Sally • Can't • Dance - Tribute to Suicide at the Bowery Electric

Sally • Can't • Dance, a monthly rock and roll party at the Bowery Electric, presented "Suicide Sally," its second annual tribute to the band Suicide, on February 27, 2019. Martin Rev (Suicide), Eugene Hütz (Gogol Bordello), Kid Congo Powers (the Gun Club, the Cramps, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), Lydia Lunch, Luke Jenner (the Rapture), Jesse Malin, Mr. Pharmacist, Liz Lamere (widow of Suicide's Alan Vega), Dante Vega (son of Alan Vega and Liz Lamere), Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng (the Fleshtones), Mick Collins (the Gories), Ian Wilson (Star Spangles), Dave W (White Hills), Stu Spasm (Lubricated Goat), Andrea (Twin Guns), actors Matthew McAuley and Johnny Scuotto, and leather shop owner Chuck Bones, all sang Suicide songs live. Mr. Pharmacist (aka Gregg Foreman), bassist Cynthia Ross (New York Junk, the B-Girls), and drummer Roger Schrager (Jesse Malin) comprised the house band. Kid Congo Powers was the host, Jonathan Toubin (Soul Clap) was the dj in the downstairs room, and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV) was the dj in the upstairs room.

The "Suicide Sally" tribute also was an advance release party for a new limited edition Alan Vega 12" single, "Too Many Teardrops." It features one of Vega’s last recordings, “You Pay” (produced and co-written with Mr. Pharmacist), and features remixes by Jim Sclavunos (of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) and Jim Thirlwell (of Foetus), with contributions from Nick Zinner and White Hills. Proceeds of the sale benefited children’s music education programs. The recordings will be released officially on March 8, 2019.

Vocalist Alan Vega and instrumentalist Martin Rev formed the experimental electronic duo Suicide in 1970 and performed and recorded intermittently until Vega's death in 2016. Rev used primitive synthesizers and drum machines to create minimalist electronic instrumentation. Now a cult favorite, Suicide had little commercial success in its time but was influential in the development of industrial, techno and other modern electronic music. Rev continues to perform and record under his own name.

Setlist

Set 1:

1. Lydia Lunch "Harlem"
2. Kid Congo Powers "Kid Congo"
3. Johnny Scuotto "Jukebox Baby"
4. Luke Jenner "Cheree"
5. Dave W "I Remember"
6. Matt McAuley "Child It's a New World"
7. Stu Spasm "Fast Money"
8. Liz Lamere "Wild in Blue"
9. Jesse Malin "Frankie Teardrop"

Set 2:

1. The Fleshtones "Johnny"
2. Kid Congo Powers "Diamonds Fur"
3. Andrea "Surrender"
4. Chuck Bones "Magdelena"
5. Mr. Pharmacist "Girl"
6. Ian Wilson "Too Fine for You"
7. Dante Vega "Misery Train"
8. Eugene Hütz "Ghost Rider"
9. Martin Rev "Love So Lovely"
10. Martin Rev "Rocket USA"
11. Martin Rev "Dream Baby Dream"

Kid Congo Powers

Luke Jenner

Dave W

Matt McAuley

Stu Spasm

Liz Lamere

Jesse Malin

Peter Zaremba

Keith Streng

Andrea

Chuck Bones

Mr. Pharmacist

Ian Wilson

Dante Vega

Eugene Hutz

Martin Rev