Formed back in 1978, the legendary and massively influential Bauhaus hailed from Northampton England, comprising of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The band's goal was to get the F out of dodge and all things Northhampton, which according to Murphy had a "dead existence." The dark and foreboding music that they made together possesses far more force, variety and playfulness than the "Founding Fathers of Goth" tag that has been attached to them. Ironically like everything else in life, nothing is quite like it seems.

From the bleak outlook of life in Northampton, what we get in return is the brilliance of Bauhaus. In The Flat Field was the band's debut on 4AD records back in 1980, and well let's just say that the reviews were not all that pretty and positive. Andy Gill from Gang of Four, of all people, described the album in his review for the UK's NME as "Hip Black Sabbath.” That was written at the time as an insult.

Up to the present day, would reviews of this sort be accurate? On the contrary. The album itself is groundbreaking in scope- a dire prediction of surviving Northampton when you dig deep into it's bevy of abrasive songs. The songs themselves have been described as a "windblown sonic assault to the senses." A slow build that defines the genres of Post Punk and Goth, not subtle by any measure, but that was the point. Undeniably, In The Flat Field still holds up, making it that more exciting and pleasurable to hear the album in its entirety, as is the case on this current 40th anniversary tour of its debut.

On this tour, Peter Murphy is joined onstage with Bauhaus bassist extraordinaire David J, a remarkable songwriter in his own right, and these two together bring a compelling presence that revels in all things dark and purple. Rounding out the band is the brilliant Mark Gemini Thwaite on guitars, a musician's musician who has a history of playing with some heavy hitters such as The Mission, Tricky, and Spear of Destiny, to name a few. Let it be known that when Peter was introducing band members midway through their set, he stated "And on guitar, one of the best guitarists in the world- Mark Gemini Thwaite", and that should tell you lots. Peter definitely surrounds himself with extraordinary musicians, and that's also the case with Marc Slutsky on drums, who also provides the necessary backbeat that keeps Bauhaus music up and running and undeniably intact.

​Looking at the four albums Bauhaus created over the small span of five years until they disbanded in 1983, you can't help but think of how immensely pleasurable they were as a band, like lightning trapped in a bottle. Ferocious and dangerous one minute and patient and beautiful the next. The perfect, unpredictable nature of a band with remarkable songwriters who dwell in performance art.

On February 7th, I finally had the opportunity to witness not only one of my favorite bands live, but a vital piece of New York City music history. As I was growing up and beginning to discover my own likes music-wise -- not just the same old same old classic rock my parents played during my childhood, and later my young adulthood -- I went through many different genre phases. This included punk, new wave, modern alternative rock bands, until I ultimately stumbled upon the early 2000’s indie rock bands. Though many of the bands from said scene derive different influence from one another and sound drastically unique, I considered this a genre. Having been born and raised in South Florida, I often dreamed of getting a chance to even slightly relive that gracious time period of rock and roll in one of my favorite cities ever. For the time being, I continuously read Meet Me in the Bathroom, a book detailing the oral history of that NYC indie rock scene. One band that continued to stand out to me due to their versatility and artistry was Interpol. ​
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Toward the end of the band’s set, they played iconic tracks from El Pintor as well as Antics, like “All the Rage Back Home,” “Not Even Jail,” and “Slow Hands.” Before ultimately smashing their encore by playing “Lights” and “Obstacle 1,” fan-favorites from the band’s debut, Turn On the Bright Lights.
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The show tonight reminded be of how great the New York City rock scene truly is. Interpol, a dark, brooding, yet well-versed band alongside newcomers, Sunflower Bean fresh out of the Brooklyn DIY scene. Although both are different, they both are part of Renaissances within rock music. It’s truly unfathomable how important these rock Renaissances are and thanks to pivotal bands like Interpol and bands that are keeping the flame alive like Sunflower Bean, we will continue to witness this rebirth of music and culture happen right before our eyes.

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Words + Photos by Ava Butera

Brendon Urie and his band Panic! at the Disco. Always changing. Always evolving. All for the better, especially when it comes to live performance. 

Since the departures of guitarist Ryan Ross, Bassist Jon Walker and drummer Spencer Smith- it’s down to Lead vocalist / Songwriter Brendon Urie to carry all things Panic! by his lonesome.

And that he does in spades, what with a second stop in Rosemont (Chicago) since back in the fall of 2018, on his “Pray for the Wicked” tour.
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It’s basically the same show since the first time around, but with some tweaks and extra polish- more to add in regards to the Las Vegas glitz and showmanship throughout.

The screaming kids don’t mind, with parents in tow, what with his wholesome sense of humor and obvious good looks: a boy next door who makes it big and doesn’t forget his roots or where he comes from.