echo and the bunnymen tour review

Live Review: Echo & The Bunnymen at The Tabernacle

If the multiple notices of “sold out” plastered across every poster for Echo & The Bunnymen’s current Songs To Learn & Sing Tour are any good evidence there’s a hungry crowd out there for Echo, especially when they know pretty much what’s going to be played. To be sure, the idea of a “greatest hits” tour in the United States, where the highest charting single the band ever had came after its 1980s heyday and didn’t even feature singer Ian McCulloch, is most accurately described as a “best of” tour. The current lineup of the group features its strongest foundations of guitarist Will Sergeant and charismatic front man McCulloch. As far as the other personnel, I’m pretty sure it was Simon Finley (drums), Mike Smith (keyboards) and Stephan Brannan (bass), but I’m not totally sold on the accuracy of my research and, besides, I don’t know what any of those guys look like.

In any case, while they’ve never been hugely theatrical in their presentation, this tour in particular followed the tight economy of all their tours for the past several years. The lighting was mostly very dim and not very dynamic with few specific exceptions, but the stage smoke was plentiful and constant. The set list, which has been largely identical from night to night on this tour, was like a tightly balled fist waiting to be thrown directly at a crowd waiting to be punched. And it did not disappoint at all. Plumbing the depths of the band’s earliest albums—much like the tour’s namesake 1985 compilation album— they included “Lips Like Sugar,” which was expected, and “Bedbugs And Ballyhoo,” which was a very nice surprise—both from 1987—as well as 1997’s “Nothing Lasts Forever.”

McCulloch’s brooding presence occupied center stage with Sergeant holding down stage right. The show started with a fantastic one-two of “Going Up” and, my personal favorite Bunnymen song, “All That Jazz” before plowing into “Flowers” and “Rescue,” another favorite. They started to play the relatively new song “Brussels Is Haunted,” but abandoned it very quickly. Which was totally fine because right behind it was a killer version of “Villiers Terrace,” into which they threw a slice of “Roadhouse Blues” by the only undeniable influence Echo has ever totally copped to, The Doors. The first set, which lasted maybe 45 minutes, ended with a muted version of “Bring On The Dancing Horses” which should have been a high point but wound up just being a stopping point. 

Now, I have no idea what’s going on with a rock and roll band that needs a 20 minute break after less than an hour, but whatever it is it sent the band back out with a much more muscular presence. After slicing through “Over The Wall” came a gorgeous take on an already nice tune, “Seven Seas,” followed by the whimsical “Nothing Lasts Forever” mixed in with Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side.”

The rest of the show, including two one-song encores, was a really perfect set of Echo tunes that sewed it all up nicely. In order, they were “Heads Will Roll,” “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo,” “The Killing Moon,” “The Cutter,” “Lips Like Sugar” and an absolutely great closer, “Ocean Rain.” And they were all fine with a few (bedbugs, heads and ocean) that were wonderful. The thing about the other two, though, is each has these incredible, soaring, triumphant end melodies that just lift the whole songs into other places. This night The Bunnymen avoided the heavy lifting with these. McCulloch has never been truly the toughest kid on the block, but he still always seemed like the kind of guy who kept a knife in his back pocket, or folded inside his diary, and that’s what he’d pull if backed into a corner. But the only corners this night were self-created and, when encountered, met with a shrug. The whole night seemed to run in smoothly but only really had strength in spurts with the rest merely very well played as opposed to stunning. But, if I’m truly being honest and setting all my personal preferences aside, by any reasonable measure this show was killer exhibition with a very thoughtful setlist and a tight, well-rehearsed band. The weight of my own expectations is, on the other hand, probably unreasonable by most measures. Good show, lads. 

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Echo And The Bunnymen Live Review: McCulloch and Sergeant still produce the magic – and mercurialness – of old

Precarious as ever, echo & the bunnymen pull victory from the jaws of defeat. just.

Echo & The Bunnymen

Roundhouse, London

March 8, 2024

You’d have got long odds on Echo & The Bunnymen remaining an operational unit in 2024. First, there are the ongoing lifestyle challenges singer Ian McCulloch – at the should-know-better age of 64 – continues to set himself. Then there’s the somewhat distant relationship he maintains with the group’s other creative mainspring, lead guitarist Will Sergeant. Finally, here’s a group whose romantic/eccentric refusal to play whatever game was going has often ended in some kind of meltdown – multiple defeats wrenched from the jaws of victory.

Yet here they are, taking the stage in familiar gloom for the sixth show of a ‘Songs To Learn And Sing 2024’ tour that will take them up and down the UK, through continental Europe and the States, returning to these shores in August. It would be a testing itinerary even for a group in the first flush of youth.

Precariousness is baked into the Bunnymen, and few members of this rammed Roundhouse audience will not have experienced pre-gig trepidation to go with their excitement. But even as the first notes of opener Going Up ring out, it’s clear the Bunnymen sound is on point: a ringing, soaring thing, but delicate, like it could crash, or be crushed – free of the bombast that made their mid-’80s rivals bigger and sturdier but less Parnassian. Sergeant and McCulloch’s current bandmates – bassist Stephen Brannan, drummer Simon Finley, rhythm guitarist Peter Riley and keyboard player Mike Smith – have their work cut out filling the shoes of the inimitable Les Pattinson and Pete De Freitas (the Byronic drummer will be 35 years gone this June 18), but it’s been a long time since either have been in harness. That was then, this is now.

McCulloch walks a tightrope as usual. He hits the key notes but there’s enough croakiness in between to have you crossing your fingers for shows to come. Never Stop and Bedbugs And Ballyhoo, with their tongue-twister lyrics, sit at the edge of his current capabilities onstage. Also as usual, the frosted peaks scaled by the songs are offset by his prosaic between-song chunter, now more gravelly and hard to parse (although he seems at one point to aim a pop at poetry,  all  poetry). Perhaps that’s just as well.

Despite his struggles, or maybe because of them, there’s an abundance of magical Mac moments. Rescue, Over The Wall and The Cutter all explode and the years fall away. While the future is here, too, in two songs yet to appear on disc: the wistful Brussels Is Haunted and The Unstoppable Force suggest that long-threatened 14th studio album may not be so far away after all. In an online interview with  the Irish News in 2021  McCulloch remembered Brussels as the first city outside of the UK he’d ever visited. The song itself speaks of “the beauty of melancholy”, a knowing nod to the essential spark that, even tonight, illuminates his band.

The final encore is, perhaps inevitably, Ocean Rain – the title track of the exquisite career-best album they released 40 years ago this May. Sergeant’s guitar filigree is like a Siren’s song. McCulloch, having got this far, is not to fall, though the crowd’s support on the wailing “beneath the waves” refrain is heaven sent. He’s made it to the lifeboat, they’ve pulled him from the surf.

Victory from the jaws of defeat? Let’s say a high-scoring draw.

All That Jazz

Brussels Is Haunted

All My Colours (Zimbo)

Bring On the Dancing Horses

Show of Strength

Over the Wall

Nothing Lasts Forever / Walk on the Wild Side

Unstoppable Force

Bedbugs and Ballyhoo

The Killing Moon

Lips Like Sugar

“An Overall Triumphant Set” – Live Review: Echo and the Bunnymen

Kira O’Boyle

Having grown up listening to Liverpudlian-born band, Echo and the Bunnymen, at the hands of their biggest fan: my mum, it was only sensible to finally check out the band in action on the Nottingham stop of their ‘Songs to Learn and Sing Tour, The Very Best of Echo and The Bunnymen’. Kira O’Boyle reviews.

