Los Angeles Times (8.13.02)

Pop Music Review;
Siouxsie and the Banshees Fervently Reconnect

LINA LECARO, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

After getting snarled in record company red tape seven years ago, Siouxsie and the Banshees suffered a creative collapse.

Though lead singer Siouxsie Sioux and drummer-husband Budgie continued to make music, most notably in one of their previous incarnations as the Creatures, it was the mournful mysticism of the Banshees that the goth goddess' loyal black-clad legions continued to crave.

This year the band reunited with Banshees bassist Steve Severin for the "Seven Year Itch Tour" and, after a few shows around the globe, including a stop at April's Coachella Arts and Music Festival, the band made a triumphant return Sunday at the Hollywood Palladium.

Unlike the Coachella show, where Sioux received mixed reviews for largely ignoring Banshee hits and being somewhat disconnected with fans, Sunday's performance was full of ecstatic interaction and fervently rendered favorites.

While the Banshees' music is characterized by dark, often languid melodies and gloomy atmospherics, it never felt like a cliche. A svelte and seemingly ageless Sioux was gleeful and radiant on Sunday, kneeling on the edge of the stage to meld with the crowd as she laid her sultry, signature croon on hits such as "Christine" and "Cities in Dust."

The band didn't reveal any new material, but its rapturous set proved that its range and exotic take on the gothic genre remain bewitching.

Contributed by Jerry Burch.