By Katarina Hybenova
“You bloody New Yorkers…You have it too good,” Peter Murphy said onstage at The Well with the most charismatic British accent you can imagine. I had to agree. This past Sunday, I was surrounded by the most stylish, eclectic mix of hipsters and Goths, all enjoying the show alike.
There is something magical about The Well. Every concert there feels like a special occasion. And it actually is. The Well, located in a former warehouse on Meserole Street has been a pioneer in bringing the world-class musicians to our dingy part of Brooklyn. But that’s not the only reason why the happenings at The Well feel so special. The interiors of The Well haven’t been shown to the public yet, and all the concerts of this summer have taken place in a gigantic yard, which is surrounded by construction panels and concrete machinery. When the sun starts to set there, the light turns golden and the industrial wasteland feels so romantically dystopian…The Well is magical. Completely.
Small Black were just hitting the very peak of their performance when I bumped into Brad Hargett from Crystal Stilts. He was simply walking through the yard and chilling, giving me a “yeah-that’s-me” kind of smile and, in fact, there was something very natural and nice about it. I later took a photo of Brad and his girlfriend watching Peter Murphy’s act. Small Black, a cult Brooklyn chillwave band were really cool, making the crowd sway on their new single Moon Killer. Later, when Crystal Stilts played, they almost played me once again. Are you guys from Manchester because I heard you’re from Florida. How can you make that accent so British; especially when you sing?
If you’re into ‘80s music, you’ve surely heard of Bauhaus, who are considered to be the first gothic rock band. Peter Murphy used to be the singer of Bauhaus. When the band broke up, he began his solo career and a couple of other significant projects (Dali’s Car). You’re guessing correctly that he was the one who attracted all the Goths to The Well that afternoon. I have to say, I really enjoyed seeing such a dedicated fan base. I couldn’t hide my amazement with the accessories and details of the outfit of the lady in the first picture above. “Oh, that’s nothing, hun,” she said and laughed heartily.
I am sure that Peter Murphy was aware of the arrival of his die-hards and he did a lot to create an intimate atmosphere at the industrial yard. He ordered the pro photographers to stop photographing during his performance (oh well, that’s alright). He also interacted a lot with the audience, threw in a bunch of anecdotes and seemed to really have communicated with the crowd on an emotional level. And when performing, Peter Murphy was simply classy. He didn’t go on a ride and just shut the door like we see often with younger bands. Peter Murphy surely went on that ride – but he took the audience with him.
