9:30 Club, Washington, DC 
Opening Band: Lennon
This was the most crowded I have ever seen the 9:30 Club, although the
shows we attend are often sold out, this appeared to be oversold. We
lined up around the corner and behind us we're two guys who looked cool
enough but were the most annoying dorks you can imagine. Later they
were wreaking havoc in the mosh pit and crowd surfing, surprisingly.
The crowd was not the same as the crowd for the Cult show here in 1999;
there were a lot of older guys (mid to late 30's-?), rather than the
goth types, and the crowd tended to be rowdy and rude. Gone was the
courtesy of staking out a spot on the bottom stair in the balcony and
being able to take to the rail when the music came on; some disgusting
obese lesbian (I think) skanks squeezed in front of us, so I had to
jump up to the rail to grab a tiny piece of it from the very beginning
(it took an hour and a half for the opening band to come on), and my
wife stood behind me. We were also next to some sorority/county
club/debutante type women who were partying it up but looked very out
of place, although their husbands appeared to be total meatheads.
There was also a group of drunken rowdy hicks who squeezed next to me
and eventually squeezed me out at the very end of the concert, although
I kept my temper and decided it was better not to get into it with
them.
The opening band, Lennon, was awful. I thought they might have
promise when I saw the mostly long-haired band, I figured they would
know how to rock, but they didn't. The singer was playing on her
looks, she was small with long, straight jet black hair and giant
bouncing breasts that she seemed to draw attention to constantly.
She sang exactly like Alanis and may have had some talent, but the
music itself didn't really match that. The style was a little
confused, they went from grunge to death metal and the guitar sound
was pretty crappy.
The Cult came on forty five minutes later and really rocked, although
their performance didn't compare to the one in 1999. The new songs
sounded good and worked well with their set, but on their great songs,
Ian was very lazy with the vocals. He doesn't have to stick to the
record 100%, but he could at least give it his all! He was extremely
energetic though (despite what I recently read about him standing still
the whole time, leading me to believe he was on something) and talkative
between songs. I couldn't tell what he was bitching about the whole
time, but it was clear that he took himself way too seriously. He
went into a rant befor Take The Power about how this is the
new blood and the underground is back, rather than just saying "here's
a song off our new album." He looked good physically; his hair was
shorter but still long enough to shake up and down. He had a giant
bandanna on for a while but he took it off to reveal red eyeshadow.
Guitarist Billy Duffy and drummer Matt Sorum made up for Ian's
inadequacy, though; they played fantastic. The setlist was quite
good (although they could have dropped one of their new songs in
favor of New York City or Sun King), but the show
could have been great if Ian sang better and wasn't so weird.
Getting out was a pain, we had to fight our way out of the packed
club as bottles were heard breaking all around and then U Street
area is now super-thriving on Saturday nights, so we had to fight
some scary traffic, too. Good show, but easily our worst experience
at the 9:30 Club, despite paying an outrageous $35 ticket price plus
$7 service charge each.
Hawknoah
Tammy and I (The Cult dynamic duo) showed up at the 9:30 Club at 2pm--six hours before
the doors were to open and we were the second and third people in line. We stayed there
and roughed it in the hot Washington, DC sun. It was ALL worth it. We met some great
fans--Gina and her brother Allen, Jeff from South Carolina, Spiritwalker, and we saw
Ray and Todd again. The roadies asked us if we were there for sound check, (which would
have been COOL!) but he informed us that the Cult wouldn't be doing a sound check. So
we waited and saw Lennon get out of their tour bus and the singer followed later in a
taxi. Finally, at after 8PM, we got in, front row center. Tammy and I were psyched! We
waited another hour and forty five minutes for Lennon to come out. Musically, they aren't
bad--the singer--I hate to say but the people I was with didn't like her. After Lennon
finished at 10:30, we waited (yes, again), for the Cult until 11:30. The place was PACKED!
Ian was wearing a t-shirt that said Ape Bathing on it. Billy looked very happy. I could
see him smiling and joking around. Ian was teasing Mike Dimkitch too. I was crushed agains
the barricade but I jumped around the whole time! I didn't care who was around me. I could
tell Billy was watching me jump around--or rather watching certain parts of my body
bouncing around! Tammy was taking pictures and the big bouncer asked her to put it away.
