Veteran post-punk outfit Death Cult – the earlier, darker incarnation of The Cult — have announced a string of North American tour dates this fall. The October trek finds vocalist Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy revisiting their gothic roots on stage, with each night billed as “a communal gathering of the tribes featuring sets from Death Cult and The Cult”. Los Angeles art-rock outfit Patriarchy will serve as special guests on all dates. Dubbed the “Paradise Now” tour, the run takes its name from the newly issued Paradise Now compilation—a crystal‑clear black‑and‑white‑splatter vinyl LP released on May 17, 2024, via Beggars Arkive to mark the 40th anniversary of Death Cult’s earliest recordings. Astbury and Duffy assembled that collection by re‑curating the long‑out‑of‑print Ghost Dance material.
For Astbury and Duffy, this tour is another celebratory nod to their band’s early 1980s origins. Death Cult was originally a “dark and primal” post-punk force formed in 1983 after the breakup of Southern Death Cult – essentially The Cult’s earlier iteration before the name change in 1984. The group’s early releases, including the Death Cult EP and the single “Gods Zoo,” became underground favorites that laid the foundation for The Cult’s signature sound, as showcased on 1984’s Dreamtime and beyond. After retiring the Death Cult moniker for decades, Astbury and Duffy resurrected it in late 2023 with a special one-off show in Los Angeles (coinciding with the 40th anniversary of “Gods Zoo”), followed by a brief U.K. tour – reintroducing the raw mystique and tribal rhythms of their formative years to a new era.
For Astbury and Duffy, this tour is another celebratory nod to their band’s early 1980s origins. Death Cult was originally a “dark and primal” post-punk force formed in 1983 after the breakup of Southern Death Cult – essentially The Cult’s earlier iteration before the name change in 1984. The group’s early releases, including the Death Cult EP and the single “Gods Zoo,” became underground favorites that laid the foundation for The Cult’s signature sound, as showcased on 1984’s Dreamtime and beyond. After retiring the Death Cult moniker for decades, Astbury and Duffy resurrected it in late 2023 with a special one-off show in Los Angeles (coinciding with the 40th anniversary of “Gods Zoo”), followed by a brief U.K. tour – reintroducing the raw mystique and tribal rhythms of their formative years to a new era.
This upcoming tour follows a series of high-profile appearances that have whetted fans’ appetites. In May, Death Cult played an intimate warm-up show at Los Angeles’s El Rey Theatre ahead of their much-anticipated set at Pasadena’s Cruel World Festival 2025. The band then crossed the Atlantic in June for the U.K.’s inaugural Forever Now festival, where they delivered a nostalgia-fueled performance of early classics (even capping the night with The Cult’s own hit “She Sells Sanctuary”) These well-received outings proved that Astbury and Duffy’s early material still resonates deeply – and set the stage for a broader North American gathering of the faithful.
Fans attending the Paradise Now dates can expect a journey through The Cult’s genesis. Recent Death Cult shows have featured setlists drawn not only from the 1983 Death Cult catalog, but also Southern Death Cult staples such as “Moya” and select tracks from The Cult’s first two albums (Dreamtime and 1985’s Love).
Tickets for all dates go on sale Friday, July 18, at 10:00 a.m. local time via the band’s official site.
Paradise Now North American Tour Dates:
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Oct. 9, 2025 – Niagara Falls, ON @ OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
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Oct. 11, 2025 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
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Oct. 14, 2025 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
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Oct. 15, 2025 – Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
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Oct. 17, 2025 – Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
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Oct. 18, 2025 – Atlanta, GA @ Cobb Energy Center
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Oct. 20, 2025 – Fort Worth, TX @ Will Rogers Auditorium
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Oct. 21, 2025 – San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre
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Oct. 24, 2025 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl (Palms Casino)
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Oct. 25, 2025 – San Diego, CA @ The Sound (Del Mar)
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Oct. 27, 2025 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
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Oct. 30, 2025 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium
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