed to have left their youthful energy on the bus.
Something Old, Something New - Nothing All That Great
The set was composed of half old material and half new. I was excited that we were in for a good show when they hit a high point during "Ribbons", their second song. They quickly tanked after that. A few songs later, when they played "Alice", another classic Sisters song, they were a full two minutes into the song before I even recognized it, because the vocals were so muddy and the music was plodding along, quite unlike both the recorded version and the times I've heard them play it previously.
When they were switching between old and new songs, it was obvious that the Sisters haven't evolved as a band. Songs they recorded in the early '80s sounded nearly identical to newer, unreleased songs. The poor sound may bear part of the blame for this, though.
The Sisters went on to play three encores. These were those encores where the band leaves the stage for a minute or two, and then comes back out to play another song. The majority of the crowd didn't seem to notice or care. All in all it was a very uninspired show, as the Sisters of Mercy managed to reduce their status in a massive venue to that of a house band in a hole in the wall bar.
The Aftermath
As we left we waded out through the smoke that was spilling out into the lobby, and even rolling out into the street in massive clouds. I couldn't help but think that this tour was simply a money-grab for the band. They hit the road to make some cash, without bothering to put together a show, or even having the desire to put on a show.
In the long run, I think it's going to hurt the band. The fans weren't impressed, and in fact left a bit insulted. If a band doesn't care enough about its music to put on an entertaining show, the band's fans are going to stop caring enough to listen.
