Two bands that defined very different corners of the late-’80s and early-’90s rock landscape share a bill at The Factory in Chesterfield, giving St. Louis a night that pairs post-punk elegance with hard-hitting funk-metal precision.
The Psychedelic Furs, led by brothers Richard Butler (vocals) and Tim Butler (bass), emerged from London’s post-punk scene in 1977. Their early records mixed Velvet Underground atmosphere, Bowie-adjacent art-rock, and a sneering romanticism that found a wider audience once “Pretty in Pink” became the title and spirit of John Hughes’ 1986 film. Hits such as “Love My Way,” “Heaven,” “The Ghost in You,” and “Heartbreak Beat” still dominate their live sets, while the 2020 album Made of Rain—their first studio record in nearly three decades—proved the band could still write songs that feel both cinematic and lived-in. Richard Butler’s distinctive, world-weary voice remains the constant; the current touring lineup typically includes Rich Good on guitar, Amanda Kramer on keyboards, and Zachary Alford on drums.
Living Colour arrives as special guest with a different kind of authority. Formed in New York in 1984 around guitarist Vernon Reid and vocalist Corey Glover, the band exploded with 1988’s Vivid and the Grammy-winning “Cult of Personality.” They fused hard rock, funk, jazz, and pointed social commentary at a moment when that combination was rare on mainstream rock radio. Albums Time’s Up and Stain followed, and the group has remained a potent live act even as studio releases have been less frequent (Shade arrived in 2017). Expect Reid’s technically dazzling, rhythmically restless guitar work and Glover’s commanding presence on songs that still sound urgent decades later.
The pairing is unusual on paper—new-wave textures next to heavy, groove-driven rock—but it makes sense in a live room. Both bands built their reputations on strong catalogs and musicians who still play with conviction rather than nostalgia-only sets. A typical Furs evening moves from moody mid-tempo pieces into the bigger, familiar singles; Living Colour tends to hit harder and tighter from the first note.
The Factory, at 17105 North Outer 40 Road in Chesterfield’s District, is a purpose-built 52,000-square-foot room with a 60-foot stage and a capacity of roughly 3,000. Sightlines and sound were designed for live music rather than retrofitted into an older building, which should serve both acts well. Parking is on-site at The District; the venue is largely cashless.
Tickets and exact door/show times should be confirmed through The Factory’s official site or authorized sellers. Shows of this vintage often sell in waves, so waiting is a risk if you want a particular section.
For St. Louis fans who grew up with MTV-era Furs videos or first heard Living Colour on Vivid, this is a chance to hear those catalogs in a modern room built for volume and clarity. Two catalogs, two very different approaches to rock, one night in Chesterfield.
