The Psychedelic Furs

The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall is a former church converted to music venue. It's a little small and seating was composed of folding chairs. The concession area was separated from the hall by a couple of curtains and there was a lot of noise from people at the concession area laughing and shouting during Royston Langdon's opening that was really distracting. Additionally, the speakers could have been toned down for the small size of the venue as the volume was on the verge of painful for those of us that were in proximity to the stage.

That said...

The show was fantastic. Royston Langdon opened and I was very impressed. His voice was amazing. I had never heard his music before and was pleasantly surprised by how good he was. He did a number of songs from his album 'Leeds' and finished his set with an absolutely beautiful cover of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity'.

What can I say about The Psychedelic Furs? I've seen several bands from the 80's in the past few years and been saddened by how much their lead singer's voices has deteriorated over the years.

That certainly isn't the case for The Psychedelic Furs. They sound just like they did back in the 80's. It's almost as if the past (almost 40!) years didn't exist. Lead singer Richard Butler's distinctive voice is more mature than it used to be but he basically sounds just like he did back in the heyday of the band. Richard danced and moved around the stage with all the energy and joyfulness of a 20-year-old which is amazing since he turns 63 in June!! He's still having fun and obviously loves what he does.

Guitarist Rich Good pumped out some blistering solos during the concert that brought back memories of going home with my ears ringing following concerts back in the 80's.

Saxophone player Mars Williams put on one hell of a show. Sax was present in so many of the 80's classic hits and Williams showed us the incredible sound that a true professional can wring out of the instrument. I brought my 17-year-old daughter to the show and she had never heard saxophone played live. She was wide-eyed and jaw dropped as he played through several solos. It was gratifying to introduce her to what a real band sounds like in this age of auto-tuned committee-produced junk.

Bottom Line: If you already love The Psychedelic Furs, you won't be disappointed. If you don't love them, go see them anyway, you'll learn to love them.

Awesome performance. Richard Butler's voice is still strong as ever; he was casual, comfortable, yet gave a fantastic performance, as did the entire band. PFs played both singles and b-sides - that was an unexpected surprise: "India" to "Heartbrake Beat". Lots of saxophone! Concert reminded me of their '84 tour. We sat in Row 6 - very close given we only bought tickets last week (!). Lively crowd - full of PF fans. Venue is small and quaint - perfect place for PS to perform. Looked like a near sell-out crowd. Accoustics were fine - mixing was a bit "rough", but then again, the band's talent and execution of every song was obvious. They were so relaxed, and weren't afraid to improvise on occasion. Again, loved the non-single selections - though I did miss "Sister Europe" and "Here Come Cowboys" - perhaps they played those and orhersy@ different FL venues. So a 100% or 5-star rating for one hell of a show from one of my favorite bands!

The opening band bash& pop came out and played one song and the guitarist singer had a hissy fit because his guitar was not tuned. He said he would have to sing without guitar. He cursed and swore and threw his guitar on the ground..they gave him another guitar and he played for a minute and had another hissy fit and left the stage..the remaining band members played one song without him and left...so much for the show must go on...he sucks..........don't come back now you hear....
The furs played excellent and hit after hit made the show well worth the wait. It brought back many good memories of the past.I really enjoyed the sax and all members played well. He sang his heart out and made me feel good to hear him after many years since I saw them before. The war on drugs and the lcd soundsystem are coming up soon for me.
I am happy I saw the furs again, they have a way of making me feel good. good vibe

Richard Butler's growling, raspy voice grabs me and pulls me in. The sax (Mars Williams) and guitar (Rich Good) are trading lead, tossing beautiful lines of music into the air. Every note from the bass guitar (Tim Butler) is as loud as the drummer's bass kick-drum, producing a wall of sound which is comforting and at the same time, ominous. You can feel the bass notes hitting you in the chest and gut, while the sax and guitar make it impossible to stand still and the lyrics grab your mind.
Rich Butler's lyrics and the bass-driven sound go beyond the nihilistic raw energy of punk; they absorb that, and then take on the complex nuances of real relationships. When I listen to "Love My Way" I know what they mean, what they are feeling, and I feel it, but I can't explain it. There is a dreamy quality to some of the songs which just carry me away. And they rock. See them every time you get a chance.

Ok to start I want to say I'm a huge fan I have all their Cd's, all the Love Spit Love cds and Richard's solo work, I even bought the Charmed soundtrack just to get Richard Butler's version of How Soon is Now.
I have seen the band 4 times and this concert was sort of disappointing. The song selection was good, band was tight, crowd was great it should have been awesome.
However the sound sucked, it was muddy from where I stood maybe 20 feet stage left from the band. Richard's vocals seemed to come and go as if the sound mixer was having issues. Sound was slightly better when we moved more to the center
I love the band and would go and see them again in a heartbeat and buy any new music they put out(hint, hint).
So maybe next time they have their A game.

The venue was great. Even though I was towards the back of the theatre it was small enough that I was still comfortably close.
The opening act had a good voice but was very monotonous sounding. He only played about 40 minutes.
The Furs were awesome! They played most of the most well know songs and a few lesser known songs. I knew all but about 3. They sounded great and Richard Butler’s voice hasn’t changed.
I felt like I was transported back to my teenage days. My only complaint was that the Furs only played for an hour. But, my ticket was only $35+booking fees so it was a really inexpensive night of great entertainment. It left me giddy the rest of the night.

Great show! We've been to a few concerts of our old favorites and this was definitely the best in that category. I've loved the Psychedelic Furs since my college days but had lost track of them until they came to town. This show gave me fresh appreciation for this band. Great performers, great talent. And now I'll put them on my regular listening list again!
As for the venue I definitely prefer the Norva to the convocation center at ODU. It is a much more user-friendly and comfortable venue. Even though it's mostly standing at the Norva the seats at the convocation center are so uncomfortable and standing is awkward. I would choose the Norva any day. Thanks!

Absolutely delightful show. Even better than I had hoped it would be. The band was obviously having a blast performing, very energetic, animated and interactive with the audience, as well as one another.

And the lead singer was on point! Very personable and engaging, as well as professional. Had a great report with the crowd and chatted between songs.

Wonderful stage presence all around and a real treat to see live after all these years.

I would definitely see them again if I get the chance and will recommend them to anyone.

It was a wonderful performance by the Psychedelic Furs, although the opening group was awful, extremely noisy and unpleasant, I had to leave my seat and wait until they were finished, they really gave me a headache. overall it was worth going to because of the Psychedelic Furs and Richard Butler. I was especially impressed with the way that they moved through their songs, efficiently and dramatic. This is the first time I've ever seen the Psychedelic Furs, but after this show it won't be my last.

I first saw the Psychedelic Furs in the early 1980's...and I have seen them as recently as last year. They never disappoint.
The brothers Butler are remarkable, Richard with that unmistakable voice...and Tim laying down those haunting bass lines.
A super tight band, with Keyboards, Sax and Guitars they are now playing mostly small venues and colleges. If you have the opportunity, get out and see the Furs...a band that will never get old!