Photo by Greg Cristman
Gregory R. Cristman

Psychic TV, Bryin Dall & Cult of Youth @ Europa (pics, setlists)

words by Lauren Jackson, photos by Greg Cristman

Psychic TV @ Europa
Psychic TV

Psychic TV assembled something of a hodgepodge of people sporting vampire fangs, black clothing and, of course, a fair share of pale, sad faces at Europa on December 15th (one of three December PTV shows. The other two were in Chicago and Austin).

An attendee with no previous knowledge of their legacy might think they were in for a dark and dismal performance, but this latest manifestation of the experimental outfit was undoubtedly more colorful than the people in attendance. Although the band played a set of entirely new songs, the crowd (and I, alike) thoroughly enjoyed the psychedelic spectacle on stage. Through guitar solos and graphic projections, the focal point of the set was always on Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, the only remaining original member.

Genesis conducted the band like a cult ceremony – frenetic at times with vaguely epileptic gestures, and subtle at others. They performed all new “deeply psychedelic” material. Pairing that along with Genesis’ heavy presence and ten minute guitar solos, it was easy to fall into a trance. Watching them perform, I was hardly aware of where I was or what was going on, but kept focus solely on how elastic the music sounded.

It was a peculiar follow to the two opening bands, Cult of Youth and Bryin Dall. The night started strong with Cult of Youth performing an impassioned neofolk set that felt more like a sermon than a performance, thanks to frontman Sean Ragon. That fire sputtered a bit with the solo set by Genesis’s Thee Majesty band-mate Bryin Dall, but came back strong during the Psychic TV experience.

I suspect it’s not the Psychic TV many hoped to see, but the night left me satisfied.

More pictures and setlists, below…

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Cult of Youth

Bryin Dall

Bryin Dall

Bryin Dall

Bryin Dall

Bryin Dall

Bryin Dall

Bryin Dall

Bryin Dall

Bryin Dall

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Psychic TV

Cult Of Youth Setlist:
Cats
Freedom path
Golden Age
New West
Cold Black Earth
Pole-Star
EihwaPsychic TV
Devil’s Coals
Fela Kuti
Thriller

Bryin Dall Setlist:
The Life And Death Of Jordan (World premiere- live soundtrack)