The Cult, who are from Bradford, Yorkshire, first formed as a metal, gothic revivalist band influenced by Native American culture. Founding member Ian Astbury had been in a band named Southern Death Cult, so he called his new group Death Cult. The group changed its name to The Cult in 1984. During the mid-1980s, the band began to gain a following in the UK, performing as a gothic rock/post-punk outfit.
They broke into the mainstream in the United States in the 1980s, as a hard rock band. Their first album, “Dreamtime,” spawned “Spiritwalker,” which hit No. 1 on the UK Indie Chart. “Love,” their 1985 second album, was popular, and in 1987 they released “Electric,” which brought them even greater success. This album included the smash “Love Removal Machine.” With the release of “Electric,” the outfit added hard rock to their post-punk sound to create a unique style.
The group has broken up and reunited several times, and has released ten albums, dropping their latest, “Hidden City,” in 2016. A review says:
“Best gig I’ve been to in a while, really slick sound and loads of energy. Ian Astbury’s vocal was incredible had the audience jumping through a succession of crowd-pleasers.”
The Cult will be at Humphrey’s by the Bay on May 11. When this type of event is scheduled, organizers can use poster printing to create appropriate advertising.