Skinny Puppy – Farewell Tour 2023 @ The Cleveland House of Blues
May 8, 2023
by Andrew Latshaw
– Better Late Than Never!
Looking back in my life, I cannot recall the first time I heard of Skinny Puppy, but I can say that it was when I was in college when my roommate who was obsessed with them, that I was introduced to their music, and they have been a staple of my mix tapes, CD’s, and play lists since the late 90’s!
While I did not learn of them for many years after their start in 1982, I would not know of them till 1998, and would not see them in concert till 2023 on their farewell tour at the Cleveland House of Blues. I got to the House of Blues, while waiting on my credentials, I heard someone at the next box office window trying to buy tickets and learned that the show was sold out.
The opening act was a band I had not heard of, but many of the people had, was Lead into Gold. While I am not well versed on Lead into Gold, I was excited and surprised to learn that Paul Barker, the former bassist of Ministry was half of the duo that is Lead into Gold.
The lightshow and the electronic music was quite interesting! I would happily see them again! While I was not familiar with their songs, I did really enjoy seeing the reaction of the people in the crowd! There was a lot of people who were emphatically singing along and a couple were even emotional while singing!
When Skinny Puppy took the stage, I was surprised and to see this curtain looking thing on the page, and then seeing Nivek Ogre was performing a shadow show behind that curtain in the framed structure. Watching the performance as it unfolded, it was not something I had ever seen, and being limited to the 1st three songs of the set, I was getting a little frustrated due to wanting to see Ogre, get some pics of him.
As the show went on, and the third song started, Ogre had appeared from the shadow box or curtain, I was shocked to see the costume, and the minion to his antics. Ogre was in all black from hooded head to laced boots, and gloves. I was watching the show unfold, and the performance was not something I could have ever anticipated.
I could hear people raving how avant garde and how amazing this performance was just so far out of this world! In the moment, I was not sure what to think since I was trying to capture the mood and the experience, and I could not due to the light and Ogre being in all black, I feared that I would have nothing to show for it. I look back now and as I write this, removing the “photographer” mindset, the performative artistry that Ogre brought to the show was, as people said… out of this world!
It saddens me to know that this is their farewell tour, and it took this long to see them in person. I look back and I am was so impressed at the use of light and shadow, the costumes of Ogre, and his minion which was very futuristic and doing their dance, the mimic was beautifully haunting.
I want to say that if you are wanting to see a show that will entertain and make you question reality, I invite and encourage you to see this Skinny Puppy show! Get out to see their show, you will not regret it!
