What does it sound like?:
ToH, ToH, ToH, ToH, ToH. 5 live albums from 1981 to 2012, one unreleased from 1982. And they all sound very good. Driving drums, impassioned vocals, wailing saxophones… the thing is though, that there are 5 albums. Similar set lists, similar presentation. It gets a bit samey. The early three are slightly rougher around the edges, and all the better for that. The recent two are a bit better recorded. But it is hard to tell one from another. Which means they are consistent, but if you want multiple live CDs you want some progression and variation (like with Talking Heads, or even Lorde help us Grateful Dead). Three songs are on all 5 CDs (Legion, 63 and Incinerator), and four on 4 – Incinerator is even there six times.
But they are very good songs and its very enjoyable. If you’ve heard one ToH song you know what you are going to get. If I had to pick one show I’d go for Leeds 1981 because I was there, but better is Berlin 1981 (the two initially released albums) because it is slightly more polished and it has Westworld on it. To be honest any of them would be fine.
Kurt’s voice has stood up well to a rather demanding style and he was still in fine form in 2012. The band has changed a bit as described in a booklet of short interviews. I had forgotten/never knew that Billy Duffy was in ToH en route from Morrissey to The Cult.
What does it all *mean*?
Theatre of Hate were a great night out, and it sounds like they still are. They are on tour in October and if they were near me I’d be going.
Goes well with…
Peroxide hair and post punk attitudes.
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
Strong drums, wailing vocals, wailing saxes, dodgy symbolism, Spear of Destiny.
Nice review. You make me wish that Lorde would help me.
I saw them 10 times, they were a great live band, and it was Kirk wailing away and those loud, loud, loud tribal drums that distinguished them from other bands. I suspect that a live recording wouldn’t do it justice. The gigs were edgy with always a threat of violence and at West Runton Pavilion in Norfolk a riot. It was scary. I had a decent quality bootleg cassette of them live at the Lyceum – which I was almost certainly at – so I’m guessing that is one of the albums as I don’t remember any official live albums by them.
Apparently there are LOADS of live albums. These are Leeds Warehouse 1981, Berlin 1981, Manchester 2007, Bristol 2012 (all previously released) and the bonus Brussels 1982. I should have made that clearer
Is the Brussells bonus worth it?
Ha @paulwright I did the Westworld super deluxe extended edition review here and felt I’d done my time with the TOHers. Well done for getting through all five.