Here and Now Tour 2011 @ Metro Radio Arena

As a child born in 1970 my real youth was centered firmly on the 80's - not so much the fashions as I was, for at least half of the decade, still reliant on Mum & Dad to buy my clothes, but what I didn't need anyone else to do was choose my music and boy, the 80's was great!

Pop was exactly that, POP ! Upbeat, uptempo with the rise of the synth, the drum machine and the first vestiges of a more commercial approach to the music industry (thank you Stock, Aitken and Waterman) even the sad songs, the poor unrequited love songs still had a catchy melody and a hidden sense of hope.  So, with all my memories bubbling to the surface I hit the Telewest Arena for a trip into nostalgia. 

The last time I came to the Arena was for the Metro Radio Live event, at that time the roads were cordoned off, the crowds of flag & posters sellers were all vying for a share of the teeny pocket money and the scent of Chantelle or Brittany was heavy in the air.  This time the roads were clear, there wasn't a single seller and the air seemed, to me at least, to have a faint whiff of Charlie....

Obviously the crowds able to turn out for a gig like this are a lot smaller than the current teen variety show; the stage had been pulled half way into the arena, reducing the number of seats available but at the same time creating a more cosy feel, like a school reunion disco and that is the very best way to describe the night.

First up was A Flock of Seagulls, well, not so much a flock now, more like one lonely seagull on the look out for his mates.  Mike Score on keyboards (minus his trademark back-combed 'do') at least gave us the first taste of what was to come with their synth-heavy "I Ran", "Wishing" and then "Space Age Love Song".   ★1/2

Next (after a very quick change over) was Pepsi & Shirlie, initially known as the backing singers for Wham but then breaking away to have their own hits. These girls still looked great and were obviously very much up for having fun on stage too - belting out renditions of "Heartache", "Goodbye Stranger" and "Alright Now" - needless to say, the girls in the audience all seemed to know these ones.  ★★

After P & S the stage went dark, a few changes and then entered a small man in a suit, guitar round his neck and to a flash we were introduced to Midge Ure.  I always knew of Midge as the lead singer of Ultravox and had bought his solo albums too, but boy this guy can still play AND belt out a song.  Genuinely looking like he was having fun, Midge gave us "If I was", "Fade to Grey" (which a lot of people were baffled to know Midge wrote and gave it to Stevie Strange of Visage), and absolutely awesome rendition of "Vienna" and finished off with "Dancing, with Tears in my Eyes" (which I admit I was a little bit).  IF this guy EVER comes near to where you live, be it to play a couple of songs or a whole concert, you MUST go and see him.  ★★★★

The last act of the first half was, if I'm to be honest (and I'd never lie to you), the act I really had looked forward to the most.  In 1987 I was 16 and already finding my way through the teenage angst - then along came Belinda Carlisle and unfortunately most girls my age suffered because of her - she was, and still is, Gorgeous !!  She bounced on stage and I have to admit I stood stock still, eyes agog and mouth open like a pet shop poodle.  Her hits were made for a night like last night; "I Get Weak", "Circles in the Sand", "Leave a Light On", "Heaven is a Place on Earth" - all of them played with complete abandon, a sense of the 80's freedom was brought to us in 2011 by the epitome of the era.  ★★★★★ (how can it not be)

The break gave me chance to calm down a little, or maybe come back to reality - I always believe that the essence of a good show, whether it is music, theatre or film is to give the audience the chance to escape, to forget the today and the problems, challenges and disappointments and to just spend time being free- well the first half transported me right back to the 80's and left me wanting more (or maybe a Delorean & Flux capacitor).

The second half kicked off with Jimmy Somerville, lead singer of Bronski Beat and The Communards and in my eyes another key component in the soundtrack of the mid 80's.  Jimmy started off with the super up-tempo "You Make me Feel" and then took us even higher with "Never can Say Goodbye", "To Love Somebody", the blistering "Small Town Boy" and "You Are my World".  Jimmy is still as cheeky, as impish and as cute as a button as he has ever been and was having so much fun with the audience that I reckon he would happily have stayed on stage for the rest of the night.★★★1/2

Next came the act I think every girl (and they are still girls, just as I am still one of the boys) in the arena was waiting for, he's been Scott, he's been Joseph, he's been in drag in the Australian desert "But tonight, Mathew, I'm going to be ...." Jason Donovan.  He had the same hair style, plain black jeans and a white t-shirt and he was back as if he'd never been away - "Nothing can Divide us", "When you Come Back to me", "Oh Everyday", an acoustic version of "Sealed with a Kiss" (Bryan Hyland eat your heart out) and then a duet with his backing singer "Especially for You" (a bit too much to ask for Kylie to join in on this one) the Joseph anthem "Any Dream will Do" and to finish off "Too Many Broken Hearts". A complete showman from start to finish with cheeky showing his stomach, playing the queen, joining in with the crowd as we sang along - 80's fun personified (and thanks to SAW for some great tunes) ★★★★

And so, dear reader, we come to the final act of the night.  Now having followed such awesome fayre and with a crowd who were so obviously high on the pop-tastic treats of the previous 2 hours, on came (eventually) Mr Boy George.   Hmmmmmm.  I liked Culture Club, I quite liked some of 'Boys' solo songs, but I had my doubts that he wouldn't be able to keep up the tempo, the fun, the inclusion of the other acts AND BOY WAS I RIGHT !  Georgy Boy spent all of "Church of the Poison Mind" and " Miracle" just complaining to the sound deck that he couldn't hear himself - and from then the feeling in the place just died a little.  It was true that "Everything I Own" had enough scope for audience participation to keep us interested but when he launched into "Always on my Mind" in the style of 'Vic Reeves in the style of a pub singer' it was obvious that he wasn't worthy of heading the bill.  "Do you Really Wanna Hurt me" and "Hare Krishna" followed, all still punctuated by George walking over to the stage side sound desk and asking them to make changes.  Once he had given us "Victims" - the song, tho we kinda felt a bit like victims too, all that was left was for "Karma Chameleon" and then a prompt turn and he disappeared off stage, ner to be seen again. ★ for coming

All in all, this was a fantastic night, full of great pop songs - in fear of being branded an old fuddy, they don't make songs like this anymore (nor did they in the 90's and I was only 20 ) and it's good in a way that they don't because today's artists wouldn't be happy to sing such upbeat, happy, fun-based tunes.

I have to admit tho, as much as I enjoyed this more that any show in the past few years, I did leave feeling somewhat sad, down and a little depressed - a trip back in time to the soundtrack of my youth was great, but where has all that happiness, optimism & carefree fun gone ? - boy do I feel old this morning !