Starting in 1978, Echo and the Bunnymen have a string of incredible tracks under their belt, and now, on their 14-show run, it was time to see if the band still had it at Nottingham’s very own Rock City. Even though only two members of the original band line-up currently make up their present-day set-up: the lead singer Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant, the band were not shy of providing us with the atmospheric-rock vibe that the band are known for.

Lead singer, Ian McCulloch, is a frontman not for the faint-hearted. I’m often reminded of the story about the singer humorously telling my auntie to f*** off after she shouted a request at him at a Bunnymen gig years ago. Finally, it was my turn to see if the rumours about the frontman were true. A man with a reputation for writing beautifully poetic lyrics within his music, yet notorious for his honest and not-so-poetic revelations on and off stage, means he has often been otherwise known as ‘Mac the Mouth’ in the past.  Entering the stage of a sold-out Rock City, a recognisable 80s hair style, staple sunglasses, and a lot of stage smoke, the 64-year-old singer still naturally demanded attention.

the lesser-known tracks in the band’s discography warming the crowd up for an overall triumphant set

The show was uniquely split into two halves with the lesser-known tracks in the band’s discography warming the crowd up for an overall triumphant set. Starting the set with the tracks Going Up and All That Jazz , from their album Crocodile , followed by Rescue and All My Colours , meant the energy slowly began to build. The uplifting Never Stop and mighty Bring On the Dancing Horses brought the first set to a close.

he instructed, “sing this in your beautiful Nottingham tone” and naturally the crowd followed command

After a quick twenty-minute interval it was time for the better half of the two sets, a back-to-back showcase of the bands more widely known tracks, with Show of strength and Over the Wall kicking things off. And finally, a moment where I could understand what McCulloch was saying, it was time for Seven Seas in which he instructed, “sing this in your beautiful Nottingham tone” and naturally the crowd followed command, forming our very own Echo and The Bunnymen choir. The crowd became more energetic from here, their spirits lifting.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Official Echo And The Bunnymen (@officialbunnymen)

McCulloch was not straying away from having a conversation on stage. His strong Liverpudlian accent and rock n roll mumble meant I couldn’t quite understand his every word, although something bold and comically unapologetic is my best guess. His singing, on the other hand, continued to grow stronger throughout the set. After a near 50-year career, his voice is rough around the edges but still powerful.

the band’s musical spirit soared with The Killing Moon , McCulloch’s vocals standing tall, casting chills across the room

A request shouted from an audience member led to a minor interval of McCulloch ranting about hecklers: “I hate yelpers”. The rumours were true, McCulloch definitely does not like being shouted at on stage. The exuberance of the crowd continued into the emotionally charged track Nothing Lasts Forever, as the band mixed Lou Reed’s Take A Walk on the Wildside into the bridge. Self-branded as ‘the greatest song ever written’, the band’s musical spirit soared with The Killing Moon , McCulloch’s vocals standing tall, casting chills across the room. The iconic tune of psychedelic violin began playing and The Cutter was welcomed with an eruption of cheers and by the end of the encore of Lips Like Sugar , the band had done a successful job of transporting the crowd into their very own world.

It was an overall successful journey through all of the band’s best hits, but the liveliness and energy took a while to translate, the interval in the middle meant that once the crowd were starting to warm up, it was back to square one again. Yet, seeing a band play after such a long career creates its own feelings; you can only respect how triumphantly they continue to provide and share the Echo and The Bunnymen that people know and love, with Ian McCulloch’s famous frontman persona definitely not hiding in the shadows.

Featured image courtesy of Alex Watkin.  Permission to use granted to Impact.  No changes were made to this image.

In-article images courtesy of  @officialbunnymen via  Instagram.com . No changes were made to this image.

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Live Review: Echo and the Bunnymen at The Vic Theatre • Chicago

Echo and the Bunnymen

The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Review and photos by Jeff Elbel

Echo and the Bunnymen returned to the Vic Theatre on Wednesday, bringing a tour dubbed “40 Years of Magical Songs.” The show emphasized the English alternative rockers’ influential first five albums, including 1980 debut  Crocodiles , 1981’s  Heaven Up Here , 1983’s  Porcupine , 1985’s classic  Ocean Rain , and 1987’s self-titled release. The title track from 2001’s  Flowers  album was an added surprise for devoted fans. The elephant in the room was the health of singer Ian McCulloch, which forced last-second postponements just over two weeks ago as the tour kicked off. McCulloch performed seated on a high stool for the main set, with a road case loaded with various drinks and potions at his side. Despite the concerns raised by these sights, the singer was an enviably strong voice. The show opened with a string of early songs, rapidly reeling off “Going Up,” “Show of Strength,” “All That Jazz,” and “Rescue” with confidence and commitment. Guitarist Will Sergeant, sporting a burly beard he didn’t have the last time he graced the stage at the Vic, lashed into his familiar Fender Jazzmaster and created his bristling signature sounds with an array of effects pedals and processors. Sergeant transitioned to a classic psych-pop styled Vox Teardrop 12-string for “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” which lost a measure of its dreamy vibe as the band tore through the song at an uncharacteristically breakneck tempo.

The overall mood was regained during “All My Colours (Zimbo),” performed under deep blue light and blankets of fog. Some corners of the room fell under the harsh light of four aircraft landing-styled lamps, however, meaning certain fans experienced the show as if staring into the sun while others gazed into shadowy darkness. The sparkling “Seven Seas” was a mid-set highlight, with gliding bass and lively background vocals provided by Stephen Brannan. “Nothing Lasts Forever” from 1997’s post-Electrafixion comeback  Evergreen  was expanded into a medley as McCulloch sang Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” and got the crowd to provide the “doo do doo” backing vocals. “Sing along, dance, whatever you wanna do,” said McCulloch by way of invitation in his otherwise impenetrable Liverpudlian accent afterward.

The Doors-like “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo” followed, featuring a glistening piano solo. Sergeant sent clattering guitar figures and blasts of energy into the room, set against the cool rhythm of “Over the Wall.” McCulloch sang the chorus in an ecstatic voice and quoted Del Shannon’s “Runaway” as the Bunnymen improvised and built the energy to a fever pitch. After the thrilling “Never Stop,” and a cover of the Doors’ “People are Strange,” the set concluded with “The Cutter.” McCulloch gave the song’s second chorus entirely to the crowd, who sang with a full-throated roar before the band exploded back into action. McCulloch abandoned his stool when returning with the band for three single-song encores. The Bunnymen led the crowd in a rowdy version of “Lips Like Sugar,” followed by an emotional version of brooding rocker “The Killing Moon” that saw the return of Sergeant’s chiming Teardrop 12-string. The show finished with the soothing “Ocean Rain.” McCulloch’s seated presence notwithstanding, he sang his heart out for Chicago and the band played with conviction. The evening’s only real disappointment was the omission of the new song “Brussels is Haunted,” which has been road-tested at most Bunnymen dates this year. That song would have provided a hint to Chicago-based fans of more good things to come from the Bunnymen.

