WILL THE CULT STEAL SXSW ZEAL?

The biggest news in South by Southwestdom this week is over a band that's not playing the festival. Eighties goth-metal faves the Cult, about to release a new album and relaunch their career (seems to be a trend at this year's conference), are performing at Stubb's March 18, the last night of SXSW. Tickets go on sale Saturday.

The show has nothing to do with the conference, except the timing. Unlike past events that have been accused of leeching off of SXSW - such as Lou Reed's 1996 Austin Music Hall show and a private Guided by Voices gig last year - this one seems to be OK with conference organizers. "Of course, I'd like it if they were going to play the conference," says creative director Brent Grulke, "(but the) show doesn't sound like it has anything to do with the fact that SXSW is happening."

Stubb's co-owner Charles Attal says the concert is a makeup date from this summer, when the Cult had to cancel. However, he admits the band's first reason for coming to town is to play a private party for Revolver magazine at a warehouse near Castle Hill Restaurant on March 17. Revolver also brought in GBV last year (looks like another trend). These are allegedly the only U.S. gigs the band is playing before summer. Two other SXSW acts are playing shows soon after the festival ends: The Supersuckers are at Antone's on March 19, and Stephen Malkmus hits the Mercury on March 22.

SXSW, REVOLVER DISPUTE GETS HOTTER

A dispute between the South by Southwest Music Conference and Revolver music magazine over a private concert reached the boiling point Friday, raising questions about how much control the conference should have over events not affiliated with, but timed to, the annual mid-March Austin festival.

Revolver's private concert with 1980s rock band the Cult, scheduled for March 17 in a downtown warehouse, caught the ire of conference staffers, who say it detracts from SXSW.

On Thursday, the festival's managing director, Roland Swenson, sent a letter to the magazine's editors that states SXSW is cancelling a contract to distribute the magazine to registrants, and will deny return of the badges that Revolver bought for staff members - thus denying the magazine access to the conference.

The conference, scheduled for March 14-18, is a major event for bands, record companies and music publications. SXSW organizers maintain tight control over the events and have fought what they regard as "pirate" showcases, such as the Revolver party.

"Our desire is to give every one of our registrants, as well as music fans from the general public, an opportunity to see and hear all the acts who perform at SXSW," Swenson wrote in the letter, describing Revolver's party as an "elite" event.

Revolver editor Brad Tolinski said the show will go on.

"Is there a law against having a private party?" Tolinski asked. "I'm not sure they can do this, and really wonder why they want to do it. They're going to get a lot of bad press out of this."

Swenson said festival brochures and contracts clearly state the conference staff has the right to cancel contracts and withdraw badge privileges.

Swenson said, "We never thought we could stop them from having their party, but we can stop them from marketing themselves as part of the conference."

The Cult is playing a public performance at Stubb's on the last night of the conference, but not as part of SXSW.

SXSW, SHUTS OUT REVOLVER

South by Southwest's battle with Revolver magazine over a private party with non-SXSW act the Cult rippled through the conference's contingent of journalists. In a letter Friday, managing director Roland Swenson said the private gig (to be held in a downtown warehouse March 17) would shut out too many registrants, so SXSW decided to shut out Revolver by canceling its staff's badges.

The five critics contacted by XL (including two who write for Revolver but aren't on staff) agree that SXSW's move is a disservice to the bands coming specifically to get press. Revolver contributor Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune says of SXSW, "Why are they running scared from an event that most people aren't going to get into anyway? It sounds like an ego thing." Another prominent writer says the conference was right to quash those "disgustingly elitist" parties like Revolver's, but added, "Both sides are kinda pathetic. I mean, really, all this upsetment over the Cult?"

