Star Hits ('86)

Concert

Siouxsie and The Banshees

Radio City Music Hall, New York

Siouxsie at Radio City Music Hall? Sometime home to Liberace's piano??! The Rockettes must be shaking in their L'Eggs pantyhose at the sight of all the mohawks, spiked hair and religious symbols of all types worn side by side. And of course, all these creatures of the night are draped in varying shades of chartruese. Har! Just kidding. About seven and a half people in the audience are *not* dressed in black, and four of them are the Banshees.

Appearing onstage with no warning, there they are! A pregnant pause is allowed for everyone to take in Siouxsie's ensemble: a floor-length white fur with black spots and black and white feather mask. Before a single note is plonked, Siouxsie lets the coat drop dramatically to the floor as the first drops of "Cities In Dust" hit the cheering mass of hair-er, fans.

Siouxsie is her usual trend-breaking, stylish self-hair teased up into a black cloud and encased in a purple catsuit and shiny white jacket, she pony-prances about the stage while letting loose that hoarse flute of a voice. She doesn't look like any other woman around, and her "vocal stylizations" make her even more a creature than a girly-girl (Example: "SEEEE-ya-taaayys"="cities"; "Duuuuh-OOOOOOOST"="dust").

The Banshees are no bimbos-knowing that a band can get swallowed up by the hugatrocious Rad' City stage (it took *months* to find all the Simple Minds), they've opted to take a small, club-sized section, drape it in pink and purple lit curtains and let two mirror balls and Siouxsie's voice splash from first row to top mezzanine for "Sweetest Chill."

Siouxsie and mad bass whacker Severin slide between songs from their latest Tinderbox album and old screamfests like "Pulled To Bits," "Christine," and "Arabian Knights." That eerie homewrecker "Happy House" brings the beast out of normally harmless handpuppets, who do a demonic jig atop the stage amps. Even though Siouxsie sings about suicide, melting, and swimming in poison, there seems to be a glimmer of hope sliding through John Carruthers' dust storm guitar.

Also sliding are most of the audience-off their seats, that is, since Rad City chairs are plush and cushioned and not too easy to dance on-aaaaiiiieeee!(splat). But drummer Budgie's beat is irresistable and worth a tumble.

Not saying much in order to preserve *that* voice, Sioux nevertheless gives thanks for their first encore-"So you want more punishment?-the thundering "Spellbound." Even though people fall and almost break their hair and the person in the next seat has B.O., Siouxsie and the Banshees are spellbinders indeed.

Siouxzan Colon