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petermurphy02CK A2, Wroclaw, Poland
26th November 2018
Peter Murphy & David J - “40 Years of Bauhaus”

One of the factors that enables the concerts to have such huge an impact upon the audience results from the artist’s ability to combine marvellous music, scenic decorum, hypnotic performance and interaction with the audience into one in such a way the magnetism and charisma overflow and invigorate the listeners. The very fact of sharing the energy and building up vibrating, exceptional atmosphere is the other. While I take part in such events I can truly appreciate the sense, meaning and importance of artistic output and presentation certain masters in music demonstrate.

On 26th on November the concert of the legend of Gothic Rock took place - the vocalist and bass player of Bauhaus - Peter Murphy and David J - played a remarkable concert in a hall packed to its limits with fans. The songs of both the début Bauhaus album, ‘In the Flat Field’, and also some latter pieces constitute a flag examples of music, which, just like in case of JOY DIVISION, shaped the Gothic Rock wave, added to its tone and imbued it with a dark, a bit mystic atmosphere so specific for BAUHAUS. The band is currently on anniversary tour “40 Years of Bauhaus” and they played one concert in Poland within its schedule, in Wroclaw. The audience gathered in Concert Centre A2 was given a chance to appreciate masterly played guitar passages by David J and magnificent, a bit theatrical performance served by the main actor of the night, Peter Murphy. It’s true the sound quality could be better prepared for such a show, but the overall sonic impression was great.

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The band to support the headliner was DESERT MOUNTAIN TRIBE, a project presenting intense, rock guitar sound that perfectly warmed the audience up and gave a taste of what’s about to come when the highlight appears on stage. Strong, vibrant sounds and vocal stood for a dynamic rock seasoned very nicely with some grunge tint. The main concert started out with ‘In the Flat Field’, the artists appeared on the stage that was hidden in darkness and smoke. Only some dim, nave blue lights glimmered here and there to reflect in instruments set on the stage. However, just after the whole band was set on the right places the energetic blast was given to the audience and Peter Murphy greeted the fans intensively enough. And so the fantastic performance started - during ‘God in the Alcove’ Murphy put a little crown on his head and at that moment the impression of participating in a theatre spectacle as well as the musical journey became irresistible - Murphy’s well defined, sharp facial features, enhanced by the contrast of spotlight and the darkness, mesmerizing eyes and the sonic pulse - the moment was magical indeed and added to the general dramatic, magical quality of the show.

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Pulsating, anxious, twitching sounds, a metronome-like tempo, precision and characteristic, shivers-sending vocal set the audience into most amazing atmosphere which was well-balanced through the entire show. Actually, it’s really hard to give impressions about the band which is so characteristic and whose influence you hear in the music of so many other artists; their way is as if imprinted in the sound of the genre - listening to them playing live is a bit like diving into the very core, the bloodstream of gothic rock and the experience is fantastic and overwhelming. The last time I saw Bauhaus live was in 2006, so relatively long time ago, but it was a huge, open air concert in Hildesheim (M’era Luna). Such big events secure the space and potential for music such profound as the one Bauhaus present but the club concert, where the sounds are closed within a space between the artists and the audience is incomparable to anything else. The limitation and suppression of music to a small hall intensify and enhance the sound and let it work and impress to a great extent in my view. The reaction of the audience to such hits like ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’, ‘The Passion of Lovers’, ‘She’s in Parties’ or the encore ‘Ziggy Stardust’ was extremely enthusiastic.

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Dim lights, props-filled performance, energy shared with the audience and the splendid unison of the duo Peter Murphy and David J - all these elements made the magic of music unfold and run limitlessly while the mysterious, a bit mystic atmosphere made the spectacle rich and sophisticated indeed. Beautiful concert!

Setlist
01. In the Flat Field
02. Double Dare
03. A God in an Alcove
04. Dive
05. Small Talk Stinks
06. St. Vitus Dance
07. Stigmata Martyr
08. Nerves
09. Kingdom’s Coming
10. Burning from the Inside
11. Silent Hedges
12. Bela Lugosi’s Dead
13. Kick in the Eye
14. She’s in Parties
15. Adrenalin
16. The Passion of Lovers
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17. Telegram Sam
18. Ziggy Stardust

Rating
Music: 10
Performance: 8
Light: 8
Sound: 5
Total: 7.8 / 10

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All Pictures by Karo Kratochwil

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