Review: Spandau Ballet, The O2

REVIEW

The air was thick with nostalgia at The O2 last night as Spandau Ballet continued their triumphant reunion tour.

An audience packed with 40-something women packed the arena in eager anticipation of the chance to see their teen-year heroes in action one more time, a notion that would have seemed as fanciful as a phone that takes photos a decade or so ago.

It was rather like stumbling into a school disco, only this time populated by mothers, and grandmothers, many inadvisably dressed as if they were 16 again.

And to add to the 80s feel there were some big, and not so big, names of yesteryear dotted around the crowd - George Michael was there, as was, er, Bobby Davro.

The pre-gig excitement among the ladies was palpable and their heroes didn't disappoint when they finally hit the stage.

Spandau have never been shy of building up their mythology, emerging at the start of the 1980s from the underground New Romantic movement when Britain was gripped in the throes of an earlier recession.

So, quite apt - they say - that they should choose another troubled era as the backdrop for doing it all second time around after a 20 year hiatus. You got the feeling they had a point to prove, as saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Steve Norman told The Wharf back in June.

He said: "I think people who come to see the shows will be surprised at our energy. We're better on stage than on record because I don't think we ever captured that energy and vibe on disc."

So could they still cut it?

Musically the band were faultless.

Drummer John Keble and bassist Martin Kemp formed a watertight rhythm section, while Gary Kemp added his riffs and chops seamlessly on guitar.

Tony Hadley, more than ever looking like someone's dad on his way to the bar at a wedding, revealed a voice with more substance and control than was perhaps always evident in the band's 80's heyday.

And Norman proved himself the most musically agile of all, whether it was blasting out his trademark sax solos or adding subtle percussion to other numbers.

Emerging to a rapturous welcome from the female section of the crowd, the band launched into their first hit, To Cut A Long Story Short, arguably the finest moment of their recording career with it's pumping bassline and insistent synth riff.

From there it was a brisk trot through the back catalogue with numbers like The Freeze, She Loved Like A Diamond, and Man In Chains, with a couple of newer numbers thrown in.

For the fans this was nirvana, but for those less familiar with album tracks and lesser hits it was a case of waiting for the "big numbers" to turn up.

There was a nod to the old days on Round And Round with a compilation film of those 80s tours, all wedge haircuts, outlandish clothes and larks, which showed this was a band who genuinely were friends before the fall-out in the 1990s.

The band left the stage, save for Gary Kemp and Hadley, who perched themselves on chairs for a couple of acoustic numbers. First up was With The Pride, at the end of which the two musicians clasped hands. You could almost feel the love.

That was followed with Through The Barricades,which was greeted like a long lost friend as the crowd swayed and sang along.

The pace was lifted again with tub-thumpers like Instinction, Communication, Lifeline and Chant No 1, before the tune that most of the audience was waiting for finally had its moment.

True, that staple of school disco smooches across the land for over two decades, was played straight - the stage backdrop illuminated with stars and roses - while Norman got the biggest cheer of the night as he reproduced his sax solo note-perfect.

Then it was off for a brief moment before returning for a muscular version of Fight For Ourselves and then a rousing rendition of Gold to round things off.

The boys appeared genuinely moved to be back on home ground and although the between-song banter was kept to a minimum their thanks to the crowd were heartfelt.

Norman hoped people would be impressed with the band as a live act and, to be fair to him, he wasn't wrong. They may not be to everyone's taste but there's certainly room for Spandau Ballet in today's music scene.

Spandau Ballet play The O2 tonight. Visit theo2.co.uk for tickets.