New wave alt rock legends The Psychedelic Furs took the stage at the Met in Philadelphia to a sold-out crowd on Thursday night. Brothers Richard Butler (vocals) and Tim Butler (bass) were joined with their long-time collaborators and touring counterparts Mars Williams (saxophone), Amanda Kramer (keyboards), Rich Good (guitar), and Zachary Alford (drums). Who collectively performed a terrific blend of fan favorites from their forty plus year music catalogue.
For those in attendance, whether they were around for the initial release of hits like “Heaven” or “Pretty in Pink” or if they were introduced to them more recently, there was a powerful haze of 80’s nostalgia that swept amongst the crowd. However, the intelligent rich performance by these consummate rockers did not trap the audience in the past, but rather held them in the moment proving they are at their peak now more than ever. This was particularly apparent with the seamless inclusion of more recent powerful songs like “No-One” and “Wrong Train” both from the band’s Made of Rain album released in 2020.
This tour has been a co-headlining renaissance with another group of new wave British legends, Squeeze (@squeezeogram) who performed their own amazing set of power pop hits. The show in Philadelphia was an early stop on the tour and with several more opportunities to catch these amazing performers I highly recommend taking every advantage to see them live.
Next Stops on the Psychedelic Furs Tour
9/16 Cadence Bank Amp, Washington D.C.
9/17 Grand Ole Opry, Nashville TN
9/19 Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham NC
9/20 Virginia Credit Union LIVE!, Richmond VA
9/22 Brown County Music Center, Nashville IN
9/23 The Fillmore, Detroit MI
Review and Photography by: Craig Eidell