Tubeway Days and ULTRA:foxx, Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich, 8th July 2023

Line-up:

TUBEWAY DAYS:

Chris Fielding (vocals) 

Paul Hurst (synthesizers)

John Rose (synthesizers)

Jonny Phage (guitar)

Neil Bourne (bass guitar)

Ian Bourne (drums)

 

ULTRA:foxx (support):

Gary Pennill (vocals)

Rikk (guitar)

Mikk 'E' (keyboards)

Venue: 

The Maddermarket Theatre

St. Johns Alley

Norwich

Norfolk

NR2 1DR

U.K.

Before we get started, apologies for the VERY weird page formatting - Blogger seems to have a mind of its own at the moment. Please know that we are in the process of building something a little more flexible.

And after the best part of six years, now with a second contributor (Ebony Fellowes coming along this evening for her first gig shoot), Review Elektro is back and what a start it was. More of that in a bit.

So, Gary Numan, love him or loathe him, there's absolutely no denying the seismically massive global impact he had on the music world when he made his very first appearance in the Spring of 1979, a totally mesmerising performance from this unknown pale-skinned, android-like figure on  "Top of the Pops", which was the top music show in the U.K. at the time. The song "Are Friends Electric?" hit the number one spot and catapulted Numan into mainstream success as well as into music history. Along with hits such as "Cars", "We Are Glass" and "I Die: You Die", he became imprinted on the very fabric of the music that was to come, with many modern acts, such as Africa Bambaataa, Fear Factory, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson and Damon Albarn of Blur, citing Numan as a significant influence. In 1979 and 1980, Numan performed a series of concerts that were to become the stuff of legend with elaborate stage sets and lighting and of course Numans alien-like presence and it was the essence of these concerts that Tubeway Days, the main act for the evening at the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich, set out to recreate.

 

The Maddermarket Theatre sits in the centre of the East Anglian city of Norwich, Described by BBC Radio Norfolk as the "peoples theatre", it has since 1921 been something of a home for creatives, providing a place for artistes to perform, make friends and enjoy quality entertainment, surviving wars and pandemics through the unfaltering dedication of local volunteers, who upon our visit were friendly, helpful and generally really nice. 

 

 

Support for Tubeway Days was provided by a 3-piece band called ULTRA:foxx, a tribute band from the Midlands recreating the music of Ultravox (both the John Foxx and Midge Ure eras) as well as John Foxxs' solo material. They're normally a 4-piece, however, their drummer was unable to take part this evening. Having only 10 minutes to set up and sound check, these guys started their set seemingly unphased and got straight into the music with their rendition of Ultravox's "Sleepwalk". They then proceeded to belt out their versions of songs such as "Passing Strangers", "The Thin Wall", "Underpass", "Burning Car" (yeah these guys are real JF fans), "Slow Motion"', "Hiroshima Mon Amour", "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes", "The Voice" and of course, "Vienna". The excellent guitarist and keyboard were really tight, the music was excellently performed and captured the necessary essence of the artists they were covering.

 

We need to talk about the lead singer Gary Pennill - we were seriously surprised that this was his "first ever gig in any form, so was nervous" (Gary's actual words), he took to the stage and sung his heart out, keeping things going between songs. Now what's essential to know here is that Gary simply didn't sound like either Midge Ure or John Foxx, but that seriously worked in his favour as he was able to put HIS stamp on the songs and, for us (we're BIG Ultravox fans!!!), that is what made this set so bloody good, providing the absolute essence of what a tribute band should be - a group of great musicians getting out there and covering well-loved songs, in their own way and making those songs their own. Now, we are quite sure Gary will absolutely hate us for saying this, but, and this is a genuinely positive comment, ANYONE who covers Midge Ure-era Ultravox MUST do one simple, but totally necessary, thing to completely nail the authenticity, the mood and the atmosphere - mash up the lyrics - he did on one song and yes, we looked at one another, we grinned widely, we punched the air and we absolutely applauded it!!!

As you may have read in previous reviews, the three elements of style, performance and presentation are essential for any successful act, and it has to be said that ULTRA:foxx ticked all three boxes; they had style (immaculately dressed in shirt, tie and grey suits), they didn't just stand there and play, they got up on stage and performed, and their presentation was excellent with a simple back drop (which matched their grey suits), the keyboard set up painted to match and of course, well thought out set. We thoroughly enjoyed ULTRA:foxx, as did all the people we spoke to afterwards (some of whom were performing musos themselves) and can confidently tell you that these are ones to watch, we'll certainly be keeping a close eye on their progress as they get their foothold on the gig circuit.

