The Devil & the Universe, Dareshack. Dec 2nd 2023. Support from Vanilla Sugar and Dead Lights
Vanilla Sugar opens up the night. With bright pink hair she may seem out of place compared to the rest of the night’s lineup but it works. It’s as if a pop punk princess took a wrong turn at Industrial Metal Avenue and mugged some dance music that wandered in after her. A change from the last time she was over in the UK the lead singer, Jessica Perry, has drafted in the clown from IT to act as DJ and added some live guitar to the show. As a result it seems more rounded and entertaining. One thing that is certain though is that she’s definitely enjoying being back in the UK and on stage, when not growling out her lyrics she’s grinning from ear to ear. It’s an infectious enthusiasm that gets the crowd dancing along.
Dead Lights are up next, a project from Mr Strange’s singer Saul, and Dutch drummer Richard van Kruysdijk. They put on a great show of gothic industrial music, with Saul strutting the dark stage with his light up cane. It gives the whole event an ethereal atmosphere, as Saul lights up his face like a ghoul in the night. The highlight has to be their new track I Am Electric that goes down a storm. It’s definitely one of the highlights of the night and they show that they’re a must see band on the live circuit for next year.
They may look like a Star Wars inspired Morrissey tribute act (The Siths), in long black robes, but these Austrian pagan industrialists are very much their own thing. It’s a set of goat themed industrial music, as The Devil & the Universe tour their Goatopia album from 2022 on their New Blood Tour. The goat masks come off fairly early on, at one point being held high in the air like a religious totem. They also only have 2 of the 3 members on stage with them, but it doesn’t really matter as it’s synth heavy music with samples from film and TV overlayed. The most recognisable sample must be from Night Of The Demon, the same sample used by Kate Bush on Hounds Of Love. Ashley Dayour more than makes up for it though as he plays guitar and drums like he’s possessed. Given the supernatural themes of the band maybe he is.
Words and Photos: Mark Bestford
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Vanilla Sugar
Dead Lights
The Devil & the Universe
