Bauhaus Gotham CD

Bauhaus: Daniel Ash (vocals, guitar); David J. (vocals, bass); Peter Murphy (vocals); Peter Haskins (drums).
Recorded live at the Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, New York in 1998.
Audio Mixer: Joe Barresi.
Recording information: Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, NY (1998).
After years of fruitless wishing on the part of Bauhaus fans worldwide, while Peter Murphy pursued a solo career and the remaining three members scored their own successes with various solo and group efforts, the announcement of a reunion tour caught nearly everyone by surprise. By the time the punningly titled Gotham was recorded at, indeed, a New York City concert, the reunited band was ripping through their sets with an energy and sense of drama which most late-'90s acts would have given their eyeteeth for. Despite a set list generally devoid of surprises, the old live fire evident on Press the Eject and Give Me the Tape was easily reconjured here, with vicious takes on "In the Flat Field," "Kick in the Eye," and "Ziggy Stardust" some of the many highlights. Murphy is in fine voice throughout, subtly altering some lyrics to project his more positive, spiritual outlook on life while losing none of the original impact; Ash, David J and Haskins, well seasoned by their nearly two decades worth of playing experience together, are never content to simply be Murphy's backing band in turn. The foursome tackle quieter numbers with grace and restraint as well, including a marvelous "Hollow Hills" and a new cover version, a take on Dead Can Dance's "Severance," given a stately, majestic performance and a deeply affecting Murphy vocal (a studio version appears at the end of the album). As the signal for Bauhaus' unexpected rebirth, Gotham is both a fine souvenir for fans and a great reminder of just how wonderful the band was and is. ~ Ned Raggett
As the crowd shuffles in, the various freaks and weirdos who lovingly come out for their favorite band turn to the camera man and make comments about the long-awaited reunion of the grandfathers of goth rock. One by one, fans describe how they never thought it would happen -- how it seemed near impossible. Many of the fans are barely as old as Bauhaus' first single, if not younger. And as the cameras find their way into New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom, the big question is how Bauhaus can live up to their legendary status without seeming too pretentious about their approach. The lights go out, the stage is illuminated with bizarre spotlights, and then a video screen of Peter Murphy's head appears as the throbbing strains of "Double Dare" kick in. And for the entirety of the song, Murphy's gaunt face looms over the crowd as he moans the lyrics like the ghost of a band long disappeared. "I dare you to be real," he gasps to the audience, "to touch a flickering flame!" And the crowd goes out of their minds for it, giving the video as much electricity and manic energy as a recorded live performance can. When Murphy gets on-stage after the opening number, the camera pans around to show the oddly youthful crowd losing their minds for the true Thin White Duke. Murphy obviously still looks up to David Bowie, as he looks much like the Let's Dance incarnation of the famed musical chameleon, except slightly more vampiric. The rest of the band looks all the world like actual rock stars, dressed up somewhere between CIA agents and the New York Dolls. Their thrashing and jumping around is a nice contrast to the stoic approach of their frontman, proving that the years in Love and Rockets added a lot of valuable lessons in stage presence. What is striking about their performance here isn't so much that they can still play the songs; everyone from the Sex Pistols to Black Sabbath have reunited and at least remembered the hits. What Bauhaus manages to do is add a sharp, charismatic edge to the material that is rarely present in goth music. They were never truly a goth band; despite their status as such, they were always moreQ (3/00, p.116) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...the compressed uptempo highlights....sparkle and twitch with energy and camp theatricality, whilst the crowd favorites 'She's In Parties' and a marathon 'Bela Lugosi's Dead' are a testament to the band's moody dry-ice splendor."
Uncut (1/00, p.89) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...This sleekly-packaged live double, recorded across the States, suitably conveys their stark sense of frozen drama..."
CMJ (11/29/99, p.26) - "...recorded during the band's triumphant 1998 reunion tour, and features nearly every classic Bauhaus song its black-cloaked fans could ask for."
Mojo (Publisher) (2/00, p.93) - "...it's a 'best of' live, brilliantly played, stuffed with doomy Sabbathisms, glam Bowieisms...a bit of stolen Doors, and innumerable highlights....it makes you nostalgic for the 80s. Honest."