Thirty years later I returned to see the League... just to check up on how they have fared over the years. The occasion was the Steel City Tour with three acts who made Sheffield famous for more than steel and the Crucible, The Human League, ABC and Heaven 17.We missed most of Heaven 17 but I was never a fan. They finished off with - no honestly - TEMPTATION which was still great, despite the absence of Carol Kenyon.
We had great seats - front row of the circle, so for once no kvetchs about not being able to see! There was also a palpable sense of good will in the audience too - especially when the blackcloth was raised to reveal a lush red curtain to signal the arrival of ABC... well ABC as personified by Martin Fry.
While watching Martin Fry it occurred to me that, back
in the day, I never bought an ABC single! I was happy taping the videos off TOTP and The Chart Show (remember that?), it worked for me. Then I realised that as far as The Human League were concerned, I stopped buying their singles with EMPIRE STATE HUMAN - and it resumed with TELL ME WHEN! Nope... not even DON'T YOU WANT ME. Again I was happy just to tape the videos off the tv... it was an 80s thing.Martin sadly did not bring his thin matinee idol looks or his gold lame suit. He had a nice charcoal suit instead - he really was the heir to Bryan Ferry's loucheness. He *did* bring his great pop voice and a clutch of classic songs - we were treated to TEARS ARE NOT ENOUGH, POISON
ARROW, ALL OF MY HEART, HOW TO BE A MILLIONAIRE, DATE STAMP, a couple of tracks from the new album - with a slight dip in atmosphere - but the tempo was accelerated with WHEN SMOKEY SINGS and the finale was, of course, the majestic THE LOOK OF LOVE - would you believe people are still saying "Martin maybe one day you will find true love".By then the atmosphere was quite heady and it wasn't long before the screen raised to show a huge digital screen backdrop and a raised platform with large red digital numbers flickering across the bottom of it - it could have been Madonna about to sing 4 MINUTES but in gloomy red lighting there was Phil Oakey in a long greatcoat singing SECONDS - wow what an opener!
He vanished and came whizzing back in white shirt and tie - ever the formalist - and 
up popped the Human League double threat, the Roxie and Velma of Sheffield, dark Joanne and blonde Susan. Susan was always my favorite Leaguette... she always seemed to relish just being on stage dancing and smiling to the music. Well tonight she looked like Edie Sedgwick dressed as an extra from THE RICH MAN'S FRUG number from "Sweet Charity". Black tight mini-dress with a white ruffle neckline and thin, thin, thin. Joanne wasn't. As my Irish relatives might say, she's a fine big lump of a girl.They were fantastic. Phil is 53!! I know how he keeps looking good - he was rushing about all over the place, he covered every inch of the stage and still sounded on the money.
The songs sounded fresh, shiny and new - and they just kept on coming: MIRROR MAN, THE LEBANON, LOVE ACTION, LOUISE, TELL ME WHEN, OPEN YOUR HEART... and EMPIRE STATE HUMAN - wow! The set ended with the timeless DON'T YOU WANT ME and they then came back with BEING BOILED and a euphoric TOGETHER IN ELECTRIC DREAMS. It was excitement with extra-added joy.
Of course you can't have it all... I would have loved to have heard LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS, HUMAN or LIFE ON YOUR OWN but hopefully next time. Oh yes... there will be a next time. Any bottom-lip trembling by the lack of these songs was molified by the fabulous stage show... every song had a totally distinct look and Joanne and Susan had a few changes of costume. And all done with no record contract to back it up. Extraordinary.I have to thank the fabulous Human League fansite for the concert shots.
http://www.the-black-hit-of-space.dk/menu.htm
1 comment:
Roxie and Velma, I love it !
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