After the excellent ULTRA:foxx set, we were properly warmed up for Tubeway Days. The stage set looked like the 1979 Touring Principle set (lots of light panels) and a big neon triangle above the drum kit. We briefly spoke to Neil the bass player earlier in the evening and he was telling us that they weren't able to get the whole of their stage set into the theatre - we'll refer back to this comment later.

In true Numan style, a taped intro heralded the arrival on stage of the band, minus lead singer Chris Fielding. The five musicians briefly stood in a line at the front of the stage before taking their positions.
 

And then it started.

It was as though we were being transported back in time to Hammersmith Odeon in 1979, the light panels blazing, the spot lights cutting through the smoke and the power of the music pouring out of the PA - the mood was set ready for Chris Fieldings entrance and when he took to the stage, WOW, there were goosebumps because he looked just like Gary Numan, dressed in the black suit with the red and blue tie and the make up creating THAT face. 

Incredible.

Then he started to sing.

Wow again.

He sounded EXACTLY like Numan at that time, every nuance in his voice perfectly recreated.

It didn't stop there.

No.

The moves, the shapes, the attitudes, the stares, the manner, absolutely spot on.

It was, from the outset, very, very, clear that Chris Fielding had done his homework, everything was on the money and throughout the entire set, with no word of a lie, it was easy to believe you were listening to Gary Numan in 1979/80.

          Okay, the music.

The set was split into two, the first half being devoted to 1979 and the second half to 1980. Lead singer Chris Fielding changed costumes throughout, starting with the black suit synonymous with the Touring Principle (the jacket came off part way through this segment), the red lapelled military jacket (think the insert of the "Replicas" album), the "Telekon" jumpsuit complete with red straps, the "I Die: You Die" kung fu suit and the black bomber jacket (as seen in the end part of the Touring Principle shows). 

 

For these shows, Tubeway Days perform only Numans' music from the years 1978 to 1980, specifically the first "Tubeway Army" album, "Replicas", "The Pleasure Principle" and "Telekon". Putting Chris' incredible vocals aside (no really, we need to), mention has to be made of the musicians, bass player Neil Bourne effortlessly played Paul Gardiners sometimes demanding bass lines, guitarist Johnny Phage (great name by the way - we're also "Star Trek" fans) brought the punkier elements of the music to life on songs such as "Are You Real?" and "The Machman" and we think that keyboard player Paul Hurst may just be a clone of Billy Currie (Ultravox keyboardist who played synths and viola on Numans 1979 U.K. tour) highlighted by the ARP Odyssey solos (using the excellent GForce Software Oddity 3 emulation of that synthesizer) on tracks such as "On Broadway" and "Everyday I Die" plus an outstanding rendition of the instrumental "Airlane". It was great to hear some of the more obscure Tubeway Army material being played, particularly from the first album with songs like "Listen to the Sirens", "Are You Real?" and "My Shadow in Vain", as well "The Machman", "Praying to the Aliens" and Me, I Disconnect from You" from the "Replicas" album.

 

With tribute acts, you either like them or you don't and it would be easy for some to use the term "tribute act" in a dismissive manner. However, when you encounter the commitment and quality of the two "tribute acts" reviewed here, you can see the hugely important part they play in keeping the music of specific artists or genres alive. With Tubeway Days, they aren't so much a tribute band but more an experience, the way in which they have brilliantly crafted the 1979/1980 eras is about as authentic as it comes in terms of their look, the sound and the stage presentation. We said earlier in this review that TubewayDays couldn't get all of the stage set in to the theatre - what we had this evening was quite simply stunning, so the mind boggles at what it would have looked complete!!! A fair reason to see these guys again? Yeah. Gary Numan often bemoans having to play his old material, and that's completely understandable when he's pouring his heart and soul into new material, however, with acts like Tubeway Days, you can have a Numan experience that is as solid as concrete and know that you're watching and listening to commitment, dedication and skill which creates something unique through its authenticity. We heard die-hard Numan fans waxing lyrical about the performance and you can read on various Facebook group pages just how much people enjoyed and applauded this evenings performance. 

We make no apology for our enthusiasm, both acts were that good, and for sure, if we can to see them again, we will, with or without cameras. Style, performance and presentation were all in evidence by the bucket load, Tubeway Days and ULTRA:foxx complimented each other perfectly, so there's nothing further to add other than if either of these acts are performing near you, be it together or on their own, you owe it to yourself to get a ticket and go and see them.