Hey just wanted you to know that was a kick ass show, Im still trying to settle down from that. Lets get write to it, The Cult stated out with head In The Clouds. Played three new ones that were kick ass, they were War, The Saint, and I forgot the other one, They played Wild Flower, Electric Ocean, Sweet Soul Sister, Fire Woman, She Sells Sanctuary, and ended the oncore with Rain. They only played for an hour. They also said they are planning to embark on a large world tour.So keep an eye out. Some lucky fan and I mean lucky fan. got Ian's tamburine that he was using for the set. Right when they played the last song Rain, Ian threw the tamburine in mid air towards the audiance and some lucky person caught it Dam, and it wasn't me, Any how, I will let you know what happens tonight at the concert at Stubb's, I still hear there is few tickets left for that show. There was alot of people for that party, so That will mean there will be twice as many for poeple who boght a ticket because it was packed pretty good tonight. Any way I will let you know what happens.

I wasn't at the show, but I read this review in the paper and thought I'd share it with y'all. It starts off talking about the Black Crowes show the night before (part of SXSW), then goes into the Cult Review:

The following night Stubb's followed up the Black Crowes with equally revered aging stars debuting new materials, the Cult, and a bit of a controversy. The early evening set was the entertainment for Revolver magazine's annual festival party, but was unsanctioned by the SXSW. (It's still unclear why the Black Crowes can be part of a "new" music festival, but the Cult can't. Both had their glory years more than a decade ago.) Festival organizers reportedly stripped Revolver staff of its SXSW laminates for stealing a little of its thunder. Laminates and wristbands were useless at the mostly invitation-only event, but hundreds of SXSW attendants lined up down Red River sidewalks in downtown Austin. Apparently there were hopes that a threat of rain would scare some partygoers away. It didn't happen. Perhaps it was the idea that singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy were getting the Cult back together after nearly a decade and performing new songs that brought the masses. Maybe it was the presence of drummer Matt Sorum, sparking a rumor that Guns N' Roses was going to make an appearance. That didn't happen, either. What did happen was an hour's worth of razor-rock nostalgia by an English group that had the misfortune of having its heyday when the term "alternative rock" was in vogue. It marginalized its original draw to a niche market of edgy teens when metalheads would have found the group's seek-and-destroy anthems equally attractive. "Alternative rock?" screamed Astbury, between songs. "That was a farce for 10 years, wasn't it?" With smeared red war paint on his eyelids and candied gloss on his lips, Astbury was still the semi-androgynous pretty tough of the past. Underneath a parka with a fur-lined hood, protection from an unexpected March cold front, his jet-black hair was in the neat and slick Wall Street cool favored by more and more veteran rockers (a la Metallica and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden). Duffy and Astbury have made no secret of their personal differences, which led to the band's original breakup, but the two are twin turbines when it comes to merging guitars with vocals. Fire Woman blew through the amp with the subtlety of a sawed-off shotgun, strings and vocals tangling for a stressful harmonic whine. She Sells Sanctuary was originally marketed as an alternative Goth song, but with radio pretense stripped away, it has more in common with the L.A. hair metal scene. The Cult had all the components flying: fists, hair and guitar frets. New songs were more dramatically delivered by Astbury, but not altogether different from the band's best charges. Now that the Cult is stumping to be known as nothing but a pure rock band, it should make its upcoming public reception very interesting. The Saint found Sorum's bass kicks and Duffy's electric noodling jockeying for air below Astbury's oratory. The biggest departure was The War, which forced melody to the rear, making way for a deep, lax bass groan that will be perfect for some rapper to sample in the near future. Like a fire dance, Astbury and the Cult closed the show screaming past hit Here Comes the Rain and couldn't have timed it more perfectly. As the last notes were banged out, a light drizzle dotted the Stubb's hillside. It sent the packed mini-amphitheater crowd racing for indoor SXSW venues, where the real unknowns were playing.

As fate would have it we scored vip passes to the Revolver party on Sat. w/ The Cult, Supersuckers, and The Toadies. The crowd was large, but filled with a mix of SXSW industry boys (with more than a few "rock stars" both local and worldwide) and true fans who found a way into the show. There were high and lows (mostly highs) throughout a pretty short set which included lots of new songs and most of the post Dreamtime classics. All the songs had a definite "Electric" sound to them, as a fan of the old stuff I really got into the new songs. The Cult was definitely testing the waters with their new music and I think their on the right track. Ian was getting annoyed at the crowd at times for their lack of participation, but he found ways to get us motivated.

