The Psychedelic Furs in Malaga: a new era for the post-punk band

The Psychedelic Furs performed on Tuesday at Malaga's La Trinchera concert hall, as part of their European tour run. Not much has changed in 50 years - frontman Richard Butler was still thrilled as ever to be performing and Tim Butler, his younger brother and bassist, still looked cool with his sunglasses on and leather jacket, nailing guitar solos with ease.

Certainly the crowd mirrored their energy, as they were taken back to the 80s post-punk music scene for an evening. Their opener, Heaven, was every bit nostalgic and enjoyable as you’d imagine, and got everyone singing along.

They brought back iconic synth-heavy-tracks like The Ghost In You, which was featured in season 3 of Stranger Things, and My Time. Additionally, they played fan favourite Love My Way (featured in the cult classic film Call Me By Your Name) to which many instantly took out their phones to capture the performance.

This new era for the band seems to be a joyful one, with Tim Butler sharing in an interview with SUR that, “We are much happier to tour these days. The pressure from record companies no longer exists, so we are not in a constant tour/record/tour/record cycle anymore.”

Indeed, this positive shift in their musical journey translated into an equally positive experience for those who went to see them on Tuesday. Many enjoyed the banter between the members, like when Richard put his arm around guitarist Rich Good and tried to get him to sing into the microphone with him.

Peter Distefano is also an excellent addition to the crew, and was very much in his element the whole night. In the final third of the one-and-a-half-hour set, Distefano played an audacious guitar solo, switching from using his hands to his teeth to pluck the strings. The crowd roared in approval.

Although saxophonist, Mars Williams, who passed away in 2023, “can never be replaced” affirmed Tim, their current lineup: Richard, Tim Butler, Rich Good and Peter Distefano, alongside Amanda Kramer on the keyboard and Zack Alford on the drums, are all equally talented, and speak to a new, more authentic era for the band.

After the concert, many hung around the venue in the hope of getting autographs and to buy merchandise. Clearly, the night was a success.