The Saturday and Sunday shows at the Wiltern were FUCKING AWESOME, the second topping the first without a DOUBT. The Wiltern has recently been renovated and updated, and the atmosphere before the show added to the excitement which billowed into the bands' performances. The opening group, OURS, really got the audience warmed-up -- no small feat for a band opening for the legendary CULT. Once they'd finished their set, the stage was cleared and (very minimally) set for the CULT while we danced and drank and celebrated a great night to the sounds of AC/DC (Sat night) and Led Zeppelin (Sun night). I looked around and saw quite a diversity in the audience, from punks to purists, dead to lively. Children were present at ALL shows (man it would be great to have a Dad who takes his 7-year-old kid to a fuckin' CULT concert!), as were older people, men and women; racial and ethnic diversity was found wall-to-wall. I point out the diversity for the simple reason that as we waited in building anticipation for the band, there was a very warm, brotherly energy present in the house, which made it very easy to be open with everyone -- this energy was present at ALL of the shows, and I can only attribute it to "birds of a feather."
The band began with Rain (one of my personal favorites), and continued through the spectrum of the band's incredible history. Song after song, the entire audience sang along, pumped their fists, jumped and danced. Between each song, Ian kept giving us more, whether it was paying homage to Billy Idol (as I remember him saying, "actually Billy Idol is fucking awesome"), giving a few words regarding the upcoming song (introducing White from "the Ceremony album -- the album with the *very* expensive sleeve"), or encouraging us to let loose and make as much noise as a human body is capable of doing.
Ian is an incredible performer, and is absolutely right to request as much energy from his audience -- after all a live experience such as a show by THE CULT isn't simply about sitting back and watching the performance: it's as much being a part of the experience as well, and if you're not, what the fuck are you doing there anyway, y'know? I spent three nights trying to shout accolades and praise above the stacks -- an impossible task, and I've lost my voice and I fuckin' love it. I walked away from each show COVERED in sweat, with a smile plastered on my face and my ears RINGING. "Naturally high," from the greatest drug ever invented: ROCK AND ROLL. Billy Duffy and the rest of the band were solid, man, SOLID and TIGHT and sounded great (the acoustic version of Edie (Ciao Baby) was fantastic).
These men bring a very fine definition to rock and roll, on and offstage. I have seen many shows by many artists, as both audience and crew member for local halls, and these guys are NOT to be missed. See them. Do what it takes -- fly to California or Las Vegas for a vacation, and SEE THE CULT. There isn't as much emphasis on live rock performances as years past, but you can bet these shows are as much a part of rock history as any Elvis, Doors, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley (etc etc etc) show... if not more. Don't wait for the fucking video -- unplug that fucking thing and LIVE your life!!!