Okay, I admit it. I'm your average lifelong goth who's got a weak spot for her Elders. On the heels of the recent Bauhaus reunion comes a new Love And Rockets record, "Lift," and a supporting tour. For those of you unschooled, L & R is Bauhaus without Peter Murphy - the flippant Daniel Ash on guitars and vocals, David J on bass and vocals, and Kevin Haskins on drums. In direct opposition to the darker Bauhaus sound, their music is much more rock-influenced.

Interspersed between new tracks like the current single, "Holy Fool," and "Delicious Ocean," its b-side, came a rousing rendition at the night's end of "No New Tale To Tell;" after all these years of seeing it done live, it honestly has lost none of the punch that an interim decade can otherwise bruise. I did miss the "Hot Trip To Heaven" tracks; my favorite always was "No Worries," not exactly a dance track - but given the bent of this outing - a little rock, a little grind, a little "lifting," if you will, I'll forgive it. But if you go to this show and wonder why they don't play "So Alive" out loud, you deserve the resounding beating you're going to get from the big-hair/leather jacket/eyeliner folks around you. Love And Rockets wasn't the bubblegum pop band they were put out into the world as; they were a rock band with some sizable legend behind them looking to do their own thing.

"Lift" is a respectable contribution to that body of work; echoing the band's changing tastes (evidenced in remixes by the likes of DJ Keoki) and trying to stay one step ahead of the fans' taste. As expected, they hit more than they miss, especially in a live show. They've got the chops that come from playing a wide array of venues over their career; from stadiums when opening for The Cure on 1989's "The Prayer Tour" (when the success of "So Alive" made them a force in CD collections everywhere) to smaller club venues like this tour is playing, hearkening back to the old days of "Earth, Sun, Moon."

I miss this band; sure, I miss the glory years, but the environment has changed for this genre of music. It's either Marilyn Manson or Savage Garden these days, and I'm sorry, but that's no choice at all. I'm glad that Love And Rockets are still here, because they still kick sucky little flavor-of-the-week bands all over the place in every way imaginable. I, as an audience member, felt that while I may have been in the presence of my idols, I was also in the company of old friends who still love to play and perform while innovating and leading a charge to create good music.

I hope that this band can find some way to bridge the gap between old times and new and generate some renewed chart- and box office-interest, which is usually how success in this business is measured. All I know is, you and I are not hearing this record anywhere. It's a tragedy, because it's got some great material on it; far better than the dreck on the radio these days. This band, as many others of its caliber, suffers from some sort of horrible labeling accident, I fear. It's marginalized by industry people and skittish consumers, who think that they're some sort of "spooky" band somewhere between what Bauhaus was and Slowdive is. Never fear. It's rock, ladies and gentlemen, albeit a little more introverted, a little more thoughtful, maybe a little less pandering to the mainstream public taste. After the "So Alive" experience, I don't blame them one bit.

But for my two cents' worth, that's what I like about my taste in music; it makes me seek these things out, finding little gems like this one and being part of a very tiny group of those in the know. I'm not impressed by the Matchbox 20s of the world because they're the new young thing that's got pretty faces and radio-friendly hooks, which is probably perfect for the Attention-Deficit Disorder generation. I'm impressed by Love And Rockets because they don't need to do anything but be their talented, dedicated selves onstage, playing music that has stood tall over a decade of my own changing tastes, and still holds its esteemed place among Bands I Will Kill Or Steal To See.