What is a Sisters show like?

kevaxe2k2 · 08 Mar 2006, 23:27

Hi, I am a pretty new fan to the band. Saw the vids for "More" and "Dominion" on the alternative on VH1 classic MANY times and saw they were coming to Detroit and my buddy and I figured we would check it out. But I see they are not playing "More" and "Cry Little Sister"--which is a bummer for me (probably not for the longtime fans though?)

Anyway, just wondering what the show is like? My buddy and I know the venue well and like to get in the very front if possible. However, my thing to you is: is there moshing? Dumb question--but I like I said, I am new to the band. If there IS, we may lean towards snatching up a table. Or not...not sure. But I would like to have an idea up front what kind of atmosphere it is.

lazarus corporation · 08 Mar 2006, 23:30

Before people jump down your throat: "Cry Little Sister" isn't a Sisters song. It's nothing to do with them.

A Sisters show: Forget the produced sound of the albums - this is (at their best) a roaring noise emanating from a cloud of pretty coloured smoke.

Ocean Moves · 08 Mar 2006, 23:32

There is "moshing" on occasion, put it's normally
localised to the front, where us real fans live.
People more concerned about their hairspray
fixings don't mosh, and are normally alittle
further away. You won't find yourself caught up
in a mosh you can't get out of, put it that way.
Forget the table mate, get down the front with
the rest of us. You know you want to.

Ocean Moves · 08 Mar 2006, 23:34

lazarus corporation wrote:a roaring noise emanating from a cloud of pretty coloured smoke.

In a nutshell.

Big Si · 08 Mar 2006, 23:35

kevaxe2k2 wrote:Hi, I am a pretty new fan to the band. Saw the vids for "More" and "Dominion" on the alternative on VH1 classic MANY times and saw they were coming to Detroit and my buddy and I figured we would check it out. But I see they are not playing "More" and "Cry Little Sister"--which is a bummer for me (probably not for the longtime fans though?)

Anyway, just wondering what the show is like? My buddy and I know the venue well and like to get in the very front if possible. However, my thing to you is: is there moshing? Dumb question--but I like I said, I am new to the band. If there IS, we may lean towards snatching up a table. Or not...not sure. But I would like to have an idea up front what kind of atmosphere it is.

Like this but without the goatie beard

kevaxe2k2 · 08 Mar 2006, 23:36

Holy Jeebus, Cry Little Sister isn't a Sisters song??? Yeesh. Damn, when i checked out a bunch of their stuff it came up as them and I downloaded it...thanks for telling me. WOW.

Yeah, I don't mind a little bit of moshing. But I am 10 years removed from going into a show/evening with that itention--you know what I mean.

Ok, I am leaning towards getting there ealry and getting up front.

lazarus corporation · 08 Mar 2006, 23:45

kevaxe2k2 wrote:Holy Jeebus, Cry Little Sister isn't a Sisters song??? Yeesh. Damn, when i checked out a bunch of their stuff it came up as them and I downloaded it...thanks for telling me. WOW.

it's frequently (mis-)attributed to them on P2P networks, but it's nothing to do with them.

kevaxe2k2 wrote:Yeah, I don't mind a little bit of moshing. But I am 10 years removed from going into a show/evening with that itention--you know what I mean

we all are.

kevaxe2k2 wrote:Ok, I am leaning towards getting there ealry and getting up front.

we all do.

Badlander · 08 Mar 2006, 23:46

kevaxe2k2 wrote:Holy Jeebus, Cry Little Sister isn't a Sisters song??? Yeesh. Damn, when i checked out a bunch of their stuff it came up as them and I downloaded it...thanks for telling me. WOW.

Spending too much time on Kazaa can be bad for your health.

EvilBastard · 08 Mar 2006, 23:48

What is a Sister's show like? It's a bit of a religious experience (at least for me) - you stand wreathed in smoke, unable to see more than the person in front of you, with lasers and coloured lights confusing the visual cortex, meanwhile from above and below this wall of sound batters at your brain.

says that the band is about "getting into your head by any means necessary" - the live show achieves this. The sound drives a 150-ton nuclear transporter through your eardrums and into your brain, and when it gets there it parties like a mother. Your one focus is this short, skinny, weedy -looking bald bloke 15' away who's old enough to be your dad (in some cases

), who prowls the stage like some caged beast, spitting lyrics at you like machine gun bullets, clinging to the mic and his cigarette like his life depends upon them, and for 90 minutes or so this is your entire universe. Your throat hurts from screaming, your arms ache from waving, your eyes burn from the smoke, the sensory assault confuses your balance, and you leave completely unable to remember anything more than fragments of songs or the merest inkling of a set list.

Now seriously, people - does this sound like fun to you?

Badlander · 08 Mar 2006, 23:57

EvilBastard wrote: Now seriously, people - does this sound like fun to you?

