In the heart of Hobart, at an exclusive gig in Hobart at the very edge of the world in the middle of winter and under the enigmatic glow of Dark Mofo’s crimson lights, The Horrors delivered a performance that was nothing short of a sonic séance. The Odeon Theatre, steeped in history, became the crucible for this alchemical transformation, where gothic rock met industrial fervor, and the boundaries between performer and audience dissolved into a shared, transcendental experience.
Familiarity breeds content in the setlist: a veritable journey through the decades of work from the industrial rough house of their debut to the more nuanced later work. A band that has constantly reinvented themselves and disappeared for a number of years, the new line up perfectly capture that sense of controlled chaos and hair raising melodies that epitomises The Horrors.
Opening with ‘The Silence That Remains’, the band immediately set a tone of introspective intensity. Faris Badwan’s baritone vocals, both haunting and commanding, guided the audience through a labyrinth of soundscapes. The setlist, a carefully curated journey through their discography, included the hypnotic ‘Sea Within a Sea’, the pulsating ‘Endless Blue’, and the anthemic ‘Still Life’. Each track was a testament to the band’s evolution, blending their early garage rock roots with the textured layers of their recent work.
The performance was not just a concert but a manifestation of The Horrors’ artistic ethos. Their ability to weave together disparate elements—shoegaze, post-punk, synth-pop—into a cohesive and compelling narrative is unparalleled. The audience, enraptured, was taken on a journey that was as much about self-discovery as it was about the music.
The industrial muscle of the band live was intense and unexpected.
Badwan’s performance was mesmerising: a whirling dervish of movement, committed, passionate and exhorting like a deranged preacher, a ghostly wraith twisting and turning, posing and animated. The two new members Amelia “Millie” Kidd on keyboards, backing vocals and Jordan Cook on drums fitted seamlessly into the band, the latter working with Rhys Webb on bass to create an eviscerating rhythm section that blasted every corpuscle in my body.
As the final notes of ‘Something to Remember Me By’ echoed through the theatre, there was a palpable sense of catharsis. The Horrors had not just performed; they had transformed the Odeon into a sanctum of sound, leaving an indelible mark on all who were present.
Feature Photograph and Gallery: Arun Kendall
