Peter Murphy Loves His Audience

When you think about it, it'd be hard to pick a more fitting Toronto venue for ex-Bauhaus man Peter Murphy than The Opera House.

A dark, cavernous, crumbling theatre on the east side of town? Perfect. Add in thunderstorms all morning and local concert announcement touting him as "GOTH LEGEND," and you have an excellent atmosphere in which to view one of the original '80s emperors of dark rock.

It was unclear how many people in the theatre knew this was Murphy's "Secret Cover Tour" — obviously featuring a number of cover songs — but judging by the equal amounts of bemusement and delight at Murphy's set list, it was something of a surprise for many.

Cover choices included John Lennon's "Instant Karma" — performed with hand-raising exuberance by Murphy — followed by a loud and heavy rendition of Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold." Yes, you read that right.

Incidentally, that cover really highlighted how Murphy's graveyard vocals can turn anyone's songs into something deep, dark and sepulchre. It might not be for the purists in the crowd, but if an artist can't bring their own spin to a cover song, then what's the point of even doing one?

Another query: If a solo artist performs songs from his previous — and much more popular — band, could those also be considered covers? If so, then Murphy had that base covered as well.

To placate the masses who had arrived wearing Bauhaus T-shirts (I saw at least three before I even entered the venue) or maybe because he does them so damn well, there were a smattering of Bauhaus classics thrown into the mix. A snarling performance of "Too Much 21st Century," accompanied by Murphy pacing in a circle for virtually the entire song while growling the lyrics, was a highlight in the midst of the set's many slower bits.

Yet the two best hits were saved to bookend the concert's encore: a double-punch of Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead" (segued into right after "A Strange Kind Of Love," which was an odd but wholly functional choice) and a beautifully faithful version of Bauhaus' "She's In Parties." An 80's rock icon that doesn't eschew the "goth" tag or condemn his past band's work? Refreshing, to say the least.

But fans of Murphy's extensive solo catalogue might have felt a bit stiffed by the set list. Although the covers were, er, covered, and there was plenty of Bauhaus to make longtime devotees happy, Murphy's solo material was limited to such cuts as "Time Has Got Nothing To Do With It," "Disappearing," and the poignant "I'll Fall With Your Knife" (which this writer considers one of the great goth-ballad masterpieces).

By the end of the show, though, the man himself did not disappoint. After collecting a birthday gift from the audience during the encore break — Murphy turned 52 that day, which was evident only after one fan screamed "HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER!" — he went on to shake the hands of many people in the front rows. He exchanged brief pleasantries and even pulled one very excited young man up on stage with him to say hello. It was impossible not to grin.

These actions and gestures said it all, really: However many classic hits he may have to his (or Bauhaus') name, however long he keeps on touring and no matter how creepy he looks, Murphy still knows — and respects — his audience. And they, in return, keep on adoring him over the years. It's a business model many rock stars from the '70s and '80s would do best to learn, with the voice of Bauhaus as its prime example.