It certainly does but I'm not sure this is my idea of a religious experience. What church did you go to ?

kevaxe2k2 · 08 Mar 2006, 23:59

Ha, awesome! Thanks for the info, everyone. Alright, I am officially psyched for next Monday now!

Badlander · 09 Mar 2006, 00:03

Another convert. You did a nice job, guys.

EvilBastard · 09 Mar 2006, 00:12

Badlander wrote:It certainly does but I'm not sure this is my idea of a religious experience. What church did you go to ?

The Utterly Bastard Groovy Church of England - not much on hymns, but our Sunday School picnics kicked arse!

CommodoreRock · 09 Mar 2006, 00:14

The Lost Boys theme, "Cry Little Sister" is Gerard McMann. I'm not sure why, but that is a common misconception that it was a Sisters song.

Just so you know, Doktor Avalanche is a "drum machine" which is really probably more of a sequencer at this point. It plays the drums, bass and keyboards, although it was not always this way. The Doktor was originally, from what I understand, a 286 computer and only supplied percussion. Bass and keyboards were played by human members through the early 90s. But I was late to get into the sisters. I didn't find out about them until 1993, and at that time, it was said they were no more. I didn't know at the time that since about 1985, as long as there was Andrew Eldritch, there are Sisters. I still think of each era as being distinctly different bands. That said, I've only seen the sisters from their return to the U.S. in 1997 as a three-piece: two guitarists, Eldritch and the Doktor. The shows were always fun, but I've found the sound quality to be dependent on the venue and the skill of those who were working the sound. Electric Factory appears to be a good venue. Roseland in NYC was not. Webster Hall, while many complained, I thought was good. Sound was perhaps a bit low, but from where I was standing, the mix was clear.

And yes, smoke is and has always apparently been a trademark of the live shows. Occasionally you might catch a glimpse of Eldritch's dome and shades through the haze.

Badlander · 09 Mar 2006, 00:20

The wonderful story of the Doktor is told here :
http://www.thesistersofmercy.com/tech/doktors.htm

lazarus corporation · 09 Mar 2006, 00:24

mmmm I'll stick to my original line:

the lazarus corporation, in fine linguistic form, wrote:a roaring noise emanating from a cloud of pretty coloured smoke.

streamline · 09 Mar 2006, 00:48

lazarus corporation wrote:mmmm I'll stick to my original line:

the lazarus corporation, in fine linguistic form, wrote:a roaring noise emanating from a cloud of pretty coloured smoke.

Pretty coloured choking smoke shurely?

lazarus corporation · 09 Mar 2006, 00:49

streamline wrote:
lazarus corporation wrote:mmmm I'll stick to my original line:

the lazarus corporation, in fine linguistic form, wrote:a roaring noise emanating from a cloud of pretty coloured smoke.
Pretty coloured choking smoke shurely?

smoke, in its many forms, has always been my friend

Obviousman · 09 Mar 2006, 13:45

EvilBastard wrote:What is a Sister's show like? It's a bit of a religious experience (at least for me) - you stand wreathed in smoke, unable to see more than the person in front of you, with lasers and coloured lights confusing the visual cortex, meanwhile from above and below this wall of sound batters at your brain. says that the band is about "getting into your head by any means necessary" - the live show achieves this. The sound drives a 150-ton nuclear transporter through your eardrums and into your brain, and when it gets there it parties like a mother. Your one focus is this short, skinny, weedy -looking bald bloke 15' away who's old enough to be your dad (in some cases ), who prowls the stage like some caged beast, spitting lyrics at you like machine gun bullets, clinging to the mic and his cigarette like his life depends upon them, and for 90 minutes or so this is your entire universe. Your throat hurts from screaming, your arms ache from waving, your eyes burn from the smoke, the sensory assault confuses your balance, and you leave completely unable to remember anything more than fragments of songs or the merest inkling of a set list.

Now seriously, people - does this sound like fun to you?

Reading it gets me into gig-trance

davedecay · 09 Mar 2006, 15:50

it's a bit like an 'everything bagel' with cream cheese on top.

Badlander · 09 Mar 2006, 16:48

davedecay wrote:it's a bit like an 'everything bagel' with cream cheese on top.

aims · 09 Mar 2006, 17:57

davedecay wrote:it's a bit like an 'everything bagel' with cream cheese on top.

My friends are under the strange impression that my boyfriend is a bagel. Is this somehow linked to me liking the Sisters?

Gottdammerung · 09 Mar 2006, 18:01

Don't expect to see too much if you're at the back..

davedecay · 09 Mar 2006, 18:31

also like a stream of bat's p*ss...

(it shines out like a shaft of gold, when all around is dark)

EvilBastard · 09 Mar 2006, 19:23

Motz wrote:My friends are under the strange impression that my boyfriend is a bagel. Is this somehow linked to me liking the Sisters?

Not sure if this helps, but seagulls are called seagulls because they fly over the sea. Over they flew over the bay they'd be called bagels...

no, really, that's ok - my coat is right here.