2005

DEAD CAN DANCE

Date: March 9, 2005
Location: Olympia Theatre, Dublin IE

This was the  first concert for Lisa and Brendan on a tour of Europe which will encompass France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, Russia, Latvia and England. As always with a group like this there are various dates in various French and German cities but anyone on the UK mainland has to travel to London or abroad.  Why do these groups never remember NOT EVERYONE LIVES IN LONDON!  If they are going to play such small theatres, I think they should go provincial!

In order to get myself to this concert I had to drive about 170 miles from Lincolnshire to Liverpool in England, catch a flight from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to Dublin and then get from the airport to Olympia. Total cost of travelling to and from the concert was approximately £90.00 (EURO 130.00). That's more than 3x the amount I paid for the ticket (EURO 38.50 / UKP 26.90).... and that was travelling on the cheap flights!

The doors opened at approximately 19.15. There was no support band. Dead Can Dance came on stage at 20.50.  With the equipment that had to be setup I can understand why there was no support band though. It was not a case of just plugging in a guitar to the amp. There was more than the average amount of drums to set up!

The concert lasted for over two hours and included songs from all stages of Dead Can Dance's evolution. Waves Become Wings from the 1984 This Mortal Coil album, with Brendan Perry playing the Yang Ch'in and Enigma Of The Absolute from 1985's Spleen and Ideal though to Song Of The Stars from Spirit Chaser.  Favourites such as American Dreaming, Severance, Black Sun & The Ubiquitous Mr Lovegrove were all there. Sadly missing were The Carnival Is Over and In Power We Entrust The Love Advocated but heh, I can't have it all! There were a number of new tracks too.  There were also three, yes three encores.  Did they think that they could get away with only one after having been away for so long???

There were a few first-night-nerves; The lighting guy just wasn't on the same planet as the band. He would fade up the spotlight on Lisa Gerard half way through a song but I'm sure by the end of the tour he will know a few Dead Can Dance songs!

I personally thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Waves Become Wings, as always, virtually brought me to tears.

Afterwards I was lucky enough to catch Brendan Perry who thanked us for coming and was kind enough to sign my program. Lisa somehow managed to get past the few fans that had remained out in the cold for and hour and a half after the concert but was kind enough to sign our programs and paraphernalia from within the tour bus.

The  last time I went to a live concert was 1999 and unsurprisingly it was Brendan Perry's Eye Of The Hunter promotional tour in London's Scala Theatre.  The last time I was lucky enough to see Dead Can Dance was in 1985 when they played a three way gig with Dif Juz and Clan Of Xymox. I was 15 at the time!

I understand from Dead Can Dance website that Brendan and Lisa are planning to record together again later in the year.  There were a number of new songs in the programme tonight.

This concert was nearly ten years in the making...... and it was definitely worth the wait.

Welcome back Dead Can Dance.

Tour Merchandise:

Pictures: Page One Page Two Review