Three critically acclaimed stars of the '80s come together for a major UK Tour. Together with very special guest T'Pau, Go West and Nik Kershaw will be performing together in concert for one night only. This encompasses 30+ dates across the UK.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Go West had their first hit single 'We Close Our Eyes'. Other hits followed including 'Call Me', 'Goodbye Girl' and 'Don't Look Down', 'Faithful' and the smash hit theme song in the film Pretty Woman 'King of Wishful Thinking'. Nik Kershaw first achieved chart success sin 1984 with 'Wouldn't It Be Good?' , followed by other classics such as 'Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me' and 'The Riddle'. A prolific writer for other artists, Nik also penned the number one single 'The One and Only' for Chesney Hawkes. T'Pau's first single 'Heart and Soul' was released in 1987 and initially found success in the US after being featured in a Pepe Jeans commercial, before charting in the UK . Their biggest hit 'China in Your Hand' hit the top spot in the UK later that year, and stayed at number 1 for 5 weeks.
The concert was originally planned to take place at the Town Hall, but after ticket sales went so well it was moved to Symphony Hall. And I could see why as the venue was packed to the rafters tonight with forty somethings, just like me.
You were getting three artists for the price of a ticket, which was good value for money and if you were out for a good old knees up or bogey on down this was the place for you.
The show was in two parts with a twenty minute interval in between the sets. A no frills show, it was just about the music from a magical era and obviously or most of the audience it was about reminiscing about their youth.
T'Pau were first up, not the original line up of course, Carol Decker and her lead guitarist James Ashby, backed by the house band for the tour. The first bars of the first track ('Sex Talk') echoed around the venue, then Carol graced the stage to rapturous applause, all glammed up, dressed in a knee length Red leather coat, black leggings and black pixie boots, her hair was amazing tonight, curl after curl trestled down the back of her coat.
A 30 minute set, which saw hit after hit and Carol gave it to them hook, line and sinker, vocally her performance is as strong as back in the day. First song was hard hitting stonker 'Sex Talk', one of my personal favourites and it didn't disappoint, followed up swiftly by top 20 hit 'Secret Garden'. Carol tried in vain to get the audience up on their feet, it wasn't working, I guess the audience hadn't had their cod liver oil tablets yet! Only a pod of people to the left got up and boogied on down, Carol referred to them as "Pan's People". A couple of tracks from current album 'Pleasure and Pain', which went down well including 'Read My Mind' and 'Misbelieving'.
The set was short, sweet and to the point, finishing off with 'Valentine', 'Heart and Soul' and T'Pau classic 'China in your Hand', obviously the audience rose to their feet when Carol sang 'China', actually participating in a little sing-a-long, the song got the biggest reaction from the T'Pau set, shame really cause all of it was amazing, I was in my element!
A quick change round and Go West (Peter Cox and Richard Drummie) graced the stage with legend that is Nik Kershaw. I'm not a big Nik Kershaw fan to be honest, I was only 12 when he came to the scene, I was more in to The Police and Sting, but obviously all the other kids at school were in to him, all I can remember was his Sonic the Hedgehog hair and I always wondered how much product he used and it must cost him a packet.
Go West, argh Go West, my 80's buddy wasn't with me tonight, she's moved to Germany, last time Go West played Symphony Hall we bopped away all night, it was immense. Pete Cox's vocals are still as strong as ever and tonight showcased that, I love the emotion he always shows when he sings each song.
A Tears For fears classic was the first number, then Kershaw skedaddled off stage leaving Go West to do what their good at, singing quality pop songs. 'We Close Our Eyes' was as good as back in the day, yes I know I'm old lol, followed up by 'Eye to Eye' and 'Faithful', it was like musical chairs, Kershaw came back on and sang a couple of numbers including 'Don Quixote'.
A rendition of Chesney Hawkes' number one song 'The One and Only', (which Kershaw wrote), echoed around the hall, with every single person mouthing the words, everyone was on their feet immersed in the 80's, then it came to an end with a 20 minute interval, (only Grannies have intervals).
The rest of the night was more of the same, hit after hit and to get three artists for the price of the ticket was a bargain. The show runs until the first week in December, 30 more dates throughout the UK.
If you love the 80's, well this is definitely your bag, it's probably what you need before all the hullabaloo of Christmas, go see it and get your dancing clobber on and bogey on down.
FUTURE GIGS
sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.