ON STAGE: THE SISTERS OF MERCY

Gasometer Vienna
November 8, 2023

Since the beginning of The Sisters of Mercy tour, harsh critics have been following the band around Andrew Eldritch. But what is it all about? Are the “Sisters” really disappearing into the fog and what about the master’s live singing skills?

Moved up
Originally, the concert was to have taken place at SIMM City, which has space for up to 800 fans. The demand was probably greater than expected and so it was moved up to the Gasometer, where more than 1,000 visitors were able to enjoy the show. A black-clad audience from young to old flocked to the venue on that Wednesday evening to see the cult band live.

The Virginmarys
The concert was opened by the English band The Virginmarys. With their rocking sounds, the duo, consisting of guitarist/singer Ally Dickaty and drummer Danny Dolan, contrasted sharply with the main act, but nevertheless heated up the atmosphere.

The Sisters of Mercy
The curtain fell and a sinister atmosphere filled the room. Fog and light swirled around the stage. The crowd cheered when Andrew Eldritch took to the stage. Flanked by his live musicians, he slowly moved to the center of the stage at a distance of a few meters. Meanwhile, Ben Christo (guitar) and Kai (guitar) provided the atmosphere at the front of the stage, while Chris Catalyst hid behind his desk. There was little interaction with the audience and the dark sunglasses also created distance. A wide range of songs were played and the later the evening got, the more movement there was in front of and on stage. Kai could even be seen jumping a little.

The setlist consisted of both older classics and newer songs. Although there was little movement on stage, there was still a feeling of amusement. While the audience at the front sang along, cheered and danced, the noise of conversation at the side and at the back of the hall drowned out the music. Even well-known classics such as “Marian” were only recognizable from the chorus onwards due to the muffled sound and the restrained volume. Too bad, because contrary to the critics’ voices that preceded this concert, singer and founding member Andrew Eldritch hit every note.

The atmosphere grew with every song until the band withdrew after “On the Beach”, only to be called back on stage by the audience with applause. The encore set consisted of those iconic classics that the majority of the crowd had been waiting for. With “Lucretia My Reflection” and “Temple of Love”, The Sisters of Mercy got the last reserves of energy out of their audience before they said goodbye with “This Corrosion”.

Opinions are still divided. While one fan raved, the next left the concert hall looking disappointed. It all depends on your own expectations. Those music lovers who begin their sentences with “Back when I saw the Sisters in 1991 …” will probably no longer get their money’s worth today. But this concert was certainly not bad. The Vienna show was probably one of the best of the tour. In any case, we left the location exhilarated.

Text & photos: Layoutriot (C. Gina Huber)

Setlist:
– “Doctor Jeep / Detonation Boulevard” – “Don’t Drive on Ice” – “Ribbons” – “Alice” – “Summer” – “Dominion” – “I Will Call You” – “Marian” – “Giving Ground” – “Eyes of Caligula” – “But Genevieve” – “I Was Wrong” – “Here” – “On the Beach” — “Lucretia My Reflection” – “Temple of Love” – “This Corrosion”