STS9 Cover Michael Jackson and The Cure In Atlanta

STS9 debuted covers of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and The Cure’s “The Walk” at their show at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre on Saturday night. The band was in town for a two-night run on Friday and Saturday as part of their fall “Great Cycle Spectacles” tour. The “Thriller” was a timely choice, with Halloween just around the corner.

The first big surprise of the weekend came during the first set on Friday night, when the band busted out “Satori,” a fan favorite that has become increasingly rare these days. The song came right after a rocking “F Word,” and totally altered the mood of the crowd. The lighthearted vibe of “Satori” reappeared later as the band closed out set one with “Circus.” The second set kicked off with “ABCees,” still with the reworked ending. The highlight of set 2 was certainly the back to back “Kamuy”, “Peoples” and “Kaya,” with “Kamuy” really coming to life during a superb drum solo.

While Friday night may have included some rarities, Saturday was when the Sector 9 fan really got an early Halloween treat. The first set started off alright but things really got going with “Move My Peeps” followed by “Equinox,” “T.W.E.L.V.E.” and “Metamene.” The closing “GLOgli” was a nice way to end a very solid first set. However the real surprise didn’t come until the beginning of the second set, when the band kicked things off with a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The covers didn’t stop there though, as STS9 debuted their rendition of “The Walk” by the The Cure. The show went a bit downhill after that until the encore, when the band busted out “Music, Us,” making it the third song off fan favorite Artifact to be played during the Atlanta run.

While the music was hit or miss throughout both nights, the hits were pretty big. A first set “Satori” and a Halloween weekend “Thriller” are highlights worth remembering. On top of that, the visual aspect of STS9’s production was as stellar as ever. The pyramid of LED screens that has become the signature of the “Great Cycle Spectacles” shows was up and running all weekend. The onslaught of psychedelic, space age imagery was so intense it should probably have come with a seizure warning. You can watch a video of STS9 performing “Thriller” at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta above.

STS9 will finish off their Great Cycle Spectacles tour this week with back to back shows in Richmond, VA, Upper Darby, PA, Boston, MA followed by a two night run at the Best Buy Theatre in New York City this coming weekend.