THE CULT is dusting off the cobwebs and resurrecting their angsty alter-ego DEATH CULT for a North American victory lap this October. Original goth-uncles Ian Astbury (vocals) and Billy Duffy (guitar, and hair so legendary it has its own rider) will double-dip each night: one set as the moody DEATH CULT, then another as the slightly-less-moody THE CULT. Tagging along? L.A. art-punks PATRIARCHY, because nothing says “post-punk reunion” like a band named after systemic oppression.
Tickets hit the wild on Friday, July 18 at 10 a.m. local time via thecult.us. Pro tip: Wear black, bring tissues for the elder emos.
Tour dates:
Oct. 09 – Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada – OLG Stage At Fallsview Casino
Oct. 11 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre (carpool with the Salem witches)
Oct. 14 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Oct. 15 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre
Oct. 17 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
Oct. 18 – Atlanta, GA – Cobb Energy Center
Oct. 20 – Ft. Worth, TX – Will Rogers Auditorium
Oct. 21 – San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre
Oct. 24 – Las Vegas, NV – The Pearl (where goth goes to gamble)
Oct. 25 – San Diego, CA – The Sound
Oct. 27 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
Oct. 30 – Los Angeles, CA – Shrine Auditorium
History lesson: Before THE CULT mastered the art of dramatic mic swings, they were SOUTHERN DEATH CULT (1981–1983, RIP). Their debut dropped posthumously—because nothing says punk like releasing an album after you’ve already broken up. By ‘83, they’d trimmed the “Southern” (too yeehaw?) and became DEATH CULT, serving up two spicy 12-inch EPs. Fun fact: Those tracks were later Frankensteined into a CD, because nostalgia sells.
By ‘84, they ditched the “Death” too (midlife crisis?) and became THE CULT, dropping “Dreamtime” and accidentally inventing goth-rock aerobics. Eleven albums later, they’ve got enough gold and platinum plaques to tile a mansion.
Their latest album, “Under The Midnight Sun” (2022), was produced by Tom Dalgety—the first Brit to helm a CULT record since “Love” in 1985. Dalgety’s résumé includes PIXIES and GHOST, so he’s clearly unafraid of bands that wear more eyeliner than a Hot Topic employee.
THE CULT clawed their way from post-punk basement gigs to stadium glory, stealing riffs from LED ZEPPELIN, glam-sass from NEW YORK DOLLS, and existential dread from Bowie. Core duo Astbury (shamanic poet) and Duffy(riff-slinging realist) still bicker like an old married couple—but hey, tension makes great art. Rounding out the crew: drummer John Tempesta, who’s pounded skins for WHITE ZOMBIE and apparently owns a time machine to hit all these shows.
