Heartland

The Sisters as a concept, for me, will always be AE,Hussey & Adams, cowboy hats and industrial amounts of weapons-grade amphetamine.

Still, this tour was an absolute blast, made so by AE's obvious enjoyment of the proceedings - he was less precious about the material this time round. 2003 was a bit po-faced. I'm sure Ben & Chris are lovely blokes, but they're very average guitar players - which was a disappointment. It takes more skill than you might imagine to play rhythm guitar against a drum machine.

But I am optimistic for the future, but as an audience don't we all look middle-aged.

I'll be brief - 3/5/06 - A Day from Heaven

James Blast wrote:I'll be brief - 3/5/06 - A Day from Heaven

Says it all for me

James Blast wrote:I'll be brief - 3/5/06 - A Day from Heaven

Agreed, but that's got jack all to do with the tour. I'm glad they're still touring, and I'd like them to continue, but they HAVE to sort things out with the presentation. Is Von's voice likely to get any better? Will they be able to turn everything up to a level that allows it to work? I hope so, dearly.

But yeah, dunno about the tour as a whole, but for providing the occasion for one mad night in Leeds, nice one boys.

I agree the presentation needs sorting out - I would like to (hear &) see a bass player in the line up. Lucretia sounds ridiculous without.

The gig did create a nice central focal point for the night and listening to the weed of the gig it sounds excellent (apart from the bits where a bass player is obviously missing ).

What was the question sorry

how low can you go?

James Blast wrote:how low can you go?

I only went to the Norwich gig but I bloody loved it, it was my first Sisters gig and I'd definitely go to another!!

10/10

Overall I'd say this line up of the band is the strongest I've seen since 1992. The Pearson/Sheenan era was stonking, but Robo/Christo is Utterly Bastard Groovy.

markreed wrote:Overall I'd say this line up of the band is the strongest I've seen since 1992. The Pearson/Sheenan era was stonking, but Robo/Christo is Utterly Bastard Groovy.

Yep, Ben is the new Andreas, Chris is just a new species altogether

I'm just glad they left Europe! Come to the Americas more often, damn it!

I'd give the tour 10/10 just for the scale it was on. I NEVER would have imagined they'd do something that big. I think I'd fall over and die from exhaustion if I ever attempted traveling that much...

Though I've got to say I didn't really see anyone other than Ben and Chris acting "happy", and the "audience interaction" at the two shows I attended was more like audience members harassing other audience members...haha. That was probably the only downside.


I think it's true that they lost a lot of old fans on this tour, but I'm not really sure what that means. I think the tour generated interest enough to rouse only certain fans; it seems most of the people who knew about the tour were the older/hardcore fans. There's also a lot of younger and less-hardcore fans, from experience, who put "Sisters of Mercy" on their list of favorite artists for lots of superficial (or actual) reasons, but don't follow them enough to know how strange their touring schedule is. Maybe if there would have been promotion they would have shown up, and maybe they could have contributed to a better atmosphere/better show? Not that it really matters anymore!

Leeds only. F*ckin' brilliant.

I do also fear for the future though after this. Its gotta be commercial output (or at least a quite apparent move forward) or bust I think.

I saw 9 shows and really enjoyed them all (for a variety of different reasons) except London, not only for the bad sound but a couple of the guys who I went with weren't allowed in (too drunk, maybe they should have had the absinthe after the gig!).

Ben and Chris work well together, they've definitely breathed life into the group. Would love to go to the shows in June but for a couple of reasons: I need a new job and i'm about to move house.

Still a great time was had by me, the bruises have now gone thankfully!

Matt..

8 gigs, barcelona, milan, london to nottingham and barcelona on 13th may

the best one was barcelona 2 (free gig) with no hesitation.
no very happy about london gigs.

then all of them was very good as well

All 10 gigs I saw, including the Astoria, were better than 26/10/1984. No doubt the Heartland effect and lower expectations played their part, but mainly it was due to them feeling like an energised band as opposed to one that was falling apart. They'll do for me.

Drenchrom wrote:Would love to go to the shows in June but

Lightweight!

czuczu wrote:

Drenchrom wrote:Would love to go to the shows in June but

Lightweight!

Inna masochist styleeeeee, even after my previous post, I'm investigating Buda'

Dear God, what's wrong with us

RobF wrote:

czuczu wrote:

Drenchrom wrote:Would love to go to the shows in June but

Lightweight!

Inna masochist styleeeeee, even after my previous post, I'm investigating Buda'

Dear God, what's wrong with us

Nothing a few drinks and some fancy lights won't fix..

I have seen 6 concerts this tour
paris : 8/10 (I'll expected too much for the first date in my country)
bruxelles : 7/10
koln : 8/10 (+1 for the kolsch bier at 1 euro)
esch sur alzette : 9/10 (andrew during top nite out !)
amsterdam : 8/10
bruxelles : 10/10 (the perfect gig)

best moment : when I recognize 'burn' in bruxelles.

worst moment : when i've paid 2*35 euros for each concert.

bobby wrote: worst moment : when i've paid 2*35 euros for each concert.

Ticket prices have gone through the roof indeed.
But it's not specific to the Girls.

Norman Hunter wrote:
Best moment? Ania

what have I done again?

slicepack wrote:I'm sure Ben & Chris are lovely blokes, but they're very average guitar players - which was a disappointment.

I wouldn't agree with you... I think both of them are excellent guitarists and they are so much better than for example Mr Starling. The boys rock and the sound is fresher and heavier.

For me the tour is not finished yet, coz I'm off to Poland and Bratislava for my final 2 gigs. Highlights?
1. Leeds - meeting my HL friends, visiting the famous Garage, and generally having lots of fun which ended in spontanious decision about going to Manchester (thanks to Originalgoth)
2. Cologne - one of the best birthdays ever!
3. Berlin - my favourite gig so far!
4. Florence - a party day before the gig,proper cappuccino and pizza, but the gig itself was awful

Bring on June!!!

Delilah wrote:what have I done again?

Ah... just being you

Have just been listening to the excellent quality recording
from Brussels night 2.

Drums/bass sound fine to me, Andrews vocal is way up high
but still recognisable, reverb etc. but Ben's guitar
contribution sounds somewhere between ponderous and mediocre
on Suzanne to down right god awful during Neverland.

On reflection, I really think that is where the sound of
this tour is let down.

If you don't feel the same way, have a listen to Mike V's
guitar playing during Suzanne from 1998. In fact, have
a listen to any boots from 1997-2003 and tell me they dont
sound nicer.

The new part Ben plays for the chorus is a massive kick up the arse for Suzanne (she needed it!). Wish they'd chunk up the verse a little bit too. I wasn't so convinced about Dominion & Corrosion (ignoring his Norwich confusion..) but think he brought something new to everything else.
More importantly, he plays everything slightly different every night - a good thing!