Tags: "Ian McGuloch" , Echo and the Bunnymen , Echo and the Bunnymen at The Vic Theatre Chicago , Electrafixion , featured , Ian McCulloch , Jeff Elbel , Liverpool , Lou Reed , The Doors , Vox Teardrop , Will Sergeant

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Live Review: Echo & The Bunnymen

Music Editor Hannah Gadd attends Echo & The Bunnymen’s Birmingham show, praising the band’s electric performance

Echo & The Bunnymen are back on the road with their ‘Songs to Learn and Sing’ tour which sees them celebrating some of their biggest hits throughout the years. The tour seems to be a tribute to the band’s legacy, named after their 1985 compilation album which features the band’s singles. I had the pleasure of attending their O2 Academy show which marks the halfway point of this UK tour.

‘Flowers’ followed, a gorgeous bouquet of neon lights, jangly guitars and ominous synths.

The Wonder Stuff’s Erica Nockalls opened the evening; her performance exquisitely showcased her musical capability and strong vocals, successfully introducing the audience to her solo work. After a short while The Bunnymen took to the stage, bathed in dark blue lights and hazy fog as they kicked off their set with the electric track ‘Going Up’. Noticeably thrilling fans, the band transitioned into a second song from their debut album, ‘All That Jazz’. ‘Flowers’ followed, a gorgeous bouquet of neon lights, jangly guitars and ominous synths.

Ian McCulloch’s distinctive voice soars through the set as he stands in the shadows of bright lights, his imposing silhouette still captivating the crowd. The band blast out the iconic melody of ‘Bring on the Dancing Horses’, eliciting a monstrous cheer from the crowd before the full-throttle performance of the track. 

‘Show of Strength’ brought us back into the grungey world of The Bunnymen

McCulloch encourages the audience to head to the bar before the band surprisingly leaves the stage for a brief interval at ten o’clock. Fifteen minutes later they returned and ‘Show of Strength’ brought us back into the grungey world of The Bunnymen. Submerged in a deep blue light, The Bunnymen took us out to sea, with a sprightly performance of ‘Seven Seas’ which proved to be a fan favourite of the night. 

‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ beautifully morphed into a cover of Lou Reed’s track, ‘Walk On the Wild Side’, fans audibly enjoying this mashup. ‘Bedbugs and Ballyhoo’ brought the pace back up, building up to the band’s biggest track, ‘The Killing Moon’.

The Bunnymen took us with them to the song’s lofty heights, hands raised into the air as the tracks’s intoxicating charm filled the venue

As soon as the opening riff of ‘The Killing Moon’ was heard, the energy in the Academy was palpable. The Bunnymen took us with them to the song’s lofty heights, hands raised into the air as the tracks’s intoxicating charm filled the venue. They kicked straight into another big hitter with ‘The Cutter’, the audience being one of frenzied excitement at this point in the night. The band frequently paused to allow fans to sing along loudly and fill the venue with their voices during this theatrical segment of the set.

The band left the stage once again, returning for an immense performance of ‘Lips Like Sugar’. They ended their set with the much mellower track, ‘Ocean Rain’. A noticeably gentler track than the ones prior but still a well-rounded finish to a fantastic show. Echo & The Bunnymen have proved with this tour that they still have it, putting on a stellar performance almost fifty years after the band formed.

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Echo and the Bunnymen live review: a night of greatest hits

O2 Academy Birmingham, February 26 2022

I t is a rare thing for an artist to be able to age like a fine wine in both looks and performing ability. More often than not, both aspects will decline, and it might not always be pretty. For Liverpool post-punks Echo and the Bunnymen, the ability to put on a good show that does justice to their past has doubtless remained through their hooky tracks and equally memorable lip. But that being said, the cracks were beginning to show in their recent riposte to Birmingham as part of their 40th-anniversary tour. 

And as with any anniversary tour, the setlist was one of greatest hits. The band, or those two members who are still around — historically acerbic Ian McCulloch and affable lead-guitarist Will Sergeant — treated their audience to all the tunes that for many a 1980s post-punk or edgelord were the delight of night-time hours. The riff of ‘Rescue’ was as crystal-clear as ever, the heady drumbeat that rings through ‘All My Colours’ was still hypnotic, and even ‘Villiers Terrace’ was not marred by McCullochs diminished vocal range. 

At their age, a ‘greatest hits tour’ need be nothing else but playing the songs fans love

Thanks to an impressive feat of lighting engineering, the silhouette of Echo and the Bunnymen’s lead singer, Ian McCulloch, doesn’t belie his age. That only became apparent when he sang or paused between songs for some often-stilted dialogue with the audience members who, for the most part, are similarly aged and withered. 

Contrasting in a jarring and confusing fashion, the illuminated figure of Will Sergeant to the stage-right of McCulloch highlighted the latter’s near-invisibility for the audience. Maybe it was to keep up pretences of an emo mystique, or perhaps it was because McCulloch’s current image bears little resemblance to the earnest youth who fronted the band so long ago. There was no need for such qualms, though. His voice can still hold up for many of their iconic tracks, and backed up by Sergeant what remains of Echo and the Bunnymen is nothing to hide through stage lighting. 

At their age, a ‘greatest hits tour’ need be nothing else but playing the songs fans love, and with that bar in mind, Echo and the Bunnymen delivered well. On their encore, we were finally treated to the songs everyone had been waiting for all night long. ‘The Cutter’ and, of course, ‘The Killing Moon’ were magic, but what brought a real smile to my face was seeing all the ‘blokes’ around me who weren’t embarrassed to have a little dance or to embrace their friends.

It was the set of a band who, whilst not quite at the end of their careers, are getting very close to it

On another track, ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’, the band transitioned into a cover of Lou Reed’s ‘Walk On The Wild Side’, a nice tribute for one of their core influences and a subtle reminder of just how far away the 1970s actually are. On more electric tracks like ‘Bring On the Dancing Horses’ or ‘Lips Like Sugar’ McCulloch might urge the audience to sing along to the chorus. Whilst this reviewer has never been a fan of such antics, it was clear many others were only happy to oblige McCulloch’s wishes. All around the (nearly sold out) venue the 50 and 60 somethings were dancing without a care for what their backs would feel like come the morning. 

None of this is to say that Echo and the Bunnymen’s sound has aged poorly. With a setlist that quickly toured the audience through the band’s best years between 1980 and 1984 with mercifully brief deviations into their 1987 and 1997 works, their self-titled album and  Evergreen respectively, this gig was the band in nostalgia mode and that was all their audience wanted. It was thanks, then, to its small dosage, sharp timing, and trim vocals that despite McCulloch’s diminished range, it worked. 

The night wasn’t wholly memorable but considering the average age of those in the audience, that’s not a problem. It was the set of a band who, whilst not quite at the end of their careers, are getting very close to it. As McCulloch sings on one of their more prosaic tracks, “nothing ever lasts forever.” 

Comments (6)

Unfortunately I saw midnight oil before Echo and the Bunnymen. The oils are way older, but they was on stage for at least 2hours 20, and was unbelievable live, Chicago they was on for 3 hours! Echo and the bunnymen was good, but not as good as I was expecting, the set list was rather short, and would have been nice to have introduced the band for people who haven’t seen them before. Also being from the UK I couldn’t understand what he was saying either! Pet shop boys and new order next.

