Last Thursday night, XL Live transformed into a full-blown acid-fueled ritual as Lords of Acid brought their sexually charged industrial chaos to the capital city. Fronted by the fierce and fearless Carla Harvey, the band lit up the room with pounding bass, explicit anthems, and unapologetic sexual energy. But, the chaos started well before the headliners—it was a full evening of dark, provocative performance art.
AlleyKat opened the night with a high-voltage DJ set that set the pulse and tone for what was to come. Lucia Cifarelli (of KMFDM) delivered a fierce solo set dripping with attitude and industrial edge while Xris SMack kept the vibe gritty and grinding. Little Miss Nasty‘s seductive, in-your-face choreography gave the crowd whiplash in the best way possible.
By the time Lords of Acid hit the stage, the room was already deep in sweat and sin.
Their set was a relentless assault of fan favorites: “Pussy,” “Rough Sex,” and “I Sit on Acid” all landed like club anthems for the damned. Each track pulsed with thumping bass lines, live guitar flourishes, and just the right amount of sleaze. And XL Live’s tight lighting design didn’t hurt—casting the performers in a saturated mix of reds, purples, and strobe that felt straight out of a Berlin fetish club.
Backing Harvey was an equally rowdy and tight band, including longtime LOA architect Praga Khan, who worked his synth wizardry from the shadows. The band played loud, dirty, and didn’t miss a beat. Crowd interaction was constant, with Harvey even pausing mid-set to toss a sex doll into the crowd.
As expected with a Lords of Acid show, this was no PG-13 performance. The theatrics, the outfits, the lyrics—were all gloriously explicit. Beneath the provocation was precision, passion, and a tight-as-hell industrial groove that few bands of their era still pull off well.
Final Verdict:
If you came for subtlety, you were in the wrong building. But if you came for sex-positive industrial carnage and a night you’ll still feel three days later, Lords of Acid at XL Live delivered in spades.
Rating: 9/10 – A filthy, flawless triumph.
Lords Of Acid Tour
