Concert Review: Peter Murphy 4/23/13, 4/24/13, and 4/26/13

NOTICE: This is the more professional version of this concert review. I find several reviewers today annoy me as they 1) don't do their research and 2) make reviews when they have no idea what they're talking about (an example: someone reviewed Bauhaus's Go Away White and said it wasn't very good, but admitted to not listening to it fully...it's one thing to think the album isn't that good after you tried to listen to it a handful of times in full...it's another to discard it and not even listen to it fully once!). Anyways, comments would be appreciated on a stylistic level for this review. I know it still has a bit more personal anecdotes than is typical of a review (I tried to parse them out, but I also like telling a bit of a story when I do these things and perhaps show you a little of why certain things leave their impressions on me). I plan in the near future to start up a separate site with a friend dedicated to concert and music reviews on a more professional level, so this is some of the ground work. Many thanks and enjoy!


Allow me to begin by saying this is most likely an incredibly biased review. I have listened to Bauhaus since I was about 16 or 17 (mind you, I'm currently 24, so this may not hold as much stock to those of you who listened since the beginning in 1978). I've listened to Peter Murphy's solo work since I was 20 (in blissful ignorance I existed until that age knowing Bauhaus was gone but not realizing the man had a prolific solo career). While I love love LOVE Bauhaus, I actually love Peter Murphy's solo work much more (I feel like I just committed some act of blasphemy, but this is the truth). So, it should come as no surprise that this review will be incredibly positive. I've also sat on this review for some time, editing and revising it several times over. Some of the details I have forgotten while others were edited out to make this a bit more professional, but it's time for the Internet to behold this marvel. Your fair warning has been issued.

The Mr. Moonlight Tour started April 22, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas. The idea is simple - let's give the fans an all-Bauhaus set to commemorate 35 years of the band's existence. And let's give them a mix of the hits they love and some of the slightly more obscure songs they may never have heard in the past.

Peter Murphy during the Miracula session he did during Halloween 2012. Photo credit to Christy Borgman (fantastic shot, by the way!)

For a fan such as myself who never did see Bauhaus as the "original four" (Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J, and Kevin Haskins), this is as good as it gets. A full Bauhaus set. No "I'll Fall With Your Knife." No "I Spit Roses." And certainly no "Cuts You Up." Just Peter Murphy, Mark Gemini Thwaite, Emilio China, and Nick Lucero playing some delicious "Dark Entries," "Kick in the Eye," and "Boys."

But, I've seen some negative commentary over the fact that this tour isn't exactly a Bauhaus tour. The only Bauhaus member is Peter Murphy himself doing vocals, some guitar, and melodica. The other three people on that stage are not Daniel Ash, David J, or Kevin Haskins. Peter Murphy even recently confirmed that he didn't ask the others if they wanted to do a reunion tour to mark 35 years of Bauhaus (http://clatl.com/cribnotes/archives/2013/05/02/peter-murphy-on-what-makes-bauhaus-music-so-transcendent). And for whatever reason, there are those who think this is some sort of grand sin against humanity or something. So, let me at least do a little justice to the three and tell you what I can about them (which, sadly and admittedly, is not much).

Emilio China takes on the role of David J, playing fretless bass and at some points the electric violin. I admittedly do not know much about Emilio. He has been with Peter Murphy since the official tour supporting Ninth (I believe Jeff Schartoff did the actual recording of these parts on Ninth). I don't know what other acts he has performed with in the past, but he is clearly very talented. Granted the violin parts are limited in Bauhaus's material, but the last time I saw Peter Murphy performing solo material (November 2011), Emilio was part of that tour and played electric violin more as Peter Murphy at times likes to incorporate more instruments in his songs. Let me say, as a violinist myself (not necessarily a great one, but I know how to play fairly well), I like this guy's style. He sounds great and brings out emotion while he plays. Kudos from my point of view, for what they may be worth. He also plays fretless bass for the Bauhaus material. Fretless bass is much more difficult to play than the standard electric bass. Also, Bauhaus has a mix of simple bass parts where you play the same note the entire song and songs with complicated rhythms and schemes for the notes. He has a bit of a laid back presence on stage helping Peter Murphy keep that dominating spirit, but this guy has talent. I really wish I knew more of his background, though.

Finding pictures of Emilio is also a bit tough. He's in the front with Peter Murphy in the background

Nick Lucero has been drumming for Peter Murphy for a long time. According to his personal website, he has played with a few other bands (sadly, I do not recognize any of them). I don't even know how long he's been with Peter Murphy (I know he's been with him since at least 2009 because he's played every show I've seen). Nick is also really good at what he does, maintaining high energy throughout the show and playing his parts well. Some Bauhaus songs have what seems to me a complicated rhythm, often times with syncopation, and he plays these without any trouble. As with Emilio, I wish I knew a bit more about Nick's background. But, trust me, he's a great guy (though a bit shy each time I've said hello to him after a show and complemented his playing) and also definitely belongs up on that stage.