I have been to many Bunnymen gigs and i still dont understand what Ian mumbles about.

I just saw Echo last night in NY and it was great! Although Ian has lost a step in his vocal ability, he gave it his all and even stood up for the final third of the set. I was blown away and taken back to the eighties again. I feel like a teenager this morning! Great to have live music and Echo and the Bunnymen back!

Yes, fuck this reviewer. You suck.

Fuck off with your ageism

It’s not entirely wrong, being 56 and heading to see them tonight in Denver. At least we’re all here enjoying it. After covid, just happy to see live bands again .❤️

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LIVE REVIEW: Echo & the Bunnymen, Cayucas in Boston, MA (09.23.22)

• September 24, 2022

At first glance, California-based band Cayucas seemed an unusual choice to open the show. A surfy indie rock band opening up for a dark post-punk band? But why not? As they enveloped the venue with their warm, jangly melodies, many in the audience swayed to the beat.

Named after Cayucos, a coastal California town, Cayucas are an amiable duo who played a mellow, sunny set. Their songs blend California surf vibes with retro elements. If you close your eyes you can imagine lapping waves and salty sea breezes. I envisioned hammocks and fruity, bright-colored cocktails.

When Zach Yudin harmonizes with his twin brother Ben Yudin, it’s reminiscent of the Everly Brothers. On other songs, Zach’s singing reminded me of Chris Isaak. It’s cool that one brother (Ben) is left-handed and the other (Zach) is right-handed. Very yin and yang.

They played their recent singles— the cozy, nostalgic “Sayulita,” and the energetic “Topo Ride the Wave. A definite standout was the laidback, breezy “California Girl,” from their 2020 album Blue Summer . I’d like to see Cayucas in a smaller venue, somewhere that serves chips and guac.

Meanwhile, Echo & the Bunnymen headlined the night, playing to a crowd of mostly older fans mixed in with a few younger ones. A few parents brought their older children. There were Goths in full pale makeup, fishnet hosiery and platform boots among the sporty bros with baseball hats, t-shirts and jeans. To my left, a guy played air guitar, piano and drums throughout the set.

The group formed in Liverpool in 1978. They didn’t come on my teenage radar until their 1985 compilation album Songs to Learn & Sing. They’d released four full-length studio albums prior to that. When they last played Boston five years ago in 2018, Echo and the Bunnymen were at the Orpheum. I went back to look at the review I wrote of that show. They opened with “Going Up” and closed the set with their hit “The Cutter” just like they did on Wednesday. They also played “Ocean Rain” as the last song of the night during the encore.

Dressed in his customary black trench coat and sunglasses, singer Ian McCulloch sat down for most of the night. The 63-year-old has been struggling with illness and back issues throughout this U.S. tour. A fully stocked table on his right held various beverages, a box of Kleenex and a towel. His voice still sounded pretty good and progressively got better and stronger. Minimal lighting kept the band in the shadows most of the night which absolutely fits their sound and mood. With 13 albums to choose music from, Echo & the Bunnymen played a mix of popular and lesser-known songs like “All That Jazz” and “Villers Terrace” from their debut album, Crocodiles.

For Americans, McCullogh’s Scouse accent can be difficult to comprehend. He didn’t talk a lot but one time he mentioned how when he’s on stage he believes he should be talking about his feelings. Another time he had an exchange with a British audience member. When that conversation went on for a bit, he started getting heckled and some people annoyingly shouted out song requests.

The evening started with the mellower songs. McCulloch sang with a varied cadence on songs like “Rescue,” the introspective, yearning “All My Colours,” a slower all-around, sweeping “Seven Seas” and the gorgeous “Nothing Lasts Forever.” Before playing “Flowers,” McCulloch said, “This is for the Queen.” He used echo vocals and encouraged the audience to sing the chorus on “Bring on the Dancing Horses.” Guitarist Will Sergeant has some amazing riffs and was especially impressive with guitar slides on  “The Cutter” and “The Killing Moon.” By the time they got to “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo,” McCulloch’s vocals seemed to have warmed up more and the energy level picked up too. Who knew Echo & the Bunnymen were also a Doors cover band?  They played two Doors covers– “Roadhouse Blues” and “People are Strange,” which they recorded for the Lost Boys soundtrack in 1987. (I’d almost forgotten about that until I went to write this review.)

Featured image by Cara Robbins

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Live Review: Echo & the Bunnymen @ Lincoln Theatre — 9/17/22

Echo & the Bunnymen were inevitable.

By the late ’70s, electronic instruments had become more widely available, fueling a rise of experimentation in UK cities like London, Manchester, and Liverpool. Inspired by the DIY ethos of the Sex Pistols, many bands picked up these instruments and started creating.

But in Liverpool, Ian McCuloch and Will Sergeant were admirers of The Velvet Underground and the Doors, two psychedelic bands fronted by Americans. Once those bands had recorded, Echo & the Bunnymen were going to happen regardless of flashy keyboards or electronic drum machines. Their American musical roots perhaps explain why the duo still today gets the earnest rock star treatment from packed houses and eager audiences.

Ian, Will, and their touring bandmates once again received a recent hero’s welcome in DC in a sold-out performance at the Lincoln Theatre.

Toward the end of the main set at the Lincoln Theatre on Sept. 17, Echo & the Bunnymen covered “People Are Strange” by the Doors, a perennial concert favorite for the band. Ian and company originally recorded the cover for the soundtrack of the 1987 film The Lost Boys, checking a alt-pop rite of passage by placing a memorable tune into a film that retains cultural significance for the audience that still flocks to them.

In his trademark shades, Ian sang the song seated at stage center. His voice was powerful and pure, and he was very upbeat. But he claimed his full power at the very end of the show when next he performed “The Cutter,” kicking away his chair and grabbing his microphone with natural swagger. Even in the dim lights and fog, Ian’s personal magnetism drew the individual members of the audience from their seats as one.

Hailing from 1983’s Porcupine, “The Cutter” stands as one of the most recognizable songs of the ’80s mostly because a) it’s so unlike most other songs dominating the charts at the time and b) it has remarkably imaginative lyrics. I gleefully joined the rest of the house in singing “Say we can, say we will/ Not just another drop in the ocean.” Give me 1,200-1,300 people singing “The Cutter” any day over some manufactured lyric about love.

The song also slapped so well because Will stood to stage right of Ian, churning out that unforgettable melody on his guitar. What a hook!

Watch Echo & the Bunnymen perform “The Cutter” live for SXSW in 2013 on YouTube:

In 1983, “The Cutter” marked a turn for Echo & the Bunnymen. They already eschewed formulaic songwriting, but this single opened the door for a stampede of outstanding tunes to come. Echo & the Bunnymen released their best-known songs — “Never Stop,” “The Killing Moon,” “Seven Seas,” “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” “Lips Like Sugar,” and others — throughout the ’80s.

Echo & The Bunnymen played them all, drawing out the encore of the 17-song set for three returns to the stage. I think Ian and Will must truly enjoy Washington, DC, because they do spoil us with the encores when they are in town. The first encore song was “Lips Like Sugar” from 1985’s self-titled album, which they followed with “The Killing Moon” from 1984’s Ocean Rain. The very last encore song was Ocean Rain’s title track, one that Ian and Will like to savor. Ian sang the song deliberately, proudly, and tenderly. Will reverently bowed to his guitar as his strings sparkled in the darkness.

