Two enduring British bands built around brothers — both of which put their indelible stamp on the 1980s — are co-headlining a North American tour at this very moment, and it is a must-see concert for any fan of thoughtful, poignant music.

The Psychedelic Furs — with core duo Richard and Tim Butler — and The Jesus and Mary Chain — with principals Jim and William Reid — complemented each other wonderfully while covering distinct sonic ground in their recent performance at The Anthem in DC.

For me, The Psychedelic Furs remain hard to beat when it comes to measuring best bands of all time, much less best bands of the Second British Invasion. English vocalist Richard Butler and bassist Tim Butler are responsible for some of the most beautifully wrought music ever recorded for pop radio. Their incandescent songs are at turns celebratory, mournful, romantic and deeply affecting. To list their biggest numbers is to stroll among giants for Gen X music appreciation: “The Ghost in You,” “Love My Way,” “Pretty in Pink,” and “Heartbreak Beat.” The Psychedelic Furs performed all of these and more in their 15-song set at The Anthem on Oct. 6.

Just as importantly, The Psychedelic Furs recorded a new album not too long ago — Maid of Rain (the band’s eighth record) in 2020. This brilliant record demonstrated The Furs maintain their remarkable songwriting prowess while also nicely incorporating most of the modern band into the studio process. Richard and company opened their set at The Anthem with the album’s “The Boy That Invented Rock and Roll” and soon thereafter added “Wrong Train” to the setlist.

Watch the official music video for “Wrong Train” by The Psychedelic Furs on YouTube:

The Psychedelic Furs benefitted mightily from the poise and precision of longtime guitarist Rich Good, who imparted style and sophistication to The Furs’ potent blend of new wave and psychedelia. Keyboardist Amanda Kramer also made fantastic contributions on these numbers, which depend on their emotive synth power to convey their full impact. Drummer Zack Alford, the most recent addition to the band, impressed so much that Richard himself stopped to appreciate Zack’s percussion power when opportunity allowed.

The Psychedelic Furs once again augmented their ranks with guitarist Richard Fortus (of Guns N’ Roses) as the sixth member of the band at The Anthem, and he’s simply awesome. It was great to see some more rock ‘n’ roll muscle with a touch of shameless showboating when a riff opened the door to it.

Together, The Psychedelic Furs presented an unparalleled concert experience, one in which you could choose to find or lose yourself and walk away happy for the encounter. The only thing I felt was missing was the presence of saxophonist Mars Williams, who passed away last year. This was my first time seeing The Furs without him and his signature sound. I hope Richard considers adding sax to The Furs lineup once again in the future, as it was a key ingredient to the marvelous mix of instruments in the sound of their music.

Although Scots vocalist Jim Reid and guitarist William Reid are also brothers that dabble in psychedelic sounds as The Jesus and Mary Chain, their individual songs tread a very different sonic territory than that of The Psychedelic Furs. The Jesus and Mary Chain set the stage by playing first at The Anthem on Oct. 6, and while their songs are very different than The Furs, they share a temporal and aural similarity, resulting in a show that seemed very harmonious show overall.

Like The Psychedelic Furs, The Jesus and Mary Chain are possessed of a remarkable music catalog with beloved singles that define their era: “April Skies,” “Head On,” “Some Candy Talking,” and “Just Like Honey,” among others. The Jesus and Mary Chain happily (well, Jim doesn’t smile all too much honesty) indulged in these classics at The Anthem, inviting opener Frankie Rose to join for a memorable performance of “Just Like Honey” toward the end of the show.

But the Brothers Reid also arrived with a new album, Glasgow Eyes, their eight record (also) — which they published in March via Fuzz Club. The arresting “Chemical Animal,” one of three songs performed from the new album,” served as a great example of how The Jesus and Mary Chain continue to gently embrace noise pop with an edge. The new songs fit nicely alongside the JAMC classics, severing as a soothing balm for the internal feelings of alienation that some of us may keep bottled up inside.

Watch the official music video for “Chemical Animal” by The Jesus and Mary Chain on YouTube:

In another similarity to The Psychedelic Furs, The Jesus and Mary Chain’s principals smartly augmented their ranks with players that really get it. Guitarist Scott Van Ryper and bassist Mark Crozer studiously remained in tune with the JAMC sonic aesthetic. Drummer Justin Welch (again the newest member of the ensemble) admirably and gently nailed wove measurable beats into the sometimes ambient psychedelic atmospherics.

The Jesus and Mary Chain set was a satisfying examination of their entire catalog that not only highlighted the band’s staying power but suggested they have the mindfulness and talent to continue into the future.

As I tell you all frequently in these reviews, I’m an old-school MTV guy who whose taste in music was truly forged by that channels exposure to the great wave of British music during the early ’80s. If your tastes are similar at at, this is a tour you simply cannot miss.

Catch The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Psychedelic Furs on tour!

Here are some photos of The Psychedelic Furs performing at The Anthem on Oct. 6, 2024. All pictures by Mickey McCarter.

Here are some photos of The Jesus and Mary Chain performing at The Anthem on Oct. 6, 2024. All pictures by Mickey McCarter.