It’s been a decade and a half since Andrew Eldritch and his fellow sisters hit stages across the US, and on a mid-week evening throngs of goth and dark rock fans filled Big Night Live. Flanked by two guitarists and a keyboardist/sampler at the rear, Eldritch was busy pacing throughout, dodging the hot beams of burning light that punched holes through the predominantly black stage setup. It’s a good thing that Eldtrich and company were wearing sunglasses and they must have been made out of the same material used in welding masks, as when those bright lights hit them directly, retinal searing was a real danger.
Had a straw poll be taken, I think it’s fair to say that a large majority of attendees have spent plenty of time at Manray and plenty of dollars shopping at Hubba Hubba, as latex, patent leather, bondage gear and inventive makeup choices (all in black, natch) were legion. People writhed to the big hits of “This Corrosion” and “Lucretia My Reflection” but overall the crowd response was fairly restrained. Overall, I thought that the band sounded fine (Eldritch’s vocals took on a bit of husky growl here and there) so I’d chalk it up to Big Night Live being the worst place in Boston to see a concert, with terrible sightlines and overall design.
Primarily based in Boston, Massachusetts, Tim Bugbee is no stranger to traveling throughout the country or overseas to capture the best live music photos.