The Bunnymen were perfectly at home. And it was always meant to be so.

As an aside, Echo & the Bunnymen are slated to appear on a 2023 edition of the Cruel World festival, produced by California’s Goldenvoice, after not making the 2022 show. This means more Echo & the Bunnymen shows for us Americans next year! I for one hope they never stop.

Here are some photos of Echo & the Bunnymen performing at the Lincoln Theatre on Sept. 17, 2022. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Jason Nicholson.

[…] 9/12 Bauhaus, The Anthem (cancelled) 9/14 Modern English, The Birchmere (Review + Photos) 9/17 Echo and The Bunnymen, Lincoln Theatre (Review + Photos) 9/21 New Order and The Pet Shop Boys, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Review + […]

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Echo And The Bunnymen: Albert Hall, Manchester – live review

And now… Breathe out… The atmosphere is joyous. The Bunnymen are out of the burrow in a post pandemic display of brooding yet pop brilliance. The defiant and artful brinkmanship that has created their enigmatic but triumphant trip of sound for decades is a reminder of the innate power of soaring melody and moody melancholy.

Released from pandemic prison, many of the audience are at one of their first gigs for years and its fitting that it’s for the imperious Bunnymen – a classic band who deal in the future and the past.

Pre stage time, the tension builds with the support DJ set from DJ Alan McGee, who builds up the atmosphere with classic Cramps, Mary Chain and fellow sonic adventurers who toyed with rock roll bending it into new shapes back in the post punk wars. It’s that post punk landscape drenched with a then new psychedelia that the Bunnymen pioneered with their own definition of west coast lysergic trips and underground cuts transported from ’60s California to ’80s Merseyside. They created a new landscape and terrain as bold and powerful as Joy Division and somehow survived to tell the tale, which they are telling again tonight as powerfully and hypnotically as ever.

Few of these bands survived and few have grasped the now as much as the Bunnymen who somehow take their old anthems and reframe them for the future. Perhaps this is the power of post punk in the hands of the masters? It was never a nostalgia romp and it feels as urgent in the present as in the past.

The Bunnymen have been in this state of regal majestic pomp for some time – maybe 40 plus years. The finest of the fine wine bands , they always had wise old souls inside their frames.

Perhaps post punk was the first music form that was not so heavily rooted in the fleeting blink of youth – many of its bands and themes were deeper than the teenage rampage of surrounding youth culture. This was a music and mysticism entwined, the deeper darker themes of nature, life, love and death – sense and sensitivity – no wonder this stuff ages so well.

Remarkably so have the band – the young bucks who surround the inner core of Will and Mac have time one their side, but the two key protagonists still look the same and have somehow survived the ravages of time and life. Bearded Will now broaching national treasure status with his brilliant autobiography casually dashes off those exotic quicksilver guitar lines that so define the songs, and Mac looks about ten foot tall in a floor length coat – like a Roman Emperor surveying his lands.

Astonishingly he still somehow has the voice of the gods untarnished and untrashed by years of living in the twinkling bright lights – has that voice ever sounded better, as it bounces around the Hall deftly aided by great mixing from the desk that adds dubs and reverbs to accelerate its magic and mystique. The Frank Sinatra croon is filtered through the Scouse brogue and deals in sensuality and beauty, and says all the things that are unspoken in the day to day banter of Northern life which gives it its mystery and power. Only the late and great Mark Lanegan, who we lost this week, had the same kind of expressive and deeply emotional expressive baritone wrapped inside an enigmatic outer shell. Voices that painted pictures on your wall…We have to treasure these treasures whilst they are still here.

These are songs that are ingrained in psyche, songs that link the west coast trips of the Doors, the east coast claustrophobia of the Velvets, and through Bowie’s ’70s adventures to the aching vistas of post punk to the now – timeless anthems. It’s a set built around songs of terrain and landscape, sonic adventures and flashes of new creativity and also a series classic hit singles from that curious period when the band seemed like pop naturals. At that time Mac was playing the pin up card and they embraced pop like all great underground bands do when they want to switch it on – hell, even their pals The Fall knew and understood the power of pop, and that the interface between the underground and pop is one of culture’s most powerful moments. Tonight’s set is dotted with these classic moments.

The Bunnymen know this and they are a great pop band and the hits tumble out of the echoey room sounding bigger and more fragrant than ever – The Cutter is almost like the greatest terrace anthem – a terrace anthem that is full of the despair and joy and humour and hope that drenches life and is sung back at the band by the swirling throng remarkably tunefully and, amusingly, in a Manc accent. Seven Seas is an evocation of the brine that made Liverpool – the salty tang of nature and is just one of many songs that stitches the power of that nature into the emotional seas of being human. Over The Wall is full of spooked drama and Villiers Terrace is as an urgent and bohemian snapshot anthem as ever – tonight it dares to musically quote The Doors’ swaggering late period anthem Roadhouse Blues and Bowie’s skinny street walking cheetah anthem, Jean Genie, into its elongated middle section, both as a nod to the classics but also placing the band into that hallowed firmament which makes perfect sense.

Lips Like Sugar is entwined with a daring romance, Never Stop is hopeful pop and sounds like a joyful juggernaut. New song, Brussels Is Haunted, slots perfectly and effortlessly into the classic terrain with a huge hook and the attendant drama and mystery of classic Bunnymen as it chugs along its VU groove sliced effortlessly by the Sergeant. Killing Moon is stripped down to its bare bones and, again, is aided by a 1600 strong audience choir that somehow retains the song’s beauty and delicate drama. It was never an idle boast that this is one of the greatest songs ever written – it just is. It’s also a restless anthem which sees that every gig the classic shape shifting into something else.

That’s the trick isn’t it? Post/punk, future/modern, classic/new…never stop, restless, make the familiar sound like the future – only the finest of fine wine bands know this. The rest knock out their hits.

Because they keep moving and finding something in the these songs, emotion in the landscape and nuance in the noise, The Bunnymen feel permanent in our landscape. They are from the past and yet of the now and already moving on shaping their future. Their music somehow makes more sense in 2022 than it did when it emerged.

The Bunnymen are still the future tense.

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13 comments.

I tell anyone who asks that the Bunnymen at Glastonbury in the mud in 1986 is/was/will always be the greatest gig of all time. I was where the band was & they were with me in the squelch with the lasers, the trenchcoat and The End appearing out of nowhere out of Thorn of Crowns. So so pleased to hear they still thrill, thanks aj

Was there too… we went just for the Bunnymen really, pretty much all the other main acts got muddded off etc… they were beyond epic especially for a few seventeen year olds…

I was there, after a disappointing night earlier in the tour gig at the o2 academy at Leeds. There the gig was cut short after 7ish songs due to his bad back. Gutted we went back to our hotel, £80 quid down the drain. Got a refund on the tickets, bought one for Manchester, nearer home. I wasn’t disappointed this time, majestic doesn’t begin to describe the evening. Anyhow bought tickets for the Leeds re arranged show ( didn’t think I could get to the re arranged date origionaly) bit the bullet and got another hotel. The joys of being retired with the freedom that provides, can’t wait.

Beautifully written. Magnificent journalism.

Good journalism does not include using made op words like whilst.

