Volume 4 in the series of Live albums being released by Peter Murphy of Bauhaus is Live at the Cabaret Metro in 1990 a show I was sent a bootleg tape of a few weeks after the show, I have to admit I hadn't heard that tape, since the early 90's, but was very happy when this cd copy of the shows first official release arrived, obviously sounding better than the tape ever did. This was the late show, ticket demand was high enough they played two shows, with Nine Inch Nails supporting. For this Show Peter's backing band were Paul Statham, Peter Bonas, Eddie Branch and Teri Bryant. The album was mastered by Tim Turan at Turan Audio.
The album opens with the slow atmospheric intro to The Line Between The Devil's Teeth before Peter's deeply resonant vocals come in to describe the war within, he's fighting to survive, over his backing bands post punk goth infused rock, being played in a classic rock venue with a nice high stage and great sound.
Deep Ocean, Vast Sea is built around a classic imperious guitar line, allowing Peter to pour out his feelings for the gulf between you. With some typical twists and turns perfect for some pop tarantula dancing. Seven Veils has arabesque twists to the guitars and keyboard twists for the tale of the dance that has bewitched thousands over the centuries, the percussion seems to have a slight China Girl twist to it.
Cuts You Up has a deeply romantic feel to the way this evolves and allows Peter to express what Cuts You Up with searing guitars amplifying the pain. God Sends is slow atmospherics building though the passions and the dark piano lines. Slow thoughtful and cloaked in darkness he depicts both your pleasure and your pain.
I've Got A Miniature Secret Camera was a song far ahead of it's time, this is a far more regular concern in the 2020's than it was at the start of the 1990's, but what was Peter filming with that secret camera, who did he catch out and expose, with it's very 80's dancefloor basslines getting funky and free with the distress such tools can cost.
Blind Sublime builds through dark hearted guitars and slightly jarring synths, while Peter pities those who choose blindness over enlightenment while he feels all the pain. Peter admonishes some of the louder audience members during the intro to Marlene Dietrich's Favourite Poem whose atmospherics and acoustic guitar conjure up a lost world, an interview where Marlene is revealing what that poem was.
Roll Call builds things back up slowly with delicate drumming and Peter sounding imperious while taking that Roll Call, while from the sound of it moving further away from the microphone before the guitars go a touch proggy. His Circle And Hers Meet and obviously sparks fly, never easy when you try to complete that circle, the darkness is surrounding them, while Peter notes what happens after that kiss. This goes straight into Funtime with some great synth work and great version of the Iggy classic, that was one of the big draws when I first heard the bootleg tape all those decades ago. Great to hear the band really going for it and hamming it up to help bring the show to a climax.
Peter introduces the band over the intro to The Light Pours Out Of Me that is given a darker twist or two from Magazine's original and is closer to how Luxuria played it, of course the magnificence of this post punk classic shines out, like it almost always does, no matter who sings this classic.
The show closes with All Night Long that isn't a cover, but one last dark epistle for the things Peter would like to do All Night Long in the city, can you feel the light over that careful keyboard phrase that repeats, with the song getting more atmospheric like they want a soft landing at the end of the show, before he says goodnight and thanks the audience just before the band finish playing.
Find out more at https://cadizmerchstore.com/collections/peter-murphy-bauhaus/products/peter-murphy-peter-live-volume-4-metro-chicago-1990 https://www.petermurphy.info/products/peter-murphy-live-volume-4-metro-chicago-1990-2lp-blue-vinyl https://www.petermurphy.info/products/peter-murphy-live-volume-4-metro-chicago-1990-cd???https://www.petermurphy.info/ https://www.facebook.com/petermurphyinfo