 

Links:

TUBEWAY DAYS

ULTRA:foxx

MADDERMARKET THEATRE

Concert Images (courtesy of Neil Fellowes Photography  and Ebony Fellowes Photography):

Tubeway Days and ULTRA:foxx

 

 

WE'RE BACK!!!

Neil & Ebony Fellowes

After some six years, Review Elektro is back and slowly rising from the ashes!!!

The last few years have, to say the least, been eventful, what with life, death, life, work, life and COVID-19 :-D

Anyway, enough of that, let's get on with what's happening and have a little look to the future.

Just as a reminder, the Review Elektro blog was originally set up and run by me, Neil Fellowes, in 2014 to combine my passions for live music and photography. It didn't do too badly and got a little bit of recognition. This time around, it's still me, but I am now joined by my wife Ebony who, alongside me, will be providing photos under her Ebony Fellowes Photography moniker (watch out for her Instagram page VERY soon).

At the moment, Review Elektro is sitting comfortably on this 'ere Blogger site and for the time being, that's where we're going to keep it, but we wanted to get the content going as soon as possible. We have the .co.uk and .com domains ready bought and paid for, so over the course of the next week or two, we'll  set them up to re-direct here until such time as we can get round to building a full website.

Things will be as they were before, we can't see any point in changing what worked just fine. It's all about gig reviews with our photos and our words.

A number of emails have been sent out for prospective gigs and we've got the first two confirmed already, being Tubeway Days at the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich on Saturday 8th July 2023 and Heaven 17 (working with Simon Watson Photography) at the Nick Rayns LCR UEA on Thursday 16th November 2023. We'll put up posts with details later today (7th July 2023).

We're also going to try and hunt out the reviews from the 2010s and get them back on here as well - no promises though as we had something of a catastrophic hard drive failure not so long back and it's horribly likely that they were on tha drive - BUT - we'll still check other drives nonetheless!!!

So, that's it for now, keep coming back and we hope you'll come along with us on this little journey back into the world of live music and concert photography.

Neil and Ebony

The Tubes, The Waterfront, Norwich, 17th November 2017

Line-up:

Fee Waybill (vocals)
Roger Steen (guitar, backing vocals)
Rick Anderson (bass, backing vocals)
Prairie Prince (drums)
David Medd (keyboards, backing vocals)

Venue:

The Waterfront
139-141 King Street
Norwich
NR1 1QH

Okay, back in 1977, and being of the tender age of 12, I recall watching an odd little television programme late one night (I had a sneaky late night and remember, this was a time when there was no Internet, no video recording, all watched when it was broadcast) called "The Old Grey Whistle Test" and seeing this seriously weirded-out band from America called The Tubes. There was this wild white-haired dude with odd make-up, dressed in a tin foil jockstrap and sporting 300feet high (exaggeration) platform sole boots, screaming something about punks and dope and then falling about everywhere. Had my parents walked in on me at that time, I now somehow feel, and possibly believe, that looking at porn (at the age of 12 don't forget) would have been a little easier to explain. Even stranger was that I was completely taken by it, I had no clue as to what the hell was going on, but boy, I thought it was completely brilliant. They were performing a song called "White Punks on Dope". The song and the imagery stuck in my mind.

So moving on a bit in time, I was completely enthralled by the purchase of a 7" vinyl single by The Tubes called "Prime Time" in March 1979, and the subsequent album "Remote Control", but I had yet to find a copy of that first Tubes song I had heard. I clearly remember sitting in my cousin's bedroom (in Edinburgh - not that it's important really) listening to the music of the time. As I said, it was now 1979 (I had reached the heady age of 14 by this time) and the U.K. music scene was at the tail end of the utterly exhilarating punk era and music was quickly evolving and heading at light-speed into the New Wave era and the prelude to the time of the New Romantics. My cousin and I had a shared love of music and we spent lots of time, whilst I was visiting, just listening to records in his bedroom and chatting about the various bands we both enjoyed. He then put on a record and I nearly fell off my chair - it was The Tubes and the song was, yes, "White Punks on Dope". I told him how I had not been able to find it where I lived (Great Yarmouth on the U.K. East coast - backwater), to which he urged me to get my coat and follow him into the city centre. We visited this crazy little record shop and there was the 7" single of "White Punks on Dope", backed with "What Do You Want From Life" on the B-side. And there started my Tubes fandom proper.

