The Sisters of Mercy hadn’t toured since the last time I saw them back in 1993 on their “Overbombing” Tour. I’d seen them on both of their Brixton dates back then, and had tickets for both nights again this time round, on their “Distance Over Time” Tour.

The Sisters last album, “Vision Thing”, was already 7 years old by this point. The only thing they’d released since had been 1993’s “A Slight Case of Overbombing” which was a compilation of material and a couple of singles – Under The Gun (which reached #19 in 1993) and a new version of Temple of Love with Ofra Haza which was their biggest ever single reaching #2 here in the UK in 1992. Without any new albums to support the tours were now a mix of greatest hits and favourite cover versions, with the occasional hint of a new track that were never to be released (or atleast haven’t been in the last 20+ years).

Support on these dates came from The Overseer, a band I’d never heard of before, and Cubanate, a band I’d seen plenty of times already and quite enjoyed. Sadly neither of the supports really laid claim to the stage on this evening. The Overseer were ok, but a bit dull and forgettable, and Cubanate (who hasd put on some fantastic shows in the past) were pretty lacklustre too which was a shame.

The Sisters made up for it though. This was still at a point in time where seeing The Sisters pretty much guaranteed you a fantastic night out. Eldritch’s vocals were in great form, the band was great, and the music blasted out at you and made you want to move to the rythmn and do weird things with your arms.

I loved The Sisters mash-up of Comfortably Numb and Some Kind of Stranger. It alwasy worked really well…. especially the opening “Is there anybody out there…” coming at you from out of a smoke filled stage and auditorium. They also treated us to not one, not two, but THREE encores… finishing off with a duo of covers… the fan favourite “Jolene” and and their great cover of Kylie’s “Confide in Me”.

SETLIST

1. Comfortably Numb / Some Kind of Stranger
2. Come Together
3. Ribbons
4. Train / Detonation Boulevard
5. Giving Ground (The Sisterhood cover)
6. Amphetamine Logic
7. On the Wire / Teachers
8. Dominion / Mother Russia
9. Under the Gun
10. Blood Money
11. Anaconda
12. War On Drugs
13. Flood II
14. Temple of Love
15. (Encore 1) First and Last and Always
16. This Corrosion
17. (Encore 2) Something Fast
18. Vision Thing
19. (Encore 3) Jolene (Dolly Parton cover)
20. Confide in Me (Kylie Minogue cover)