The singer, who died in February 2022, was celebrated by the likes of Josh Homme, Dave Gahan, and Chrissie Hynde in honour of what would have been his 60th birthday ten days prior. More than just a grunge icon, he was a chronicler of life’s shadowy corners, his music a repository of regret, resilience, and an aching beauty that few could replicate.

Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, who introduced the evening, set the tone with a wry observation: “Mark would have pretended to hate this, but he would have loved to see you all here tonight.” It was both a statement of Lanegan’s reluctant relationship with fame and an acknowledgment of the deep connections he forged through his art​. It was a communion of friends, collaborators, and admirers.

The evening’s performances were both celebratory and reverent. Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode opened the night with stirring renditions of Lanegan’s ‘Sideways in Reverse’ and ‘Strange Religion,’ his baritone echoing Lanegan’s haunted timbre.

Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream took the audience on a journey through the bluesy depths of ‘Driving Death Valley Blues’ and ‘Pendulum,’ while Alison Mosshart of The Kills brought fiery energy to tracks like ‘Wedding Dress.’ 

The house band, led by Soulsavers, created a sonic backdrop steeped in the gospel-inflected rock that often underscored Lanegan’s work. 

Greg Dulli, a longtime collaborator, serenaded the crowd with a passionate renditions of ‘Change Has Come’ and ‘Methamphetamine Blues’ a dedication to a friend who wrote “badass” music.

Perhaps the most poignant moment came when Chrissie Hynde, joined by Lanegan’s widow, Shelley Brien, performed ‘Revelator,’ bowing to her and noting that the evening was “a sad night for Shelly Lanegan, but thank you for being here.” 

Homme, who returned to the stage for the second half, delivered ‘Come to Me’ in collaboration with Mosshart, his performance imbued with both humour and sincerity. The night closed with a full ensemble bow, after a moving video montage of Lanegan’s life and career, underscoring the profound impact he had on the musicians around him. 

For the final song of the night Gahan, Homme, and Brien performed Lanegan’s ‘Hit the City’, a triumphant heavy rock song he co-wrote with PJ Harvey. It was a fitting end to a concert that had served not merely as a tribute but also a testament to Lanegan’s singular artistry. His music was never easy, never meant to comfort; it was raw and redemptive, a reflection of a man who wrestled with his demons. As Greg Dulli, remarked in the evening’s final moments, “If you knew him, you loved him. And if you only knew his music, that was enough.”

The Set List – all tracks by Mark Lanegan – for the night: 

Tape: 

12 Gates To The City – ÜLM3N 

Dave Gahan: 

Sideways in Reverse

Low 

Kingdoms of Rain 

Strange Religion 

Bobby Gillespie: 

Driving Death Valley Blues 

Pendulum 

Sworn and Broken 

Alison Mosshart: 

Mockingbirds 

Mud Pink Skag 

When Your Number Isn’t Up 

Wedding Dress

Wendi Rose, T Jae Cole, Janet Ramus

Judgement Time 

Duke Garwood

High Life 

I Am the Wolf 

Tess Parks

Resurrection Song 

Greg Dulli

Methamphetamine Blues 

Change Has Come 

Ed Harcourt

The Stations 

The River Rise 

One Way Street 

Chrissie Hynde

Kimiko’s Dream House 

Halcyon Daze 

Revelator 

Josh Homme

Carnival 

El Sol 

Come to Me (ft. Alison Mosshart)

One Hundred Days 

Encore 1:

Presence of God – Soulsavers (Dave Gahan & video tribute)

Encore 2:

Dollar Bill – Greg Dulli

Revival – Soulsavers (with Dave Gahan)

Hit the City – Dave Gahan (with Shelley Brien & Josh Homme)

pic.twitter.com/x2jxLhfgwZ

— greg dulli (@MrGregDulli) March 12, 2020

The alternative rock icon took to his social media, apologising for the need to cancel all his shows in the UK and Europe. The tweet reads, “Due to the recently announced travel ban we must sadly cancel our March/April European dates. We sincerely apologize and are already working on rescheduling our European tour for later this year. Refunds will be available at point of purchase.”

“We remain hopeful that the North American tour will proceed as planned beginning in Minneapolis on April 24th. We’ll continue to monitor the situation as it develops. Stay safe everyone,” continued Dulli.

In addition to the unfortunate event of coronavirus outbreak, the US Government’s current policy to ban all travels from and to the country has required many musical events held by American artists to be called off. Meanwhile, Dulli still hopes to continue touring within the states in April.

Greg Dulli is the frontman of legendary alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs and also a member of The Twilight Singers. The 55-year-old artist has provided his talent as a vocalist and guitarist throughout eight studio albums of The Afghan Whigs. Apart from that, he has contributed to other work as a co-writer and producer for the likes of Foo Fighters, Afterhours, and Mark Lanegan Band.

Moreover, he has embarked on a solo career since 2005, with the debut LP Amber Headlights. On February 28, Dulli released his fourth solo album titled Random Desire after reuniting with The Afghan Whigs for 2017’s In Spades. Random Desire saw the singer/songwriter attempt to revive his early R&B-fanatic days by drawing inspiration from his icons Prince and Todd Rundgren. Read Rough Trade’s review of his latest offering here.

It is such a great shame at the moment to see many exciting gigs get cancelled and postponed. The fans of The Afghan Whigs and Dulli, this time, have to wait longer to see him live. 2016 was the year that Dulli last came to the UK for his “An Evening with Greg Dulli” Tour.

Photo credit: Maciek Jasik