Times have changed since the influential post-punk band The Sisters Of Mercy last visited America back in 2008. Music streaming is the rage, bands are trying to blow up on TikTok, and people are re-creating classic albums and songs with Super Mario 64 soundfonts. Fortunately for The Sisters of Mercy, none of that was on their mind. Something that was in their plans, however, was making a return to the States. With the stars aligning just right, The Sisters of Mercy were able to do that, and on Tuesday, the band made their way back to Los Angeles' Hollywood Palladium for show number two in the city.

As expected, many people in the crowd were witnessing the band perform live for the first time with some of them being in elementary school when the band last played the States in 2008. A handful of people, however, have traveled overseas to catch the band perform live at various music festivals before the lockdown happened. Whether someone was in the crowd during a Sisters of Mercy show in the same venue back in 1998 or just got into them during the pandemic, seeing one of the most prolific bands in the post-punk scene was an absolute must for the sold-out crowd in attendance.

The band kicked their set off with "Don't Drive On Ice," which is a new tune the band started playing last year. The act followed the newer cut with "Crash and Burn," which has been a part of their set since 2000. Despite the band never recording a studio version of the tune (and several other songs), fans still sang along to lines such as "Do I drive?/ Or am I driven?." When it came to "Ribbons," guitarists Ben Christo and Dylan Smith delivered some meaty guitar riffs alongside vocalist Andrew Eldritch's shriek of "Incoming" at the end.

When the opening drums of "Dominion/Mother Russia" hit the speakers, fans howled in excitement. As the opening track of the band's 1987 album Floodland, the seven-minute song remains a staple at goth clubs worldwide and has become one of darkwave's most influential tunes.

Eldritch exited the stage in time for the instrumental portion of the set, which showcased Christo and Smith's eloquent guitar skills. The band would return to their hard rock-tinged album Vision Thing for the head-bopping "Doctor Jeep" and the ballad "Something Fast."

With this being their second show in Los Angeles on tour, the band decided to switch up their setlist for a bit for those who were present for their first show. The band added the song "Summer," which is another song they've been playing live for decades, and they summoned "On The Beach," which is another new song they've been throwing around on tour.

While The Sisters of Mercy tapped into their last two albums Floodland and Vision Thing, they only performed one song from their 1985 debut album First and Last and Always. "Marian" has been a standout song in The Sisters of Mercy's catalog due to its use of German; System of a Down once covered a portion of the song as a way of acknowledging Eldritch at one of their performances.

For the encore, the band brought Berlin vocalist Terri Nunn on stage for "Temple of Love." Nunn's vibrant vocals were a great contrast to Eldritch's dreary vocals. Nunn's history with Sisters of Mercy goes back to 1993 with the collaboration "Under the Gun," which is the band's last officially released single. Sisters of Mercy concluded their 90-minute set with the fan favorites "Lucretia My Reflection" and "This Corrosion," which had the packed crowd chanting along to the song's infectious chorus.

Opening the night were Brooklyn post-punk duo A Cloud of Ravens, who have been on the road supporting their new studio album Lost Hymns. While the band, which features vocalist/guitarist Matthew McIntosh and bassist Beth Narducci, formed back in 2018, both members have a long history performing music in various outfits.

For their opening set, the band promoted their record with appealing live versions of cuts like "Requiem For The Sun" and "The Blackest Mantra." While new music was on the agenda, A Cloud of Ravens tapped into their 2019 studio album In the Wicked Hours with "The Reaping Wheel."

A Cloud of Ravens also dove into a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," which traded the popular "woo-woo" backing vocal chant for powerful metal clangs. Closing with "Parable," A Cloud of Ravens made new fans out of curious eyes and ears in attendance.

The Sisters of Mercy setlist

Don't Drive on Ice

Crash and Burn

Ribbons

Alice

I Will Call You

Arms

But Genevieve

Dominion/Mother Russia

Summer

Show Me

Marian

More

Instrumental 86

Doctor Jeep / Detonation Boulevard

Eyes of Caligula

Something Fast

Here

On The Beach

When I'm on Fire

 Encore:

Temple of Love (with Terri Nunn)

Lucretia My Reflection

This Corrosion