The Cult
Glasgow Carling Academy, 26th September 2006
It's over twenty years since the native American wannabe Ian Astbury first shook his mane of ironed straight black hair and howled into the mic, or guitarist Billy Duffy struck his first iconic rock pose, legs straddled wide, arms flailing the strings, and, after a series of break ups and breakdowns, that legendary goth rock band the Cult are back once more.
By the time they finally take to the stage, we've been waiting in the sticky, sweaty bingo hall that is the Glasgow Carling Academy for over two hours. So much for racing over here in time for the support – there isn't any. But when the band burst onto the stage, in a blaze of swirling guitars and pounding bass, and rip into 'Li'l Devil', things begin to look up. True, Astbury, sporting a purple hoodie and curly mop of hobbit hair, now looks like a chav Jim Morrison (it appears his stint as the Lizard King's replacement in the reformed Doors has really taken its toll) and can't really sing all that well any more, but the grizzled, bleach blonde rock warhorse that is Duffy more than makes up for it, with his bluff, Brummie banter and truly awesome, spine-tingling guitar playing – what an underrated axe god this man is. (Although has anyone ever seen Billy Duffy and Sean Bean in the same room together? I thought not…)
Over the next hour and a half, the band produce a perfect package of greatest hits, from 'Spiritwalker' and 'Revolution' through to 'Sweet Soul Sister' and 'Wild Hearted Son', with a few unexpected googlies thrown in to keep the audience on our toes, Duffy deciding on the spur of the moment to change the setlist and lob in 'Nirvana', as we seem like 'an old school crowd'.
In fact, to be honest, we seem like a pretty rubbish crowd. The Academy is packed to the rafters, but nobody seems to be moving much and the reception for everything bar the greatest hits (a somewhat strangled acoustic version of 'Edie (Ciao Baby)' and a storming rendition of 'Rain', for example) is fairly underwhelming, which is a shame, as the band are really giving it their all. 'Are you allowed to stand up in the balcony in Scotland?' Duffy hollers ironically. I guess that's what you get when you leave a Glasgow crowd hanging around, as Axl Rose will tell you.
'This is an all time classic rock song' Duffy yells as he launches into the unmistakeable, soaring opening bars of the glorious 'She Sells Sanctuary'. Yes, it is, and the Cult are an all time classic rock band. And although they may not sound as hot as they did in days of yore, and the reaction from this weary audience of ageing goths, balding rockers and overdressed babyglams was decidedly lukewarm, I'd say that seeing the Cult is probably one of those things you really should do before you die, like snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef, trekking to Macchu Picchu and almost touching Mike Monroe. Just a shame I didn't see them fifteen years ago…
