Bilbao (EFE).- The British band The Cult has unloaded tonight on the first day of the BBK Bilbao Music Legends festival all its hard rock energy in a nostalgic journey, through its classic songs, to the albums that consecrated the group in 80’s years.
The first day of the festival in which the guitars have had a special role in the main performances, first with the virtuoso ex-guitarist of the German band Scorpions, Uli Jon Roth, and later with the British The Cult, who have acted as headliners.
The British band led by singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy is on tour to present their latest album, “Under the midnight sun”, released last year and from which the public gathered at the Bilbao Arena have heard songs like ” Vendetta X” or “Mirror”.
Concert with a high load of nostalgia that has revolved around the first works of the group, published at the end of the eighties and that exalted The Cult, especially “Electric” (1987), from which six songs have been played, “Love ” (1985) and “Sonic Temple” (1989).
“Rise”, one of the few songs from the non-eighties repertoire that has played at the festival, has opened at the stroke of midnight and with some delay a performance characterized by the energy that the band has transmitted with each song to an audience that has enjoyed pure hard rock.
The “Sung king” has served for the followers of the group to return to 1989, to the iconic album “Sonic temple”, from which an extraordinary “Sweet soul sister” has also sounded; and with “King contrary man”, solid and vigorous, to the year 1987, when the British launched “Electric” on the market.
“Lil’ devil”, “Aprodisiac jacket” and “Wild flower” have also been played from that album, no less celebrated by those attending the festival than the songs from the album “Love” that The Cult has included in the concert: “Phoenix” and, especially, “Rain” and “She sells sanctuary” that preceded the inevitable encores.
That finale of the performance has had the energetic “Peace dog” and “Love removal machine” with which The Cult have said goodbye as legends to an audience that has enjoyed the vigorous and unmistakable voice of Ian Astbury and the frenetic guitar by Billy Duffy.
The festival has also had the guitar of the German Uli John Roth who was part of the first Scorpions, until he left the band just after recording that timeless classic that responds to the title of “Tokyo Tapes” and that he has recalled tonight at the Bilbao Arena.
From that first live album by the group led by Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker, published in 1978, Uli John Roth has played several songs such as “All night long”, with which he opened his performance, “We’ll burn the sky” , “In trance” or “Fly to the rainbow”, in which he has shown that he is still a virtuoso on the six strings.
Before these two performances, attendees have been able to enjoy the voice of the American Nikki Hill, who has offered a good dose of rock, blues and soul well wrapped up by her band in which her two guitarists have stood out: Matt Hill and Laura Chavez.
However, above the guitars, which have sometimes hidden Nikki Hill’s voice with their power, what has stood out has been the energy of the North American on songs like “Poisoning the well”, “Every time I see you I go wild”, “Don’t be the sucker” or “Holler out loud”.
This Saturday the 24th, the Vizcaya festival lives its second and last day in which the American singer Chris Isaak, with his unmistakable voice, heads the musical bill in which the British band The Waterboys also plays a relevant role.