Brixton Academy circa 87/8 for me, can’t remember exactly but we were right at the front and my feet didn’t touch the ground for 45 minutes, what a band, what a venue!

Your love is palpable. I am there with you. Peace and Bunnymen!

Blimey i hope the second Manchester date is as good.

Looks like your photographer had to shoot from the desk. They did the same in Leeds – no photo pit. Wonder what that’s all about? Mac not like his wrinkles showing?

It is *while not whilst. If you’re going to cover Gen X culture, then speak as intellectually as Xers do. Otherwise you come off as a Nimrod. What are you 30? You weren’t around when they were popular. Go back to repotting about 50cent or Mary J Blige.

The Bunnymen Glasto was 1985. Sunday evening, after three days of rain, rain, rain and mud – the traders went overnight from selling flip-flops to black refuse bags to wrap around ankles to combat, ironically, trenches at a peace festival. Mac, Will, Les and Pete came on as the clouds parted and the rain stopped. They nailed ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’ and ‘My Kingdom’ was transcendent. I was pleasantly surprised last night in the wonderful Royal Albert Hall that I did not miss Les and Pete (RIP). To paraphrase Mark E Smith (‘if it’s me and yer granny on bongos it’s The Fall’) if it’s Mac and Will, (the guitar, bass, drums and keys, excellent sound and lights) it’s the Bunnymen. Glacial and ecstatic akin to football singing in a cathedral.. iwent and bought the vinyl ‘Songs to Learn and Sing’ – so apt!

Glasgow Apollo December ‘81. I do believe everybody danced in the audience. Sadly, that was almost a different band back then.

Roger Rabbit why the choice of the word ‘sadly’? Bit lost here. I saw them at that time too. What’s your internet angle here? ‘Sadly’.

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Echo and The Bunnymen live review at The Royal Albert Hall

Echo and The Bunnymen review by Ryan Beardsley

The Royal Albert Hall, now there’s a venue I didn’t see myself being invited to in this lifetime. The hallowed ground is still warm from the Last Night of the Proms earlier this month but tonight it’s a very different type of show, one that I imagine King Charles would not approve of.

Echo and the Bunnymen , Merseyside’s post-punk goth poets have descended on London and they haven’t come alone, the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is in tow for a recital of 1984’s seminal Ocean Rain and the brightest stars of stage and screen are in attendance. Well, I say stars, I saw the bloke who wrote Trainspotting, and Professor Lupin out of Harry Potter was there too so go figure.

The indefatigable Ian McCulloch and fellow founding member and guitarist Will Sergeant are supported by a significant backing band as we get two shows in one, the first half is a collection of fan favourites mostly from 1980’s debut album Crocodiles. There’s also time for 1997’s lost Britpop era comeback track Nothing Lasts Forever, a welcome treat that merges midway into a Lou Reed homage, McCulloch pretty much has the perfect drawl for a Reed cover version.

After a brief interval, the main course of Ocean Rain is served, an album that McCulloch himself still attests to as the greatest record ever – “I go by my original story – greatest album ever made. It’s incredible, beautiful.” I mean I wouldn’t go that far Ian but it’s definitely in my top 50 records, I’m sure he’s delighted with such an accolade.

I didn’t think it was possible but Nocturnal Me sounds even bigger live than on record. A song that has reentered the conscious after featuring in Netflix phenomenon Stranger Things and judging by some of the younger faces in the crowd, the epic ballad was a gateway drug for all things Bunnymen.

The jangly guitar opening heralds The Killing Moon, an obsession for any thirty-something who watched Donnie Darko for the first time as an adolescent. As if it couldn’t get any more epic, the presence of the classical orchestra enhances the chorus to almost biblical proportions.

McCulloch is chatty throughout, regaling the audience with what I can only assume are witty anecdotes but I can barely understand a word the man is saying through his thick scouse accent, and I’m a Northerner so God knows what the locals could make out. I did pick up a reference to Russell Brand where I think a derogatory statement was made, it was met with a combination of boos and cheers so God alone knows, subtitles next time, please.

During a suitably epic finale with the self-titled album closer, McCulloch is able to do it justice despite some clear modern-day limitations to his voice, he belts out the gothic ballad to deliver a real goosebumps moment that has the auditorium holding its breath.

We get an added treat of an extended encore culminating in mainstream breakthrough The Cutter, a 1983 top ten hit that still feels fresh and exciting today, so much so that one over-excited lady who might be old enough to know better, climbs up for a one-woman stage invasion before she is the victim of the politest ‘ejection’ I have ever seen at a gig, I wonder if the Albert Hall security has ever had to do that before…

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Gig Review: Echo & The Bunnymen at Royal Concert Hall

Echo & The Bunnymen performed  Ocean Rain  in full along with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra...

After a week or so of unbearable heat, the weather changed, and so we had Ocean Rain , a prophecy of the past and future. There was also a potential aurora, but the glare of Nottingham and a blanket of drizzle put paid to any celestial display. On the other hand, there was brilliance at The Royal Concert Hall.  

Ocean Rain is one of those iconic albums that America sometimes forgets about, even if it made it onto film soundtracks. It had not been forgotten here, as tonight witnessed. A full house, but as my friends said, “Has anything changed really since it came out and has the world got better or worse?” I think that depends from where you stand.  

The Bunnymen have been pretty much a constant for me since the eighties. Always there. Somewhere, I have a battered copy of the album. Tonight was an opportunity to hear it as I’d never heard it before: full live orchestral backing, and the Liverpool Philharmonic at that. 

The night was split into four parts; support by Erica Nockalls, who I’d last seen in Camden at Indie Daze. The second part was The Bunnymen playing newer stuff, followed by another break, and then a full rendition of Ocean Rain. Finally, they had an encore.    It’s about ten years since I saw Ian McCulloch at Latitude Festival and he looked leaner and healthier tonight, but still displaying his iconic stance at the microphone, almost rigidly hiding behind it, dark glasses and tussled hair. 

A brief tribute, mentioning Bill Drummond, self-recognition that they were celebrating the “best album ever made”, the recording in Paris, and they launched into the album. At the time of the launch, Echo and the Bunnymen rode the crest of a wave along with The Teardrop Explodes and U2. The world was their oyster.  

An iconic album sleeve, it is still haunting to this day. McCulloch gave hints of depression within the songs and in the intermediate breaks, a reflection of the times, all too relevant today. Difficult to hear him at times, this was beautifully reciprocated when an incoherent heckle lead to him saying “I know they say you have to understand your audience, but really?” Not so much lost in translation as dialects.

The album is a beautiful response, sad and measured to the times of the mid-eighties and the band’s passage through those times. It was a pleasure to have the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with them, neither the band nor orchestra outdoing one another, but a perfect complement and a beautiful tribute to fantastic musicians.  

Popular music is often dismissed, but this stands with the classics. I’m not sure if everyone noticed, but the projected back-set of the Liver birds freeing themselves from their plinths as the band played The Cutter was a perfect and fitting finale.

Echo & The Bunnymen performed at the Royal Concert Hall on 12 September 2023.

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Echo & The Bunnymen’s 40th Anniversary Tour Off to a Rough Start Due to Ian McCulloch Illness: Recap

McCulloch was visibly under the weather and left the stage multiple times

Echo and the Bunnymen have embarked on a long-awaited tour in celebration of their 40th anniversary, though things were off to a rocky start at Atlanta’s Tabernacle concert hall on Monday night (August 15th).

