Stage Buzz: The Sisters of Mercy, Love and Rockets, The Cure, Martin Barre

Brassneck | June 6, 2023

Hailing from Leeds, The Sisters of Mercy helped spawn the goth rock movement of the 1980s, even if they shun the “goth” label. Frontman Andrew Eldritch remains an icon with his brooding attitude, menacing stance, and unmistakable melodic baritone vocals. Though they haven’t released a new album since 1990’s Vision Thing, the band continues to be discovered by young generations with an affinity for the dark side. This legendary band will perform at The Salt Shed with A Primitive Evolution this Tuesday, June 6^th at 8 PM. Get tickets here.

A seminal band of the post-punk movement, Love and Rockets rose from the ashes of another iconic band, Bauhaus. After Bauhaus ended in 1983, guitarist Daniel Ash forged ahead with a new band Love and Rockets, who went on to release seven albums throughout their career, including 1987’s landmark Earth, Sun, Moon. Though they haven’t released new music in 25 years, their influence can still be heard today. You can catch Love and Rockets with Vinsantos at Riviera Theatre on Tuesday, June 6 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available here.

Forget the Eras tour. Forget Beyonce’s Renaissance. The Cure is this summer’s hottest ticket. Seriously. Despite the lack of new music since 2008’s 4:13 Dream, despite Robert Smith’s frequent promises of a new album that still hasn’t seen the light of day, Cure fans remain loyal. With their eclectic catalog that spans the darkest corners of post-punk to unexpected infectious pop, The Cure remains a huge influence on new bands and continues to reach a new generation of fans. The band is set to return to Chicago for the first time in seven years for a sold-out show at United Center this Saturday, June 10, at 7:30 PM.

Mention Jethro Tull and vocalist Ian Anderson comes to mind. But founding guitarist Martin Barre should also rise to the top of the VIP list. Martin will be bringing A Brief History of Tull to the Des Plaines Theatre this Friday, June 9. Joining him on stage will be the acclaimed Dan Crisp on vocal, with Alan Thomson on bass and Darby Todd on percussion and drums.