Live Review: The Cult/Death Cult + Patriarchy @ Cobb Energy Center, Atlanta – October 18, 2025

Chris Collett
Oct 20
3 min read

The Cult - © Chris Collett/No Flash Needed

The Cult brought something special to Atlanta on October 18 when they took the stage at Cobb Energy Centre for their Paradise Now tour, which featured two full sets: one revisiting their early incarnation Death Cult, and another celebrating their defining era as The Cult. The result was a night that felt both nostalgic and alive, a look back at where the band came from and a reminder of why they still matter today.

Opening Act: Patriarchy

The show opened with Los Angeles art-rock outfit Patriarchy, led by singer and visual artist Actually Huizenga. Their set mixed pulsing electronic beats, darkwave textures, and a flair for performance art. It was bold, strange, and entirely their own. The pairing might have surprised some fans expecting a straightforward rock opener, but it added an unexpected edge to the evening that worked as a prelude to The Cult’s layered history.

Death Cult

The first half of the night belonged to Death Cult, where Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy, joined by drummer John Tempesta and bassist Charlie Jones, revisited their post-punk beginnings. Opening with Ghost Dance, they delivered a hypnotic, moody run through songs that helped shape their sound long before they became a household name.

Death Cult setlist:

Ghost Dance
Resurrection Joe
Gods Zoo
83rd Dream
Butterflies
Christians
Horse Nation
Spirit Walker

Astbury was in good spirits throughout, engaging directly with the crowd. Early in the set, he called out a man named Dave sitting in the front row who was chatting during the first few songs. He asked what the conversation was about, and Dave replied, “Getting old.” Astbury laughed and told him, “I’m 63 up here running around, you just need to work at it.” The room cracked up, and from that moment on, the energy loosened up.

Later, Astbury joked that the crowd was “a little stiff” and told Dave he might need to help liven things up. He also joked about “going to powder his nose and touch his toes” after the Death Cult set, making fun of the break before the second act began. It was the kind of spontaneous humor that reminded everyone why Astbury remains such a magnetic frontman.

The Cult

After a short intermission, the lights shifted to deep red and white as the band returned for The Cult portion of the show. They launched into Wild Flower and the energy instantly surged. The difference between the two sets was striking. Death Cult had been brooding and tribal, while The Cult brought arena-sized confidence and fire.

The Cult setlist:

Wild Flower
The Witch
War (The Process)
Rain
Edie (Ciao Baby)
Hollow Man
Rise
Lucifer
Fire Woman
Love Removal MachineEncore:
She Sells Sanctuary

Astbury was animated and conversational, weaving bits of storytelling and humor between songs. He talked about how Hollow Man was inspired by walking past a crow nailed to a post like a scarecrow, an image that stuck with him and helped shape the song. At one point, he laughed about using the tambourine to quit smoking, earning another round of cheers from the audience.

From Rain through Fire Woman, the set never let up. Duffy’s guitar tone was crisp and powerful, cutting perfectly through Tempesta’s steady rhythm and Jones’ deep, driving basslines. Astbury’s voice was strong, expressive, and full of character, especially on Love Removal Machine and the encore She Sells Sanctuary.

Reflections

Cobb Energy Centre would not be my ideal venue for this show. But, its acoustics let every instrument breathe without overpowering the vocals, and the visuals filled the space beautifully. The two-set format gave longtime fans the best of both worlds: the atmospheric depth of Death Cult and the hard-edged rock of The Cult.

This wasn’t a night built purely on nostalgia. It was a celebration of the band’s growth, humor, and connection to their audience. Between the jokes, the personal touches, and the flawless musicianship, The Cult showed that four decades on, their chemistry still hits just as hard.

By the end of She Sells Sanctuary, everyone was on their feet, reminded that even after all these years, The Cult still has something powerful to say and a crowd ready to listen.