Nick Lucero

The third "unknown" is guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite. Mark, like Nick, has been with Peter Murphy for a very long time. From what I can tell, Mark first started playing with Peter Murphy in 2005 to support the somewhat ill-fated album Unshattered (another story for another time). He then took a break and worked on a number of other projects before rejoining Peter Murphy in 2010 for a UK tour and has stayed more or less since then (I think he's had a few one off projects since then, but that working with Peter Murphy is the main priority currently). I'm not sure how accurate all this is as I could have sworn I saw him in June 2009 on the Secret Covers Tour, but his personal page isn't loading for me and I always take Wikipedia with a grain of salt.

Peter Murphy on the left and Mark Gemini Thwaite on the right. Also, as a random aside, kudos to whoever took this photo!

From what I can tell, Mark seems to get the most crap from interviewers and reviewers. I don't get it. Not to knock Emilio or Nick, but Mark has the far superior credentials in terms of the acts he's played with. Where do we even begin? Peter Murphy. The Mission. Combichrist. Al Jourgensen. Revolting Cocks. Gary Numan. Need I say more? And people question if the guy belongs on the same stage as Peter Murphy? Dare I say maybe the question should be asked in the other direction? (I'm kidding on that part, but you get where I'm coming from)

Taking the role of Daniel Ash is also a daunting one, I have to imagine. Daniel Ash was known for making the guitar sound anything but like a guitar. Ever heard "Hollow Hills?" The predominant sounds in that song are not done on a synthesizer. Bauhaus never used synthesizers. They aren't dubbed tracks. Bauhaus never used backing tracks either. Those sounds are made on guitar (from the Gotham DVD performance, it appears Daniel Ash uses a violin bow against the strings...I'm not sure what exactly Mark used to make the same sound, but it worked damn well). So, trust, haters of the world, this man has the talent, the credentials, and the presence to be on the stage with Peter Murphy playing Bauhaus songs.

Still saying nay? Well, there'll be no pleasing you at all, in this case. You will either continue to be upset over the fact that this is Peter Murphy with his solo band playing loads of Bauhaus songs, or you'll come to realize that for better or worse, the singer is what makes the band anyways (another story for another time, but do ask yourself who has been the most consistent over the years since Bauhaus and you'll understand the point I'm trying to make here), and that this is a truly special thing you will witness. Without further ado, the actual review for each concert date I attended:

Austin, Texas - The Belmont - 4/23/13

This was the first time I had even heard of The Belmont (mind you, Austin has MANY music venues, and from what I understand, The Belmont had re-opened more recently after closing for a bit, possibly due to restructuring and remodeling). It certainly isn't the first "odd" venue I've seen Peter Murphy at (going to the middle of nowhere to a venue that was once a movie theater might take the cake on this one...again, another story for another time).

The Belmont itself is a nice venue. Good location, two areas you can watch the show from, and a very low stage. It is an outdoor venue and we had the most unseasonal cold weather this night (as in 50s...when it should be like 80s). The opening act, My Jerusalem, were okay. Not really my kind of music, so I wasn't too into them. They had good energy and seemed to like being up there. After hearing them on three nights mostly in a row, however, I'd be fine never hearing them again. Just not my cup of tea. Good on them for being an Austin based band and touring with Peter Murphy for a couple weeks. I won't go into them more as this review isn't aimed at them, but they deserve a mention at the very least.

Peter Murphy took to the stage and started with "King Volcano" leading straight into "Kingdom's Coming." It was a great mesh and a great way to open, though I recall I spent those opening songs shivering more than being able to sing (not their fault, of course...and rather impressive they all played so well given that cold). The set continued with great favorites like "Double Dare" and "In the Flat Field" before jumping into slightly more obscure ones like "Boys." The playing of "Bela Lugosi's Dead" was sensational all of its own. I've heard the medley Peter Murphy normally does combining "Bela Lugosi's Dead" with his solo song "A Strange Kind of Love." The medley is gorgeous and allowed me to get through what I consider an often overplayed and overhyped song. Yes, you heard me correct. I used to feel "Bela Lugosi's Dead" was an overhyped and overplayed song. Good, yes, but there's so much more to Bauhaus than just that.

