2023 appears to be a goth renaissance for America, specifically with so many veteran and new bands touring the states after years unable to do so due to Covid. Clan of Xymox was one such band that came out of the shadows to tour again, after their 2020 American tour was canceled mid-way as Covid swept the states. If you’re unfamiliar with Clan of Xymox they are a Dutch band that first formed in 1981, and gained some success in America. Specifically they found success with college radio play, club success, and some MTV music video plays of three singles from their 1989 album ‘Twist of Shadows’ including ‘Obsession’, ‘Blind Hearts’, and most successfully ‘Imagination’.
On this tour Clan of Xymox is touring 30+ cities in North America, and I was able to see them on their first ever Nashville stop, with Bellhead and The Bellweather Syndicate opening, when they played at Eastside Bowl to a near-capacity crowd.
Bellhead hails from Chicago and kicked off the set with a raucous collection of songs that covered everything from ‘snuff films’ to ‘unicorn bones’. Uniquely the band consists of two members, Karen and Ivan, who both play bass guitar with accompaniment from a drum machine. Their stage presence was pretty incredible considering the size of the band, and they set the energy high for the evening.
The Bellweather Syndicate took the stage next looking very ‘trad goth’ with smart black outfits that could have come straight from the Matrix films. William Faith, known also for his work in Faith and the Muse, March Violets, and Christian Death, fronts the band with his wife Sarah Rose Faith. Despite also (mostly) hailing from Chicago, it was clear they had a developed fan base in Nashville who knew their songs inside out. The Bellweather Syndicate took the audience on a gothic rock journey playing a mix of their dark alternative post-punk tracks, a shoegaze track sung by Sarah for good measure, and a cover of David Bowie’s ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’. Despite being technically an ‘opener’, it was as if they headlined with the love and adoration shown to the band.
Of course, Clan of Xymox, goth legends and darkwave progenitors, were the main headliners for the evening and they came out looking like the veterans they are with pure gothic style from their hair to their toes. Ronny Mooring, lead singer and sole original member, was joined by Sean Goebel keys and backing vocals, Mario Usai guitar and bass, Daniel Hoffmann on FX & Sequencer.
They kicked their set off with ‘Stranger’, which includes a dramatic musical intro that highlighted their instrumental chops, before Moorings joined in with his booming baritone. Moorings shortly thereafter played Louise to the crowd’s delight, and when Mooring asked the audience “And who was her daughter?”, after a resounding Emily from behind me was shouted at by a fan, they launched into ‘Emily’. This kicked off the first half of the set, which included additional highlights including ‘Your Kiss’, ‘Jasmine and Rose’, and ‘Lovers’.
In between these songs, and the entire set, Moorings was delightful in his conversation. He discussed Nashville hotels, and the creepy crawly surprise he found waiting for him in his, along with some curiosity if ‘Y’all’ was still en vogue. Despite the moody nature of the music, Mooring’s charm was incredibly upbeat, even when discussing the delays due to Covid, as he was just thankful we could all convene in this moment together.
Following a few more selections from their career, including ‘She’, ‘Spider on the Wall’, and ‘Loneliness’, the band wrapped up their main set and departed the stage. After some enthusiastic chants from the crowd, the band returned for an encore with ‘Obsession’ and ‘Muscoviet Mosquito’, the latter of which had been yelled out by fans at various times throughout the night.
To our surprise the band left and then returned for a second encore, and this time they played a couple more tracks, including their newest song ‘Lockdown’, which was directly inspired by their experience in lockdown during Covid. They wrapped up with a thanks to Nashville, for hosting them on their first visit to the city, along with a promise to return in the future.