Dubbed “Celebrating 40 Years of Magical Songs,” the tour (grab tickets here ) kickoff saw both longtime and Gen Z-aged fans rubbing shoulders with each other like friends, with everyone seeming to be in agreement that the Liverpool act won’t be on the road forever.

Save for a few festival sets, the Atlanta gig marked the band’s first outing since a UK tour in March, and anticipation Stateside has been high. Unfortunately, vocalist Ian McCulloch was under the weather, as the band confirmed on social media after the set. At one point, McCulloch left the stage for about 20 minutes, while some songs were rushed — and the venue was positively sweltering, making it tough for many fans in attendance.

Thanks for a brilliant gig tonight Atlanta ✊🏻 Mac sends his love & thanks for being with him tonight when was sick, he carried on when he should’ve stopped but sang on, he’s feeling a lot better now, onwards. 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/cuYmB8TmNN Related Video — Echo & the Bunnymen (@Bunnymen) August 16, 2022

Sickness aside, McCulloch sounded great when he was on stage. Sporting sunglasses and a black overcoat, his arresting vocals were on display throughout songs like “The Killing Moon,” “Lips Like Sugar” and “Bring On the Dancing Horses,” as well as a new song, “Brussels Is Haunted.” McCulloch contoured his voice expertly when he could, bringing the Bunnymen’s post-punk songs into almost country-sounding territory at times.

But by “Lips Like Sugar,” he shed the coat and was clearly losing steam, and disappeared from the stage twice, then powered through for “The Killing Moon.”

The show had its strong moments. A well-choreographed light show illuminated the venue, transporting fans into an ‘80s fever dream, and Echo and the Bunnymen certainly delivered on all of the hits a fan could ask for. The rest of the band was in fine form, and sounded especially tight on “Rescue” and “Bring On the Dancing Horses.” McCulloch was visibly low-energy, but his bandmates did their best to carry the evening.

Luckily, McCulloch appears to have since recovered, as the band mentioned on Twitter. Though the first night of “Celebrating 40 Years of Magical Songs” was certainly short of what was promised, the group appears to be pressing “onward.”

Echo & The Bunnymen next play the House of Blues in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, August 17th. Tickets for that gig, and for the rest of the tour, are available via Ticketmaster .

You can see footage of McCulloch leaving the stage at the 4:47 mark below.

Setlist: Going Up Show of Strength All That Jazz Flowers Rescue Bring On the Dancing Horses Over the Wall All My Colours (Zimbo) Seven Seas Bedbugs and Ballyhoo Brussels Is Haunted Villiers Terrace / Roadhouse Blues Nothing Lasts Forever / Walk on the Wild Side Never Stop Lips Like Sugar The Killing Moon

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• Echo and the Bunnymen Enchant San Francisco: A Night of Timeless Post-Punk Magic at The Warfield

Echo and the Bunnymen’s performance last night at The Warfield in San Francisco was a mesmerizing journey through the annals of post-punk glory. The band, fronted by the enigmatic Ian McCulloch, delivered a show that was both nostalgic and refreshingly current, captivating a diverse audience that spanned generations.

The night kicked off with “Going Up,” setting a moody, atmospheric tone that lingered throughout the concert. McCulloch’s deep, resonant voice, undiminished by time, echoed through the venue, drawing the crowd into a shared reverie. Will Sergeant’s guitar work was impeccable, his riffs slicing through the ambient fog with a precision that reminded everyone why Echo and the Bunnymen remain a cornerstone of the genre.

Echo and the Bunnymen packed the Warfield tonight in San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/sRtGjE5aY2 — ⚡️⚡️ MUSICinSF ⚡️⚡️ (@sfmusicscene) June 7, 2024

Highlights included haunting renditions of “The Killing Moon” and “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” where the audience’s voices melded with McCulloch’s in a beautiful chorus of nostalgia. The band’s new material also resonated well, seamlessly blending with their classic hits and demonstrating their evolution while staying true to their roots.

The Warfield’s acoustics amplified the band’s layered soundscapes, enhancing the ethereal quality of their music. The light show was a perfect complement, casting long shadows and adding a visual depth that matched the music’s emotional intensity.

After the obligatory first encore of “Lips like Sugar” the second featured “Ocean Rain,” a performance that left the audience in a state of wistful euphoria, a perfect ending to an unforgettable night. Echo and the Bunnymen proved they are not merely a relic of the past but a living, breathing entity that continues to enchant and inspire. This concert was a testament to their enduring legacy and their undying appeal.

Photos by Louis Raphael

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Review: Echo and the Bunnymen at Albert Hall, Manchester

"Whilst greatest hits sets seem ten a penny these days, they are, at the very minimum, a chance to reflect on a career retrospective"

• 09:21, 19 MAR 2024

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‘Songs to learn and sing’. The title of the tour of which had its ninth instalment in Manchester on Monday night, with Echo and the Bunneymen dropping anchor here in the North West for the first time following jaunts across all corners of these craggy isles, and a huge European and US trip to follow.

It’s a quaint refrain which almost trivialises the body of work on offer. From 1980 onwards, the group had twenty Top 20 hits and nine Top 20 albums, all imprinting an indelible mark on British alternative music over the subsequent 40 years.

Decades which have seen many highs and lows. Tragedy, triumph and a constant, at times self inflicted, tightrope in between. Yet throughout, the remaining stalwart duo Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant have carried the torch admirably.

READ MORE: Northern Quarter's Night and Day WILL continue as nightclub after lengthy court battle

It’s a frenetic start, with two tracks lifted from their nascent debut Crocodiles. Going Up is an immediate attention grabber. Sergeant’s scratchy guitar acting as a call and response with McCulloch’s ghostly vocal delivery. The rhythm section like a marching band, accentuating every single beat.

“Thanks for coming everyone,” states McCulloch, before mumbling through to claim ‘This is the best place on earth really”. A bold statement coming from a knowing and reliable Liverpudlian.

All the Jazz follows. It’s energetically strummed, staccato guitars, atypical of the post punk sound of the time. All Gang of Four with McCulloch’s pained vocal echoing around the venue.

Flowers is a change of pace which cleverly shines a light on the band’s development over the intervening years. Over lounge-like bass and drums, McCulloch’s delivery is more of a croon, consciously breaking with emotion at all the right moments.

Then comes Rescue, one of the band's earliest hits. Sergeant’s trebly guitar intro demands attention. And the song’s jerky, off beat. stop start verse leads to its call to arms chorus. It’s the first time the crowd decides to test their own vocal chords. ‘Won’t you come on down to myyyyy, RESCUE!’

Whilst greatest hits sets seem ten a penny these days, they are, at the very minimum, a chance to reflect on a career retrospective.

This is no more apparent when the band launch into Never Stop from 1983’s Porcupine. It’s new wave, disco percussion sounds as fresh as ever. All Talking Heads, ESG and Devo, yet expertly filtered through the sticky dance floor and smoky corners of Liverpool’s infamous, yet eternally influential, nightclub, Eric’s.

The likes of LCD Soundsystem, Friendly Fires, Arcade Fire and the like all went on to tread this path and dance this dance.