Seeing it live, however, I have found a new awe for this masterpiece. I used to wonder what went into making all the sounds in that song. Now I know. Four people on their respective instruments. There are no backing tapes, no recordings, no extra people, no synthesizers, none of that. Just a bass guitar, guitar, drums, vocals, and some effects pedals. In that performance, the four were able to recapitulate the same dark essence the song has on recording. And there's nothing like the harrowing vocals as Peter Murphy belts out "Oh Bela! Bela's undead!" That's my personal favorite part of the song and on that night I recall having chills during that part (and not just because it was kind of cold).

On the whole, the set was amazing. It wasn't everything I would have wanted, but I'm certainly not complaining (to get all I wanted, they'd essentially have to be on stage for several hours and play everything). Peter Murphy did a fantastic job interacting with the audience as he usually does, letting people touch him, kissing some people, pushing others (lightly) on the head, etc. By and large, the audience were great, as they tend to be at Peter Murphy shows. Most are older than me, but there's always a good energy to the crowd and a good mix of people singing to all the songs and others just dancing to each tune. Honestly, the only thing that would have improved this night was either warmer weather or being indoors. But, the band were perfect and after all these years, Peter Murphy still sounds great and pulls off these songs like some grand master.


Dallas, Texas - The Granada Theater - 4/24/13

The next night I drove a good three and a half hours to Dallas to see Mr. Murphy once again. As I said, this is perhaps a once in a lifetime thing that I was going to take full advantage of. And I told you I was incredibly biased.

As we entered the Granada, there was a list where you could put your email and receive photos from the show. I didn't know what this was and thought maybe it'd be like previews and you can buy them or something, so I signed up. To say the least, this was an awesome thing as a few days later I received an email with some amazing, professional photos of the show, and I intend to contact the photographer and order some prints if they do that. So, major kudos to Bill Ellison! (Sorry, I had to mention this part because it was so unique and cool to me)

Peter Murphy and Mark Gemini Thwaite

The Granada Theater was also once a movie theater. The sound was handled very nicely here, but the stage comes up to your chin, making it a little tough to see and interact with the performers on stage. But all in all, this is probably one of my more favorite venues I've been to.

On this night, there were two openers, which resulted in a shorter set from Peter Murphy (which while it was about 1.5 hours the night before, it still felt very short to me). Without going into much detail, the first opener was Vulgar Fashion. I personally did not care for them, but some people in the audience seemed to like them. The second opener was My Jerusalem again, which I've already shared my thoughts on them. Good, but not my cup of tea.

One of Peter Murphy's trademark poses - "Oooooooh....Bellllllllllaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!"

So, we finally get to Peter Murphy performing. As with the night before in Austin, it was an amazing show. Great set and his playing "Endless Summer of the Damned" from Go Away White set me towards listening to that album more and finding it to not be as bad as I used to find it (I even felt moved to re-review it: http://rogoth.blogspot.com/2013/05/music-re-review-bauhaus-go-away-white.html). The set did get cut in places, so gems like "She's in Parties" and "A Spy in the Cab" were not played. I know some of the other audience members were really hoping to hear these, so I felt a little sorry that they didn't get them. But, they had VIP tickets and I did not. So, it's somewhat fair? My one complaint about this show is simply that the stage was too damn high. At times I felt disconnected from the show since I was on a very different plane. I felt more like a distant observer, or perhaps someone sitting at home watching the show on DVD. It was like what I do with the Gotham DVD, where I sit in my all black and pretend that I was in that audience, that I had been much older back then, knew of this great music then, and so forth (I was like 9 or 10 when the Resurrection Tour happened). My guess is Peter felt this way at times too since he got on his knees at one point to tell us the story behind the writing of "Boys" before playing it.

Aside from the stage height, this was an amazing show. I know Peter Murphy tried his best to work with us, but it is tough when you're towering a mile above the audience. For this, I felt the Austin show was better. But, the set, while shorter than the night before, was still excellent. And the performance of "Endless Summer of the Damned" has truly helped alter my view on the last Bauhaus album. Was it worth the long drive, both ways, to see this tour again? I certainly think it was.

Houston, Texas - Numbers - 4/26/13

The final show of the three and another road trip, but with friends this time! For this show, we had the VIP meet and greet tickets. I would finally meet this man after so many shows (I've seen Peter Murphy in concert seven times and only met him the one time with these VIP tickets). So, for the occasion, I bought a nice bouquet of roses to at least show my appreciation for his talents and music, even if I couldn't verbally express what it all meant to me (in part due to the nerves of finally getting to meet him and in part because I honestly cannot put into words why his music is so important to me). I also brought my "Bela Lugosi's Dead" 12" single (just the black repress in the thick sleeve) and my Mask LP to have signed.

