DeJaVu Tour brings back memories
Also, great things can happen on small stages. Respectable Street is a smaller venue in West Palm Beach. It’s small but with an already rich history. It’s the longest-running nightclub/music venue in Southeast Florida. It was housed in a former Salvation Army building from 1923 and over the years has hosted over 1000 bands including (now) big names like The Misfits and The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
This Sunday bands from the UK performed. And that they came from the UK was pretty clear as to why every band name was added UK as an extension. The visit was planned without knowing that this was actually a tour of these 3 bands. It obviously started in 20222 as the ‘original’ name was DeJaVu 2022 tour…something happened ? …and it turned into the 2023 Tour.
Maybe somebody pushed the wrong button on the time machine as this was truly a Time and Place travelling experience. When the first band started, I felt myself after a few minutes teleported from West Palm Beach 2023 to Europe 1983. Yes, I understand where the DeJaVu title came from, as for sure with your eyes closed or traditional looking at the floor there was recognition and ‘I have been/seen/felt’ this before.
It was Theatre of Hate (UK) that came first to the stage. The monotone bass started ‘’Angels with Dirty Faces’’ and the band was able to get the time travel going. Especially when their big hit ‘’Do You Believe In the Westworld’’ hit the floor the tone was set and the evening was good.
Next was Chameleons (UK). This Manchester post-punk band still led by Mark Burgess kicked off with ‘’Don’t Fall’’. The song immediately is the reminder that they are more rock ‘oriented’ with a danceable upbeat sound. A song like “Up the Down Escalator” made you rethink the teenage struggles from many years ago with the line in this song: ‘There must be something wrong boys’. A pure, solid and no-bullshit performance bringing back 40-year-old memories, emotions and feelings. The sound is sometimes too digital and perfect… as things 40 years ago were not always.
The DJ in between sets, started to set the mood for the headliner playing The Sisters Of Mercy. The band that Wayne Hussey left as a guitar player to start his own band was the lead singer of The Mission (UK). The Mission brings all together: post-punk, goth and (all kinds of) rock. A perfect performance with songs like ‘Deliverance’ and of course ‘Wasteland’. After the announcement of ‘now a really old song’ and performing ‘Dance on Glass’’…I felt very young for a moment.
At the end of the gig, they used their dry UK humour to ‘stage’ a ‘going off the stage’ act and inform the crowd to ask them back for an encore. This is ‘really’ going backstage was a little inconvenient and for show anyway was stated. Ending the evening with their amazing song “Tower Of Strength”: ‘You raise me up when I’m on the floor. You see me through when I’m lonely and scared’.
Scotty beam me up, but let me come back sometimes.
Photo’s (c) Rob Piosik
