Echo & The Bunnymen at Mercury Lounge: A Show of Strength

Echo & The Bunnymen at Mercury Lounge, 10.17.09

With a career spanning over 30 years, Liverpool’s Echo & The Bunnymen are polished industry vets, icons and heroes to some of today’s greatest. Fact. I was first exposed to E&TB through two of the greatest films ever Pretty in Pink and The Lost Boys and since then have held them in high esteem as instrumental figures to one of the most important decades of our time: The 80’s.

Nearly three decades into their career, original band members Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant made their rounds on the festival circuit this year and released the new album The Fountain this month. One local stop on the festival tour was at the All Points music festival in August but we unfortunately did not make it to their set due to the harsh monsoon-like weather experienced that day. We however received a stroke of luck this past Saturday when E&TB played the ultra intimate 250 person capacity lower-east side venue Mercury Lounge!

Brooklyn’s ZAZA opened the show with about 3 songs before E&TB took the stage to play a heavenly 1 hour + set. Lead singer Ian McCulloch’s voice sounded absolutely pristine over the strums and drums of the band. The gig was mesmerizing, with friendly fans old and new reveling in McCulloch’s stage presence and frequent banter. Personal highlights included Dancing Horses, Killing Moon,  The Cutter, Nothing Lasts Forever, and the cover of Lou Reed’s Take a Walk on the Wild Side. Unfortunately due to what I assume to be time constraints Lips Like Sugar was omitted.

If you missed them this time around, E&TBM will play Hammerstein Ballroom on November 22nd. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

MP3: Echo & The Bunnymen – People are Strange or zShare

MP3: Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring on the Dancing Horses (Extended Mix) or zShare