This is from the Dallas show, but I didn't really take any pics in Houston

As far as a concert venue, I'm not a fan of Numbers. I had seen Peter Murphy here once before (the pre-Ninth tour). Their stage has these steps that lead up to it and most get covered over when they extend the stage out, except for one. So, most of the time, people stand on that one step, making them much taller than the rest of us. Thus, front row and you see, any other row and you struggle. We got to the venue a bit late and Numbers did not uphold the policy of letting VIP ticket holders in first as they claimed they would, so we didn't get front row, unfortunately. I got as close to front and center as I could and luckily got a spot where the people weren't overly tall in front of me.

As with the other shows, the set was amazing (it was longer and similar to the set in Austin). Peter was gorgeous. Everyone sounded great. There were several sound issues and half the time it was hard to hear Peter's lower registry notes and hard to hear when he just talked to us (not his fault, and you could tell he was getting a little frustrated at some points when the sound techs couldn't fix the issues).

At one point, Peter was getting tired of people taking pictures and videos. He basically said, "Stop looking at my through your phones and cameras. I'm here right now. Look at me directly. Interact with me. Touch me." This gives you an idea of the audience. The venue was pretty packed, and there were certainly fans who were really into the show, singing along, dancing, interacting, etc. But there were plenty that wanted to record the show and take pictures. I understand wanting to capture the memories as I, too, will take pictures and video. But, usually I only take pictures during the first couple of songs and only take video of a couple songs. To each their own, I suppose, but I'd much rather have traded places with the guy in front of me who viewed the entire show through the lens of his camera.

Following the show, we went to get in line for the meet and greet. I had no idea what I'd say to the man. I had been thinking for weeks on what to say without sounding like a fangirl or an idiot. We finally get in there and Peter is signing mini posters for everyone. Not having a normal name, he asks me to spell mine and asks where it's from. I tell him it's Arabic and that I'm half Palestinian. He looks up at me and asks if I'm Christian or Muslim. I tell him Muslim, which is true, though I admit to not being a close follower at the moment.

Everyone gets funny, joking around Peter. I got serious face Peter. Upon telling him I'm Muslim, he extends the formal greeting Muslims give one another, "Salaam alaikum." I of course reply traditionally with "Walaikum salaam." He tells me to send prayers to our brothers and sisters in Syria, Gaza, etc. Of course, I reply. He then tells me about how excited he is to have a couple tour dates set in Israel now for the Mr. Moonlight Tour because he feels there's more to those shows perhaps than these. It's an opportunity to spread peace and love to the youth there and in some sense show them that we can all be friends instead of enemies and that our beliefs are the same and beautiful. Then our time together was done. I gave him the roses, he smiled, and then I had to walk on.

One of my friends was telling the kid in the white shirt that he was really great and she saw him with his family when they opened for the Psychedelic Furs in Austin a few months ago. Peter turned to the kid and was like "Wait, you've played with the Psychedelic Furs!? I have GOT to figure out how to do that!" And then scheming face commenced.

The meet and greet was a neat opportunity, but didn't go quite as I expected based on previous meet and greets. You didn't get to hug the man or take a picture with him as others had done previously. And while talking to him even for those couple of minutes was great, it certainly didn't feel like enough.


All in all, this was a sensational set of concerts to attend. Of the three dates, I think Austin was my favorite, though the Dallas and Houston were very good. The VIP thing was cool, but perhaps not quite worth the money. It was a truly unique experience to see a full Bauhaus set like this. And sure, it was only Peter Murphy from the original Bauhaus, but I don't care. He is the face, voice, and driving force behind that band. Nick, Emilio, and Mark have every right to be on that stage playing those songs and they did a mighty damn fine job at it! And I eagerly await the next solo album, Lion, which is looking for an early 2014 release. You may all sit there imagining me throwing my wallet, cash, coins, and credit cards at my computer screen, screaming , "Take my money!!!!" The image is rather accurate, I would say. Thank you, Peter, for a series of great nights. Keep doing your thing and we'll keep following.


Austin show rating: 5 out of 5

Dallas show rating: 5 out of 5 (the stage was so high, but the professional pictures make up for it)

Houston show rating: 4 out of 5 (great show, but I just don't like Numbers as a concert venue)

More info: Official Site of Peter Murphy, Official site of Mark Gemini Thwaite, Official site of Emilio China, Official site of Nick Lucero

Photos/Videos: Unless otherwise credited/stated, I took these photos on my phone (hence the grainy quality). Please give credit if you wish to use them since I'm too silly to put watermarks on them. All videos were taken by other people and can be found via YouTube.