Goth aficionados flew in like bats out of a cave last night to pay homage to the genre’s originators as Bauhaus made their first stop of two in San Francisco. The Masonic couldn’t have been a better place for it, since the venue has welcomed some legendary 80s/90s pop icons as of late. Blondie, for example, played there the week before and Peaches a couple of nights ago.
To say that it is rare to see Bauhaus in concert is an understatement. While it is true that singer Peter Murphy has ventured out on his own regularly while Bauhaus was on hiatus, to see the band as a whole with all the original members is a ghoulish treat to be savored. The reunion was first slated back in 2020 but had been postponed because of Covid much to the chagrin of the band and fans around the world.
It’s no wonder then why they’d arrived early to get prime seating as well as a taste of the opener that night, Vinsantos. But it wasn’t until the end of his set when the lights went dark that the anticipation grew and grew, then became unbearable. One by one Peter Murphy and Daniel Ash appeared out of the dark like two vampires in the night and the ceremony began.
They kicked things off with the John Cale cover of “Rosegarden Funeral Sores,” a notable selection that warmed us all up for what was in store. “Double Dare” hit ferociously after with some powerful vocals and heavy riffage from Daniel Ash. “In the Flat Fields” featured some lightning-fast drumming by Kevin Haskins, while all along David J held the bottom on bass without skipping a beat.
An assortment of classics followed suit including an epic rendition of “Bela Legosi’s Dead.” For the encore, a few covers including a version of “Ziggy Stardust” by Bowie, which brought the house down and sent all the hungry bloodsuckers on their way home.
It’s rare to see bands at this age playing as well if not better than they did in their youth. Bauhaus is like a fine wine that’s aged gracefully and tastes better today than when they first made their way onto the scene back in the late 70s.
Photos by Louis Raphael