The next song is the shimmering Bring on the Dancing Horses . Released only 2 years later on from Never Stop in 1985 but at a significantly different pace and anthemic atmosphere, it's a sound later channelled by North West luminaries The Verve and Doves.

Perhaps the band are knowingly flexing their showcase muscles, confidently demonstrating their many threads of influence. It works.

In terms of personnel, McCulloch and Sergeant have become the somewhat reluctant couple, showcasing proudly their box of records. Mac the difficult yet charismatic frontman. Eternally a rake-like silhouette, hanging from the microphone stand and engaging with the crowd from behind those ever present dark glasses. At times coherent, largely not. Yet never straying from his sole purpose of enlightening the thousands with his delivery.

Sergeant is the perfect contrast. A purveyor of sound and style. All enviable fringe and thick rimmed spectacles. Solid and stoic in stance, yet flamboyant and effervescent in his delivery. His finger picked Rickenbacker immaculate.

A slightly surreal 15 minute ‘interval’ sits mid set. The DJ blares out Blondie and T-Rex whilst the band lift the metaphorical needle and turn over the record to the other side, a collection of songs which focus on some of the band’s bigger hits. Particularly from their masterpiece; the cinematic, orchestral Ocean Rain album.

Seven Seas begins with an acoustic strum, a jangly bass line that treads carefully across the canvas, whilst McCullochs’ longing lyrics glide effortlessly across the backdrop. ‘Stab a sorry heart, with your favourite finger’.

Nothing Lasts Forever then raises the roof. Dropped in 1997 as a marker of their first reformation. Amid Britpop madness, its Mersey melancholy seemed to chime with a generation, punctuating many subsequent life moments for now forty or fifty something music fans of the time. And that’s apparent here tonight. Its latter jive is merged into Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side and the venue’s dancefloor reacts accordingly.

There are moments where you feel the band’s more cantankerous side gets in the way of a truly great gig. They have a rapturous crowd in their hands at this point, yet decide to play a new track Unstoppable Force , many of which will never have heard before. It somewhat jars with the tour’s modus operandi and naturally things drop down a level.

Bedbugs and Ballyhoo shuffles things back up a notch with its Doors-like swampy groove. The Killing Moon f ollows, as cinematic as it is on record. Latin guitars chiming their way though the songs grandiose, foreboding swagger. Sergeant deservedly lit in a spotlight of his own. The crowd again find their voice… ‘Fate… up against your will’

‘How do you follow that?’ jibes McCulloch. And immediately The Cutter cements its case as one of the best intros in indie. It’s woozy opening bars leading into jerky 80s indie royalty.

Horns ablaze and bells chime. A crescendo to reach all crescendos. McCulloch pushes his vocal chords, awash with decades of experience, and wails into the night.

An encore of Lips Like Sugar rumbles into play. Sergeant’s fingers dancing across his bass strings, plucking out a riff that chimes like a church bell calling its village to arms. Befitting of the venue’s vast stained glass backdrop.

McCulloch whispers his croaky verse before launching into a soaring chorus, enveloped in smoky reverb. It’s super tight, and drops down knowingly in all of the right places, the crowd interacting perfectly.

‘Songs to Learn and Sing’ the poster says. These are songs that over 40 years have been very much learnt, and tonight have been sung. With gusto, and a very knowing hint of timelessness.

• All That Jazz
• Brussels in Haunted
• All My Colours (Zimbo)
• Bring on the Dancing Horses
• Show of Strength
• Over the Wall
• Nothing Lasts Forever / Walk on the Wild Side
• Unstoppable Force
• Bedbugs and Ballyhoo
• The Killing Moon
• Lips Like Sugar
• Albert Hall
• Dance music
• Manchester City Centre
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Echo and The Bunnymen

Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant

North American Tour 2024

Echo & the bunnymen north american 2024 tour.

We are making a return to the USA & Canada for our North American Tour 2024! Get ready to grab your tickets on December 6 at 10 AM (local time) using the code VERYBEST.

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General release starts on December 8 at 10 AM (local time). If you had tickets for San Diego & Rancho Mirage, they’re still valid for the rescheduled shows.

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Music | nhl draft: sharks select macklin celebrini no. 1 overall as new era begins, music | review: iconic modern rock act has a really rough night in oakland, ian mcculloch wasn’t in top form at fox theater.

“I’m feeling good — fantastic,” the vocalist answered. “Thanks for asking.”

Yet, it was hard to take him on his word on this night, when all the evidence pointed very much to the contrary.

Walking into the Fox, most fans had probably heard that McCulloch hadn’t been feeling well on this tour — he had been sick at an earlier Atlanta gig , according to a tweet from the band, and has reportedly been suffering from major problems with his back . The group also ended up postponing a pair of Texas dates, in Houston and Dallas, due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Supporters of the Liverpool-born post-punk act were obviously hoping that all those difficulties were in the rearview mirror and that McCulloch would be in fine shape to lead the six-piece Bunnymen band through an excellent evening of song in Oakland.

Not even close.

The show started out fairly well, with McCulloch approximately resembling himself on the opening number “Going Up” — from the band’s 1980 debut, “Crocodiles” — and then moving up to the sophomore effort “Heaven Up Here” for a comparatively strong “Show of Strength.”

Yet, even during the first half of the show — which was leaps and bounds better than what came later — it seemed like there was an energy black hole in the middle of the stage where McCulloch sat on a stool shrouded in semi-darkness. I’m all in favor of being artistic and setting the mood, but not when it comes at the complete loss of stage presence.

Some might applaud McCulloch for sticking it out and performing when he obviously wasn’t at 100 percent. But, then again, those people might not have witnessed his actual performance at the Fox on Monday night.

About a half-dozen songs into the show — right around the time the band was finishing up an applause-worthy version of “Bring on the Dancing Horses” from 1985’s “Songs to Learn and Sing” — the whole thing started to go downhill fast.

McCulloch — at one point saying “I’ve got a frog in my throat” — was having a really hard time carrying a tune or trying to stay in time with the band. The rest of the group tried to carry the heavy load, but when the frontman is having this hard of a go it will ultimately impact the whole ensemble.

Things that should have been true highlights — such as a blend of “Nothing Lasts Forever” with Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” and the band’s acclaimed cover of the Doors’ “People Are Strange” — were anything but.

Will Sergeant was brilliant in spots, painting with dramatic post-punk style and flare on “All My Colours (Zimbo)” and other numbers during the first half of the show. Yet, the guitarist — who was the sole band member shown in bright light on the stage — seemed to slink back into the shadows, figurately speaking, as the night progressed.

The group managed to pull it together for one song at the end — delivering a great version of “The Cutter” from 1983’s “Porcupine” — before exiting the stage after just 57 minutes.

And it might have been better if Echo and the Bunnymen hadn’t returned, given what would occur during the two encores.

First up, the group delivered a sour take on “Lips Like Sugar” — one of the best songs of the ’80s — by deciding to refashion it into a plodding, jammed-out bore. Then came a barely professional take on “The Killing Moon” — another huge fan favorite — that would’ve gotten booed off a karaoke stage. The band closed, thankfully, with a disappointing “Ocean Rain.”

The fans clapped half-heartedly, with some shaking their heads at what they’d experienced on this night, clearly in hopes that they’d never hear a repeat of this particular Echo show.

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