The Cult to announce 2013 tour dates on Monday; will perform their hit 1987 “Electric” album in its entirety.
**UPDATED! Click here for my Concert Review of the Austin ACL Live show.
In 2009 The Cult did the “Love Live” tour, where the band played their 80’s goth opus “Love” in its entirety, rewarding fans with many deep album cuts that have either never been played live or which have faded from set lists in recent years.
And now it looks like their hard-rock followup, 1987’s “Electric” is about the get the same treatment.
This week, the Cult’s Facebook Page status said :”dates to be announced May 13th.” It was accompanied by the band’s logo atop the words “Electric 13“.
“Electric” expanded upon “Love’s” success; it ditched the more flowery atmospheric goth trappings and went in a more straightforward hard-rock direction thanks to super producer Rick Rubin, and drawing comparisons to the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. It also drew considerable criticism from the rock press and goth fan base for the about change and vocalist Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy have to grow thicker skins as they forged a new direction.
But it produced three of the band’s greatest hits (Wildflower, Lil’ Devil, and Love Removal Machine) and helped to set the stage for the heavier alternative rock revolution that followed with Jane’s Addiction, Nirvana, and beyond.
Time has proven kind to the album and it’s now seen as an 80’s alt-rock touchstone.
But while songs like “Love Removal Machine” have long been live staples, fans will be excited to hear songs that haven’t been played in years, such as “King Contrary Man”, “Aphrodisiac Jacket” and “Bad Fun.” This tour will continue the band’s high activity in the 21st century. Last year brought the album “Choice Of Weapon“, one of their strongest efforts in years, which cracked the Billboard Top 40 and kicked off a successful tour including an appearance at SXSW.
Official dates were announced Monday via their Facebook page Monday. Here’s the full list:
TOUR DATES:
UNITED STATES
July 25: House of Blues, San Diego, CA
July 26: House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
July 27: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
July 29: Roseland Theater, Portland, OR
July 30: Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WA
Aug. 1: The Depot, Salt Lake City, UT
Aug. 2: Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO
Aug. 3: Sturgis Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
Aug. 5: Varisty Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
Aug. 8: The Fillmore, Detroit, MI
Aug. 9: House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
Aug. 10: The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
Aug. 11: House of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC
Aug. 13: Revolution Live, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Aug. 14: House of Blues, Lake Buena Vista, FL
Aug. 16: Hard Rock Live, Biloxi, MS
Aug. 17: The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
Aug. 18: Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN
Aug. 20: The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD
Aug. 22: Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY
Aug. 23: House of Blues, Boston, MA
Aug. 24: Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, NH
Aug. 25: Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Aug. 27: House of Blues, Chicago, IL
Aug. 29: L’Aubergine C.R., Lake Charles, LA
Aug. 30: House of Blues, Houston, TX
Aug. 31: House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
Sept. 1: House of Blues, Dallas, TX
Sept. 3: Austin City Limits Live/Moody Theatre, Austin, TX
Sept. 5: Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
Sept. 6: House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
Sept. 7: The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 8: House of Blues, Hollywood, CA
UNITED KINGDOM
Oct. 18: Great Hall, Cardiff, UK
Oct. 18: Great Hall, Exeter, UK
Oct. 20: Guildhall, Southampton, UK
Oct. 22: UEA, Norwich, UK
Oct. 23: Civil Hall, Wolverhampton, UK
Oct. 25: Academy, Manchester, UK
Oct. 26: Barrowlands, Glasgow, UK
Oct. 28: Rock City, Nottingham, UK
Oct. 29: O2 Academy, Liverpool, UK
Oct. 31: Roundhouse, London, UK
And according to the Hollywood Reporter, a new album isn’t too far off the horizon either.
In the meantime, get reacquainted with the classic album on iTunes. I’m assuming there will be a deluxe edition in the works for the album, given ‘Love‘ was given a similar treatment in 2009.
Another update: Slicing Up Eyeballs has reported that an official expanded edition of the album “Peace” will be released as a 2 disc set courtesy of Beggar’s Banquet. “Peace” was the album recorded from Steve Brown, the producer of “Love.” The Cult later decided it sounded too similar to that album and gutted it in favor of Rick Rubin’s production. It’s a worth addition the band’s catalogue to see how songs like “Wildflower” sounded so vastly different. In the end they made the right choice, but it’s a fascinating evolution.
And a video that is as ridiculous as it is awesome, and which blew my adolescent mind and made me want to be a rock star:
Are you excited about the “Electric 13” tour? Sound off below.