Los Angeles, CA — Fans showed up ready for nostalgia and noise. Inside the Shrine Expo Hall, the lights dimmed, fog rolled in, and the crowd buzzed with excitement. Two words to describe The Cult’s show: energetic darkness. The night pulled the audience straight back to the eighties, with fans reliving their youth in different ways. Some were air-guitaring with a grin, while others stood quietly, letting the music wash over them. From the moment songs by The Cure and Depeche Mode filled the venue, it was clear this would be a good night.

The show opened with Patriarchy, who immediately caught everyone’s attention. Their eerie and theatrical style fit perfectly with the Halloween season. 

After that came Failure, a three-piece band from Los Angeles whose sound carried that classic rock edge that never really goes out of style. Both openers set the mood, but once The Cult took the stage, the energy in the room shifted completely.

The set was split into two parts, starting with Death Cult and then moving into The Cult. This format, part of their Death Cult 8525 Tour, traced the band’s history from their early post-punk roots to their powerful rock sound. Curtains covered the stage as the first notes of “Ghost Dance” began. The tension built until the curtains dropped, and the band everyone had been waiting for finally appeared.

Ian Astbury moved across the stage with confidence, tambourine in hand, rarely standing still. Billy Duffy’s guitar tone cut through the room with sharp clarity, while bassist Charlie Jones and drummer John Tempesta held down the rhythm with strength and precision. The lighting design stood out, flashing in time with the music and giving the performance a vivid, dreamlike feel. Astbury’s voice sounded as distinct and commanding as ever.

Between sets, a video sequence played to transition from Death Cult to The Cult. The visuals drew the crowd into another world before the band returned with “Wild Flower.” From that moment on, the energy never dipped. Hearing songs like “Edie (Ciao Baby)” live served as a reminder of why some tracks only come alive in person. The way the crowd sang along and the echo that filled the Shrine made it clear how much this band still means to people.

Astbury took time to connect with the audience, cracking jokes about the Dodgers and calling for MTV to make a comeback. His humor balanced the darker atmosphere of their music, showing the playful side behind all the intensity.

The stage lights shifted between purple, orange, green, and blue, each one matching the emotion of the songs. From the band’s early gothic moments to their hard rock anthems like “Fire Woman” and “Edie (Ciao Baby),” The Cult proved that their sound still carries the same pulse it had forty years ago.

This show at the Shrine felt different. It was the last stop of their North American tour and the final night before their announced break from touring. A week earlier, Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy told fans that the band would be stepping away for an undetermined time to focus on writing and new creative projects. They described it as a pause, not an ending. That knowledge gave the show a deeper sense of meaning. Every song felt like a shared moment between the band and their fans, a quiet acknowledgment of everything they’ve built together.

Even after four decades, The Cult still delivered something powerful. Watching them play felt both nostalgic and alive, a mix of reflection and electricity. As the crowd left the Shrine that night, it wasn’t just applause that lingered.

This article was written with reporting contributions from Maya Kuraki. Photos by Maya Kuraki.