Echo & The Bunnymen, consisting of two original members, Will Sergeant & Ian McCulloch returned to First Avenue on Wednesday evening. They were joined by Broken Arrow, Oklahoma band Ester Drang, a relatively unfamiliar band to the Twin Cities, Ester Drangs music filled the main room with flowing downtempo guitar riffs, vocals & synths, that encapsulated the audience.
Formed in 1978, Echo & The Bunnymen have gained near legendary status in the new wave genre that emerged out of the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Over their many years of performing and touring, they have built a considerable fan base from every walk of life. This was showcased at First Avenue main room, at which, a near sold out crowd that packed the floor and balconies of the venue.
With original works that inspired some of the bands you hear today, Echo & The Bunnymen stuck with the winning formula that brought them to stardom, drawing on songs from their earlier discography such as “Going Up,” “Over The Wall,” the floaty “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” and their biggest hit single “The Killing Moon.”
The set was closed out with a triple encore that included their hits “Lips Like Sugar” and “Ocean Rain,” which came as a pleasant surprise to fans and staff alike, as most did not expect the second encore.
Though Echo & The Bunnymen is going on almost 40 years of performing, their original draw is still very much there. Fans from any generation can appreciate the band’s original pioneering new wave sound and see its influence in bands like The Flaming Lips & Pavement. If you’re looking for a classic rock act from the 1980s that is infinitely more intimate and true to the time than a stadium show, look no further when Echo & The Bunnymen comes to town on their next tour.
