Entertainment Today (9.6.02-9.12.02)

by Stephen Rafael

The last time Siouxsie Sioux appeared in Los Angeles with the Banshees, she did not behave like a lady, much less a fabled Goth queen.

This was at the Wiltern Theatre, back in April of '95, where Sioux - hoarse, angry, and stuffed into an unflattering bodysuit - led her group through an uneven, expletive-filled set. Then, for a farewell, Sioux kicked Banshee guitarist Knox Chandler firmly in the ass and stormed off the stage. Eleven months later, to the surprise of no one, the members of Siouxsie and the Banshees issued a press release announcing their break-up…

Seven years after the Banshees' initial split, Sioux and company returned to Los Angeles, following a well-received reunion gig at Indio's Coachella Festival. This time, however, at the Hollywood Palladium, Sioux bid Los Angeles a more fitting and dignified "adieu."

Within minutes of taking the stage, Sioux reclaimed her status as a modern rock sex goddess - she looked stunning when she stripped down to a black-and-silver bikini top before the start of the second song, "Red Light." Meanwhile, the Banshees re-established themselves as a focused and determined musical force as well - the group played both their most obscure ("I Could Be Again," "Drop Dead/Celebration") and most familiar ("Kiss Them For Me," "Cities In Dust") songs to a rapturous audience. For Siouxsie and the Banshees, this comeback performance served as more than an overdue public redemption. Instead, it truly was a return to grace…