Head of the Class

NEAR THE ATMOSPHERE: Bauhaus came to the Ventura Theater
Saturday night and delivered both spectacle and substance,
capturing the room with theatrical, energetic versions of its
classic material. Following a fun, endearing opening set from Black
Black (a three-person band including Bauhaus drummer Kevin
Haskins’s two daughters Diva and Lola), the members of Bauhaus came
out one at a time dressed in mostly black attire. The ironic cool
of the band did not diminish the connection between the musicians
and their impassioned audience, as Bauhaus tore through such
classics as “She’s In Parties,” “In The Flat Field,” and “The
Passion of Lovers.” Peter Murphy deftly moved about the stage,
keeping everyone on their toes as his impeccable vocals shined
throughout the night. Guitarist Daniel Ash (who now lives in Ojai)
took the songs on jazzy sonic rides, invigorating them with his
intense style. Peter and Daniel also performed on a multitude of
additional instruments, while the rhythm section, brothers David J
and Kevin Haskins, took it into overdrive with their distinct
vibrating force. The evening built toward a climax. During a
dead-on perfect performance of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust,”
Murphy nailed the details of Bowie’s vocal inflections and the
atmosphere exploded. Then, for the final encore, Bauhaus closed the
show with the haunting fan favorite “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” lifting
the devoted crowd into a state of gothic euphoria.  — Will
Engel