I only remember Ben Christo bringing a bass guitar on stage for a song or two at Lokerse Feesten 2010, which I really enjoyed.
Playing guitar and bass myself, I often enjoy playing some songs along to the records, and it just seems to me that the bass is such a huge part of the sound, that it deserves a live bass player. If I didn't know the Sisters, but just heard some of the popular and bass heavy songs and was asked "Could this band work without a bass player?", I'd say no.
Of course, they do have bass on the iMac/Dr Avalanche running the Logic sequencer thingy, but last gig (AB last May in Brussels) I really tried to find the bass in the sound, but it seems to be really "minimal". I suspect this is to avoid looking like they're playing to a huge backing track. It would be weird to hear a bass player in the mix like it does on the records, but not seeing one.
However, I really think the music deserves a live bass player. I'm not saying they should change their sound "to sound like they used to, also get some top hats and black hair dye"
, they can do whatever they like. The more modernized version is fine, they have the money for Marshall stacks and proper equipment (BC's glam/heavy metal background might have to do a thing or two with the sound as well I guess), they don't have to call around to borrow a "guitar with a whammy thing" anymore. I enjoy the shows. But it seems to me that a live bass player that is a bit louder in the mix would really give them a lot more punch.I wonder what the reasoning for not having a bass player is. Surely there are some bass players in England who aren't either a Sisters stalker or a show-off-can't-stick-to-the-same-riff-for-10-seconds-guy.
Now for the Doktor. The actual drum sounds are good, snare might be on the sharp side, but nothing to complain. The iMac version is just so much easier to work with than any Boss TR808 or any Dos sequencing I suppose.
But sometimes, they add various synth sounds, which are too loud in the mix and really annoy me and sound way too plastic. (From the AB show, around the two minute mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfOFa2Or6wU) Type O Negative used to have their synth way too loud in the mix as well.
Do the various synth effects annoy anyone else or is it just me? And I really try not to complain too much, I genuinely enjoy the shows
. No need to get into the vocals. This has been discussed enough, everywhere, all the time. I like the backing vocals, Eldritch can make it work, done.
really knowingly give up so much of the sound for some money? I'd like to believe it was more part of his vision for a new sound at the time, or something like that. I blame my young age for my disbelief that 
