The Cult on Tour
The Cult, a shape-shifting rock band, has hardly sat still since their mid-'80s conception. They were born out of England's post-punk scene, first emerging as a heavy metal revivalist band with their debut album Dreamtime in 1984. The collection of shimmering guitars, howling vocals, and neo-psychedelic sounds introduced the dawn of a new musical era as the band transitioned away from the gothic rock genre leaning in the direction of a hard rock act. Dreamtime reached the top of the charts in the UK and served as a prologue for the trilogy The Cult would produce as the '80s went on. By the time Love dropped in the summer of 1985, the fresh ensemble had built a dedicated native following through the release of the teaser single "She Sells Sanctuary." Love became the No. 4 album in the UK, but The Cult achieved international, mainstream success after recording Electric in New York in 1987. Resonant of strident U.S. arena rock, the album picked up on the popular three-chord crunch, hard-hitting kick drum, heroic guitar solos with endless rifts, and passionate vocals backed by sing-along choruses. It was a huge success and sold over one million copies worldwide -- only to be topped by their 1988 magnum opus, Sonic Temple, which featured their top-charting song "Fire Woman." The British band would go on to release two more studio albums by the turn of the century (Ceremony, 1991; The Cult, 1994) and another four over the next two decades (Beyond Good and Evil, 2001; Born into This, 2007; Choice of Weapon, 2012; Hidden City, 2016), plus a total of 41 singles throughout their career. In 2022, fans have the chance to see The Cult on tour across three different countries as they perform the great alt-rock ballads that turned them into an iconic household name.
The Cult in Concert
An ever-evolving ensemble, The Cult has witnessed several changes to its name, lineup, and musical direction since forming in the 1980s -- but two of the band's founding members, singer/songwriter Ian Astbury and lead guitarist Brian Duffy, have remained throughout it all. The current drummer, John Tempesta, joined in 2006, playing with The Cult on tour and in concert ever since. In 2015, Grant Fitzpatrick (bass) and Damon Fox (keyboards/rhythm guitar) joined to help the band record their 10th album, permanently staying on after that. Although Astbury's heavenly vocals and Duffy's thrilling guitar may remain the lifeblood of The Cult on tour in 2022, the entire outfit fulfills the band's original promise and feels like they've stepped straight out of the '90s.
