Echo & the Bunnymen Revel in The Dark

Echo & the Bunnymen
Moore Theater, Seattle, WA
09.23.16

A cult following, a 35+ year history, a post-punk icon; English rock band Echo & The Bunnymen stopped in at Seattle’s historic Moore Theatre for a set that pleased all the aging hipsters in attendance. Well into their third decade, with only two remaining original members in front man Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant, the band proved capable of still putting on a rousing and tight set, a bit of a throwback to when the music really was just about the music, not the flashy light show.

The night opened with Ester Drang, an Oklahoma-based quartet putting out melodic, psychedelic, sort of lighter-Explosions In The Sky-esque, but with actual lyrics. While much of the crowd was still drinking in the lobby, they missed out on their great shoegazey reverb.

But on to the Bunnies. Wearing sunglasses and hugging the mic with both hands, McCulloch lit a cigarette and started in on “Going Up,” from their 1980 debut Crocodiles. The stage was spare other than a giant red rabbit projected behind the band, and the crowd rushed to the front, dancing in their seats and the aisles, cheering loudly as the band worked the opening chords of each of the band’s hits.

McCulloch gave off the impression he’s a rebel type, despite his suit jacket and button up shirt, with his hair in a sort of spiky mullet. The four-piece band supporting him and Sergeant was strong, one guitarist playing rhythm while the other jammed out a more high-pitched, psychedelic sound. Between songs McCulloch walked back by the drummer for a drink (sometimes even during lyrical breaks).

The crowd was cheering for a good five minutes before the band returned to the stage for the desired encore – the first of two – and McCulloch came on stage calling for all the front lights on him to be turned off. From the dark, the medley-style encore featured covers of Lou Reed’s “Walk on The Wild Side,” Wilson Pickett’s “In The Midnight Hour,” and McCulloch tossing a couple of cigarettes to the crowd before launching into “Lips Like Sugar.”

A knotted towel punted into the audience, extended, psychedelic versions, and the mellow, slow-hand-wave-inducing “Ocean Rain” closed out the night.

Echo & The Bunnymen Set List
Going Up
Do It Clean
Crocodiles
All That Jazz
Seven Seas
Bedbugs & Ballyhoo
In The Margins
Rescue
All My Colors (Zimbo)
Over the Wall
Never Stop
Villiers Terrace/Roadhouse Blues
Bring On the Dancing Horses
My Kingdom
The Killing Moon
The Cutter