On Monday, October 27, 2025 I headed to San Francisco California to attend an event at the Warfield theater. The event was a special one. It was the Death Cult / The Cult with openers Patriarchy opening. This one was special because you don’t get to hear Death Cult songs very often and this was the night.
The first act was Patriarchy, a two-person band that truly rocked the stage. They opened with “New Way”, a song that set the tone for a fantastic set. The crowd immediately engaged with their performance as they jammed through their songs. The next track, “Coming Up”, received a stirring round of applause. Following that were two powerful songs, “Suffer” and “Servile”, both of which elicited huge responses from the audience. As they played, their intensity grew, and it was clear the crowd was enjoying every moment.
They then performed “No Touch Torture”, during which the drummer removed his shirt and played even harder, showcasing incredible energy. For their final song, “Boy On A Leash”, the lead singer became entangled in a spinning microphone, pulling the drummer along with her. The crowd was fully on board, and it was a fantastic choice to close their set. This song, paired with their intense physical performance, made for an unforgettable finale.
Follow Patriarchy band members on social media
Actually Huizenga – guitar, vocals
Andrew Means – drums, backing vocals
Setlist
1). New Way
2). Coming Up
3). Suffer
4). Servile
5). No Touch Torture
6). Boy On A Leash
The Death Cult was up next. I’m separating them out because when they took the stage, they truly embodied the Death Cult spirit. The crowd could feel it; for that moment in time, it was all about Death Cult. They kicked off with “Ghost Dance”, delivering a fantastic throwback to the days of yesteryear. The band was tight as they ripped through that song, showcasing its dominance.
Next came “Resurrection Joe”, a track about a man who is brought back to life to enjoy all the wonders of life. The impressive lyrical prowess and driving beat transported the audience back to the 80s.
Following that, “Gods Zoo” had the audience completely engaged. It was an exceptional song that really resonated. The mellow intro of “83rd Dream” soon transitioned into an exhilarating rock performance, and the abrupt ending left everyone wanting more.
Then, they launched into “Butterflies”, a fabulous song that struck a perfect balance between mellow and rocking. “Christians” followed, continuing the trend with excellent riffs and captivating lyrics.
When they played “Horse Nation”, the atmosphere became electric, thanks to a fantastic shredding riff that got everyone hyped. To add a bit of fun, they seamlessly inserted a part of Starship’s “We Built This City.”
As they hit “Spiritwalker”, the crowd was singing along, and the band looked like they were having the time of their lives. That was the set we had all been hoping for, and it marked the end of their Death Cult performance as they walked offstage.
Setlist
1). Ghost Dance
2). Ressurection Joe (The Cult cover)
3). Gods Zoo
4). 83rd Dream (The Cult cover)
5). Butterflies (The Cult cover)
6). Christians
7). Horse Nation (With Starship’s “We Built This City” snippet)
8). Spiritwalker
When they returned to the stage, the crowd went wild. They kicked things off with “Wild Flower”, and the audience erupted in excitement as they jammed out to the song. Following that was “The Witch”, a timeless track about a girl searching for love; the only catch is that she’s a witch, which brings a host of complications. Next up was “War (The Process)”, a powerful song that captivated the audience and shook them up a bit. It was phenomenal and truly resonated with everyone present.
Then came the classic “Rain”, which had many in the crowd singing along, and Ian didn’t mind at all. The crowd was rocking with them the entire time, and when the song ended, Ian delivered a perfect wrap-up for the audience. The next song was “Edie (Ciao Baby)”, one of the mellower tunes of the evening. It was spot-on—an absolute stunner. Following that was “Hollow Man”, a song that was incredible. The lyrics and the music were simply outstanding, even if the lyrics had a darker tone. It was amazing.
The next songs, “Rise” and “Lucifer”, showcased well-written craftsmanship and were both impressive. When they started “Fire Woman”, it was captivating right from the opening guitar riff. The crowd started singing along, and it was fantastic to hear so many voices join in on one of their favorite songs. It was truly wonderful.
For the next song, Billy accidentally played it out of order; it was supposed to follow the previous one. However, “Lil Devil” shredded through perfectly. It was a dynamic song with a brief backstory. Following that was “Love Removal Machine”, which Ian kicked off by asking, “Are you ready to kick out the jams?” They launched into this epic song with unmatched energy. After finishing, they left the stage, but it wasn’t the end.
They returned for one more song, “She Sells Sanctuary”, which was excellent and served as the perfect encore. They played it and then introduced the band to the roaring crowd. It was nearly a perfect show; the only thing that could have made it better was if it were longer. Nevertheless, we all got the show of a lifetime.
Follow The Death Cult / The Cult band members on social media
Ian Asbury – vocals, tambourine
Billy Duffy – guitar
John Tempesta – drums
Charlie Jones – bass
Setlist
1). Wild Flower
2). The Witch
3). War (The Process)
4). Rain
5). Edie (Ciao Baby)
6). Hollow Man
7). Rise
8). Lucifer
9). Fire Woman
10). Lil’ Devil
11). Love Removal Machine
Encore
12). She Sells Sanctuary (with band introductions)
Follow Patriarchy on social media
Follow the Death Cult / The Cult on social media