He was ready to take the camera from her later and we were kept screaming NOO!! The bouncer
took the camera and hands it to Ian who just made a face like, what?! Ian threw the camera
back to Tammy and after the song was over he told the audience that he didn't mind people
taking pictures (No disrespect to the bouncer). Everyone appreciated that because after
that the cameras were out! They played the same set list and rocked until the AM hours.
Right after the "last song" (before the encore), Matt came out and handed people some drum
sticks--Jeff included. That was very cool. He was just handing them out. Then, Billy was
the first to come out for the encore and treated the fans to a little guitar solo before
ripping into War. Then of course the classic Nirvana was played. Tammy and I
were bouncing around and having the time of our lives. I was getting crushed by crowd
surfer, but I was okay. Before the finale of Love Removal Machine, Ian started
singing Wild Child "Wild Child, full of grace, savior of the human race, your cool..."
and then went right into the end of Love Removal Machine. Ian threw little metal
cymbals from his tambourine to people--I dropped mine and was upset!! The big mean
security guard wouldn't budge--luckily a nice one picked it up for me. So when we left
there was a large crowd of people outside and I was afraid that it would be hard to get
thing signed and to meet and greet. I went to the car to get stuff with Tammy. I brought
my Neurotic Outsiders album, my Spirit/Light/Speed, and Coloursound. Tammy gave me a great
BG&E poster I took it with me along with my CDs. We get back to the front and Ian is there!!
Although this would be my second meeting with Ian I was very emotional because I don't know
when I will see the Cult again--But I will--will Tammy by my side! So I cried a little and
told Ian was "faklempt" and he hugged me when he saw I was emotional. It was a nice long
hug. Then I had him sign my poster and we chatted and he assured me I would see them again.
We took a picture together and he hugged me again. Then he bent down and gently kissed my
forehead. By that point, somehow, I was calm. Ian's son Dusty was so talkative and cool. He
said he was going to Orlando and he was excited because he said, "I am going to Disneyworld!!"
He loves the Cult too and the new album. Then, Matt Sorum came out and I asked him to sign
my Neurotic Outsiders CD. He saw it and took it aside and asked Dusty to come see the CD. He
told him that the picture on the CD itself is of himself when he was Dusty's age, sitting on
a bull. He said he rode that bull for about ten seconds, which is pretty good! I felt glad
that I brought that CD with me! He signed it and then posed for a pic with me. I realized
that I wanted him to sign my poster to so I went back and he gladly signed my poster. Then,
Billy Morisson came out and he signed it too. I would have had everyone but Billy Duffy didn't
come out! I had an amazing night. I am SO lucky that I got to meet them and because I got to
show Ian and explain to him how I feel. Tammy--I LOVE you! Tammy made the experience the
amazing event that it was. I will never forget it.
Julia - LuvAstbury@aol.com
I am writing to let you know I have read lots of reviews on this site and
always appreciate what other cult fans feel about the bands performance.
Therefore the review by Hawknoah of the Washington D.C. show absolutely
sucked. You should have been telling fans how hard the cult rocked. The 9:30
club is an awesome place to see a band and the cult blew it out. The concert
was easily worth the money. Ian sounded relatively good, much better than
when he looses his voice on tour like at the Patriot center during the
Ceremony tour. Anyway, Ian is the man and was jumping around, grooving with
his tamborine, and even danced during She Sells Sanctuary like he does in
the video. The Bass player is rock solid and Billy Duffy didn't friggin miss
a chord. The Encore was awesome and the new song War just jammed. I want
fans to know the cult were banging and good god the concert blew me away.
Yuri
The band put on an incredible performance this fine Saturday night. The opener, Lennon, sucked
(again). They seem to be OK musicians, but you have to start with good songs, which they just
don't have. Not one of them really grabbed me in any way. I can give the singer credit for
grinning and bearing it and saying she was having a good time (yeah right).
After coming onstage shortly after 11pm, The Cult again played their usual setlist but they seem
to keep coming up with fresh energy and vitality. I'll focus more on Ian in this review as he
was certainly the most engaging one of the group, providing plenty to talk about.
He started off the evening in a bit of a sober mood, chastising people in the crowd for jumping
around, saying this was not a college party. Not much later, however, he clearly decided it was
his mission to ensure everybody had a great time. Tammy snapped a photo on her disposable, which
the huge scary bouncer promptly relieved her of. Ian stepped in, took it away from the bouncer
and tossed it back to Tammy. He then shooed the bouncer away with a sneer and a wave of his hand.
