How grand was it to see Siouxsie Sioux slink out onto the Irving Plaza stage like a Goth predator? She kicked off her North American tour this past weekend with two shows at Irving Plaza in Manhattan in support of her new solo album Mantaray (which apparently, is quite good). But really, who cares? It's Siouxsie. The icon, the witch, the queen banshee. She could be sipping lemonade on the Coney Island boardwalk at high noon and the air would still smell of burnt embers. Thirty years after The Scream, Siouxsie stands alone; no Banshees, no Creatures, no Morrissey and certainly no Sid Vicious at her side. She's playing solitaire these days, even striking the 'Sioux' off the credits to Mantaray. She's got a point--there's hardly anyone who approaches her level of pop stardom encased in gothic glamour and feminine mystique. Her allure is legendary, with everyone from My Bloody Valentine to Goldfrapp to Karen O citing her as an influence. And so on Saturday night, Siouxsie slashed and burned through her set like a woman possessed, looking ready to both fire off her tour and to reclaim her rightful title as darkest woman alive. FULL REVIEW
