TVD Live Shots: Bauhaus at the O2 Academy Brixton, 8/19

It may be cliched to call them the Godfathers of Goth, but it’s also challenging to explain one band’s impact over such a short time.

Bauhaus are to post-punk and goth what the Sex Pistols were to punk in terms of impact, and The Clash in the melding of musical styles. They defined a genre, crafted two perfect albums that ignited a movement, and set the stage for a number of new artists to carry the torch. Interestingly, one could view Bauhaus as an all-star band, but the process for each member coming into their own is reversed. The sum of the offshoots returns to a place where each band member is known by their reputation, not necessarily their early legacy. I mean, how many bands are there from four decades ago where every fan knows each of their individual names?

I don’t think anyone expected them to return quickly for a London show after a magnum opus Halloween show less than a year ago at Alexandra Palace. Still, it was a welcomed return to the iconic Brixton Academy. There’s a certain mystique around the band and their live performances—and in addition a new song conjured out of lockdown. “Drink The New Wine” marks their first new single since 2008’s Go Away White, and the story of how it was created proves that the band have not lost their edge for experimentation.

Recorded during lockdown with the four members sharing audio files, the band used the Surrealist’s “Exquisite Corpse” device: each artist adds to the piece without hearing what the others have done. Kevin provided a prerecorded beat, and the four musicians each had one minute/eight tracks at their disposal plus a shared sixty seconds/four tracks for a composite at the end. None of them heard what the others had recorded until the tracks were put together. “Drink the New Wine” refers to the very first “Exquisite Corpse” drawing rendered by André Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Jacques Prévert, and Yves Tanguy, which included the sentence “The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine.”

It’s really fucking weird, but it’s also really fucking good. A slow burn that sounds like an entire album of ideas condensed into just over five minutes. No one makes music like this, it has to be reserved for Bauhaus, and it works beautifully.

I’ve always been a fan of Bauhaus and the various offshoots the band produced post-breakup. Daniel Ash is a fucking legend on guitar, and the last Love and Rockets album is an all-time favourite. It’s a shame that he seems bored with the idea of a reunion; I think the band were making their best music around the Sweet F.A. days. Peter Murphy remains consistent and is arguably at the top of his game on stage. I saw him nearly ten years ago when touring with Ours frontman Jimmy Gnecco in San Francisco, and he was brilliant. But this would be my first time seeing Bauhaus proper.

The first three songs pulled straight from the debut record In the Flat Field. It was a bit jarring at first, as the original songs probably intended, however live it was on another level. It felt like I was watching the climax of a Clash gig at their peak while King Crimson rehearsed next door.

As a photographer, I was not only battling the incredibly challenging lighting but was also trying to comprehend how the hell so much sound was coming from the massive stage. After the first three, I went back, grabbed a drink and sat down for an absolute masterclass in all things post-punk. “She’s in Parties” and “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” sounded spectacular, but for me it was all about the encore. “Adrenaline” made the cut alongside several covers including “Telegram Sam” (T. Rex), “Sister Midnight” (Iggy Pop), and “Ziggy Stardust” (David Bowie).

What a time to be alive and be able to see Bauhaus in all their glory. Let’s hope that experimental new song isn’t just a one-off and that we get a new record later this year. Now that would be one hell of a Christmas present.

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