After the song he said "I don't mean any disrespect to you sir, but we don't care if people take
pictures". As mentioned by someone already, he then started mugging for the crowd, showing his
ass, pointing to it, and even started running to each of the other band members and touching their
ass just to get a reaction. Going into Breathe, Ian decried the elitism that is so common
in the US. He said pointedly, "This song is for you, it's ABOUT you!" Further into the set, he
explained to the audience that they (the band) are people like everyone, just as "fucked up,
insecure, happy, sad," etc. Later people began to crowd surf. I thought Ian would say not to do
it, but when people were pulled over the front barrier after doing that, he would give them a pat
on the head. A girl was getting crushed at front and Ian stopped what he was doing to ask her if
she was OK and then directed the bouncer to pull her out.
At one point, in one of the most amazing displays of rock showmanship I have seen, as a song drew
to a close (Wild Flower?) He flung his tambourine into the air, did some kind of a flip and
kicked the thing perfectly straight back into the crowd with a beautiful arc, then landing on his
ass. I think it was a kind of soccer move, kind of like an overhead kick, but sideways. He did
not look awkward at all when he did it. It's great he had the confidence and swagger to pull
something like that off. He took off his bandana and tossed it into the crowd and looked very
Morrison-like.
The encore was the same, but was awesome anyway. In Love Removal Machine, right before the
part where they break it down (Shake it don't break it baby..) the band came to an obviously
well-rehearsed screeching halt and Ian said, "This is your last chance. Don't wake up tomorrow
wishing you had gone absolutely crazy. Wishing you had made out with that girl you've been looking
at all night, or took that extra E, or sniffed that extra sniff." And the band resumed and rocked
out in that last section of LRM, with the crowd just totally losing it. Talk about a rousing
climax of a finish. Afterwards, there was a huge lineup of people so we decided not to wait for
the band to come out. As we left we could see flashbulbs going off so I have to assume they did
come out.
Billy was a guitar god as usual. He kept mostly to himself. I think he just really tries to
concentrate on his playing - you can see him mouthing his solos when he's using the wah pedal.
Matt kicked ass on skins and was spotlighted a few times. The Billy M. and Mike Dimkitch were
rock-solid but kept mostly out of the spotlight, letting Ian just eat it up.
I have never seen the band this tight. Lots of crowd interaction, excellent playing, and a really
pumped up venue with good sound. All the moons were in alignment for this one - the best I've ever
seen. Too bad not everybody could have been there. As Ian said, "This is just the beginning for
The Cult". Certainly a show like they put on proves they can overcome any kind of adversity. This
was my 5th Cult experience. It was the first one for my wife, and it was great to see her as giddy
and blown away as I remember being when I saw the in '89 for the first time. That concert changed
my life, and I think it's fair to say this one probably will for many in attendance.
Peace
Todd Bainbridge - eyedoctodd@hotmail.com
Tonight was the best performance by the Cult that I've ever seen. I've been lucky enough to see them
5 times since the reunion and 3 times before that but tonight was awesome. From the opening song
Rise through Love Removal Machine there was series energy flowing through the joint.
The sound was incredible compared to their show in Vegas a few weeks ago. For the first time in a
long time it seemed like the crowd was made up of true Cult fans and this sell-out crowd was into
it. The 9:30 club was a sea of bobbing heads that reminded me of their NYC concert at the Ritz on
the Love tour. Everyone around me seemed to be moving and singing along to every song. The reaction
to the songs from "Love" was incredible, as everyone seemed to go back in time and groove. The new
songs sound great and you can only hope that they'll add more of their new material to the set list.
The night ended on an incredible high as I was able to get a copy of the set-list from the guy
working their sound (who did a fantastic job!) and had it signed by everyone in the band. These
guys hung around for almost two hours just to sign autographs and take pictures which was great
considering they didn't go on until 11:15. Everyone around was great from the crew and management
to the band and their friends (ESPECIALLY the girlfriend of their production manager who hooked me
up with Duffy's autograph). Now I can't wait to see them in LA next month.
Dale - dhhernandez@yahoo.com
Setlist:
Rise
In The Clouds
Lil' Devil
Peace Dog
Take The Power
Rain
Edie (Ciao Baby)
The Witch
Breathe
The Saint
Fire Woman
Sweet Soul Sister
Wild Flower
She Sells Sanctuary
Encore:
War
Nirvana
Love Removal Machine