The Cult is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time, in my opinion.
Born in 1984 out of the ashes of the UK post-punk scene, they are one of the few bands that successfully reinvent themselves while staying consistent to their roots. It’s a tough thing to do in this current sea of irrelevant music that is watered down and reliant upon a viral, social-media flash-in-the-pan for defining success. But The Cult have continued to record and tour while keeping their devoted fan base energized with a steady stream of new music and stellar live performances.
When I heard that Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy were making a stop in San Francisco on the way to Coachella, I marked my calendar and cleared my schedule. I have seen the band over a dozen times, and they never get old. This time, though, was something really special, as the band would debut their Coachella set, which they are calling A New Wilderness. In addition to a few select US dates, they will perform in the desert for the first time at Coachella on April 11 and April 18.
A New Wilderness reflects the recent NASA study, concluding that modern civilization as we know it will change drastically in the next few decades, due to the strain on the Earth’s resources and economic stratification of the rich and poor.
“We are looking forward to our first Coachella experience and the magic of playing the desert,” said Ian Astbury as he and company took the stage at the Regency Ballroom last week.
They followed with a no-frills set that opened up with the classics “Rain” straight into “Spiritwalker.” The rest of the set was a perfect mix of iconic songs such as “Fire Woman” and “She Sells Sanctuary,” with deeper cuts such as “Sun King” and “American Horse” from the masterpiece Sonic Temple.
The band is currently working on its follow-up to 2012’s Choice of Weapon.
The Cult A New Wilderness
April 11 – Indio, CA Coachella
April 18 – Indio, CA Coachella
April 19 – Las Vegas, NV The Joint
April 25 – Biloxi, MS Hard Rock Live
April 26 – Jacksonville, FL Rockville Festival
August 17 – Kettering, UK Alt-Fest
Check out more photos in beautiful black and white in the gallery.