It was cold and rainy all day (unusual for Austin in March) which wasn't helping the crowd get into the show. All in all it was a great night though; Ian's voice is as powerful as it ever was and the band seems ready to make a comeback here in the states. We were too partied out to catch the Sunday show which ended up selling out. A buddy of mine who manages a local eatery went and ended up hanging out with the band and cooking them "mudbugs" (crayfish) at his restaurant. I haven't talked in depth with him about the Sunday show, but I will soon-- I'm sure the crowd was way more into it, the weather was better and it was all fans who paid $27.50 to see the band. I hope their up in BC soon------

peace,

THE CULT PROVE A SHINING ROCK GEM IN THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST SUN

In a weekend of music where about 900 bands take over 50 nightclubs, it’s hard to stand out. But legendary rock kingpins The Cult had no problem doing just that. Though their Saturday Night gig wasn’t officially part of the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference, as the LA Times reported, the definitive moment of the entire event came during The Cult’s set.

The scene, a fervent fan throwing up the ‘Rock on’ hand sign, and singer Ian Astbury returning the horns, declaring ‘It’s ok no one is watching. You are free to rock again.’ And rock they did. The ‘Hollywood Reporter’ found the Cult’s set to be ‘certainly one of the most talked about shows of the conference’ going on to gush that The Cult ‘came on like a metal hurricane with slabs of riff and big beats that proved rock and roll can still be dance music.’ The St. Patrick’s Day evening event at Stubbs saw the reunited rockers ‘back in full arena-style rock glory.’

The explosive evening’s set list included old favorites like Lil' Devil and Sweet Soul Sister, - and also saw stellar new tracks like The Saint. Those not in attendance missed out, but you’ll be able to get a fix. The Cult’s new album will be in stores this June, with a tour to follow.

The Cult Brings The Rock At SXSW Gig

The Cult declared that rock is back during its high-profile comeback gig in Austin, Texas over the weekend. "It's OK...nobody's watching, nobody cares," Cult frontman Ian Astbury told the invite-only, industry-heavy crowd at the outdoor venue Stubb's on Saturday (March 17) as he held up the two-fingered hand signal often associated with heavy metal. "You are free to rock again."

The gesture, offered midway through the group's hourlong set, set a tone for a show that showcased Cult hits like She Sells Sanctuary, Love Removal Machine, and Wild Flower alongside a trio of like-minded new songs, Saint, War, and Breathe.

The show, coinciding with (but not officially sanctioned by) the South By Southwest Music Conference, once again brought together the group's creative core, frontman Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy. The pair has often brought a creative tug-of-war to the group, and according to Astbury some things never change. The day after the Saturday gig, Astbury told LAUNCH, "I mean, last night they were all out at titty bars and I was at Mogwai. That pretty much puts us in a nutshell, you know what I mean?" Mogwai is an experimental-minded indie band from Glasgow, Scotland.

The 2001 version of the Cult also features former Guns N' Roses drummer Matt Sorum and former Porno For Pyros bassist Martyn LeNoble. Auxiliary rhythm guitarist Mike Dimkich also performed with the group in Austin.

The Cult is now back in Los Angeles mixing its yet-to-be-titled Atlantic Records debut album with famed producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue), who has also produced several of the Cult's past albums. The effort will be the first to feature new material by the band since its 1994 self-titled effort. It arrives on June 5.

According to a label spokesperson, the Cult will likely kick off an American tour to coincide with the album's June release.

In The Clouds
Lil' Devil
The Saint
Sweet Soul Sister
The Witch
War
Fire Woman
Breathe
Wild Flower
She Sells Sanctuary
Rain
Love Removal Machine