Dancing with the Thrill Kill Kult: A Night of Industrial Disco

How I joined a Kult and danced with the devil under the glow of neon lights.

Thursday, November 6th – It was an early evening at the Reverb Nightclub (one of Reading PA’s premier rock venues). A line of people were gathered outside, ready to make their way in. The doors were open for a little bit. Seeing people still trying to get in is always a good sign for a midweek show.

Tonight, industrial-disco titans My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult graced us with their ‘Delicate Terror Tour’. This is part one of their trek across the Midwest and Northeast regions. The plan was to hit cities the band had missed this past spring when they were on tour with Ministry. LA-based dark-electric duo Die Sexual, and self-described “goth Dolly Parton” Devora were listed as tonight’s support.

“Hey, what time does Thrill Kill Kult go on?” The impending arrival of the veteran rockers filled me with anxious excitement. I’ve seen many live acts over the years, many of whom were on my bucket list. But Thrill Kill Kult has been an elusive one. Somehow, I’ve managed to miss them every time they’re in town.

The house lights dimmed. Stepping on-stage was a gentleman in a cowboy hat behind the drums and a guitarist. They began with an instrumental then lead into “Not Dead Yet”. Devora appears on stage through the fog with a cool swagger. This was our introduction to her blend of outlaw country twang and dark smokey pop.

Shortly after, the stage was cleared for the Los Angeles-based dark electronic duo, Die Sexual. They were an act I was hoping to see earlier this year at Dark Force Fest but missed out. Their set consisted of a continuous pulse-pounding beat from beginning to end. If the crowd wasn’t warmed up before, they were now. Frontwoman Rosselinni, struts the stage with fierce authority while Floriano keeps the pulverizing beats coming.

By now, the room is packed with many longtime followers of the Thrill Kill Kult. More fog was pumped onto the stage. Anticipation intensified. At 9:45pm on the dot, the house lights dimmed. Buzz McCoy stepped out on keys, along with Mimi Star on bass, and Justin Bennett on drums. They started us off with “Room on the Moon” until Groovie Mann appears. Next they flowed right into “Delicate Terror”. This felt less like a rock show and more like a dance club. Next they played “Nervous Xians.” I’ve been curious on how this song sounded live. Days earlier, I was talking to a friend about how I’m such a fan of “After the Flesh”. That was the song that got me into TKK but I don’t ever see it on their setlist. She tells me that they had reworked it into “Nervous Xians.” Honestly, I’m not a fan of this version. It felt neutered. How dare they!?

Throughout the night, they took us on a trip through their multi-decade long catalog. “Delicate Terror” was one of my highlights. So were “Days of Swine & Roses” and “Shock of Point 6”. “A Daisy Chain 4 Satan” and “Badlife” also stood out for me. Towards the end of their set, it felt like the band finally really let loose. From “Days of Swine & Roses” on, they rocked out. I was grooving to Mimi Star’s bass lines. Groovie Mann looked like a barker at a carnival clad in leather hypnotizing the audience. Whatever he’s selling, I’m buying.

At the end of the night, I was a bit surprised. They omitted their classic “Sex on Wheels”. Overall, they did touch upon some of my favorite tracks; especially ones off of ‘Confessions of a Knife’ (one of my all-time favorite albums of theirs.) I’ve awaited many years to see My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult and it was definitely worth it. For an hour and a half, Groovie Mann preached his sermons. He spoke of sin, sex, and sleaze under the wash of psychedelic lights. For a moment, I truly was convinced that he was “Kooler Than Jesus.”