The history of The Tubes, a band that is quite impossible to pigeonhole, is long and fabulous, a real rollercoaster career and as dramatic as their lavish stage shows. In summary, they formed in 1972 in San Francisco, the coming together of two bands from Phoenix in Arizona. Their stage shows became a thing of legend for their incredible production and creativity, often involving numerous props, dancers and costumes, all created by various members of the band. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1975, contained the seminal track "White Punks on Dope", a song that was, to quote, an "absurd anthem of wretched excess" and one which quickly became a very firm fan favourite. Live performances were stylised using the iconic character created by lead singer, Fee Waybill, called Quay Lude, an outlandish physical parody of the drug-fuelled, alcohol soaked glam-rockers of the mid-1970's and something of a tribute to their wealthy white teen fan base in San Francisco. Over the next 30-odd years, they released 8 studio albums plus a raft of rarity compilations and live albums as well as videos. The line-up has seen numerous changes and their fortunes were most definitely mixed. The current 5-piece line-up (that we saw on this night in Norwich) consisted of 4 of the original 1975, and what some may see as diminished personnel in no way reflected in the quality of the night's performance. Check out the history of The Tubes on their Wikipedia page HERE.

Another return for me to Norwich's Waterfront venue, where my passes were awaiting me and a certain, almost nervous, anticipation for what this evening was to bring. Because of the length of the band's set and a 10pm curfew, there was no support slot. As I walked around the venue, waiting for The Tubes to come on stage, I felt a little sense of pride for my home city as it seems that Norwich was the only headline gig after they had supported Alice Cooper on his recent tour. Nice one Norwich, and I hoped that we would show these dudes from across the pond that we were a worthy choice.

At dead on the appointed start time (8pm), The Tubes walked onto the stage and proceeded to blast out "Getoverture", an instrumental track from the "Remote Control" album - it was a hugely impressive start, strong, tight and on point throughout. The music continued with no break as frontman Fee Waybill came onto the stage for the next song, also from "Remote Control", the blinding all out frontal assault that is "Telecide". Dressed in a white jump suit, Fee owned the stage, his voice strong and commanding, the audience (and your reviewer) completely wrapped to his every word and move. Again with no break in the music, "Telecide" segued seamlessly into another "Remote Control" track, this time being "Turn Me On", rockier than the album version and always a track suited to the live scenario, this was the  first of a number of highlights. Fee's voice didn't waver and the rhythm was relentless, the audience joining in as a matter of course. And for a fourth time, the music segued into a fourth "Remote Control" song, this time it was "TV Is King", not one of my favourites from the album, but that changed after tonight I can tell you. More audience singing along and the pace and scale of the evening was now set. At the end of this amazing kick-off, Fee stripped out of the jump suit to reveal a sparkly red shirt/black trousers/red shoes combo, finished off with a very loud red flamed blazer, Mr. Gameshow Host was here to sing "What Do You Want From Life" - sorry, but I was in fan girl nirvana, reminding myself that I had cameras around my neck meaning that I was there to take pictures as well as review the gig!!!

The classics just kept coming, interspersed with Fee's genuinely engaging and witty raconteuring (is that a word? it is now!!!). "The Monkey Time" and "Tip of My Tongue" (both from the 1983 album "Outside Inside"), with the appearance of a headpiece in the shape of a television (which Fee had "issues" with, he later explained he tried to put it on the wrong way, putting his head through the screen instead of the hole in the bottom intended for his head!!), preceded the instrumental "Crime Medley", a mash-up of the themes from (I think I've got this right - if I haven't, LET ME KNOW!!!) "Dragnet", "Peter Gunn", "Perry Mason" and "The Untouchables". Fee disappeared off stage to his little changing area as the rest of the band played the medley, reappearing for the next song, "Mr. Hate" (from 1981's "The Completion Backward Principle" album)......dressed in a straight jacket. Yep, this was what you have to expect from a Tubes gig, oh, and he did a terrific escapology act during a bridge part ready for the next song, "Amnesia", also from  "The Completion Backward Principle".

We had a bluesy break in the form of "Golden Boy" from the 1977 album "Now", complete with Fee doing his Marlon Brando - fab. Another famed Fee Waybill quick change and this time he's bedecked in a kind of carnival mask and wearing leather jeans, holding a torch. No seriously, he was. The lights dimmed and Fee, lit pretty much only by the torch, gave us another Tubes classic, "Mondo Bondage" from the self-titled debut album. This was another fine example of The Tubes perfect wackiness as Fee writhed about with the handheld torch, at one point presenting it as his well-illuminated manhood, spraying his light over the audience like the climax of some seriously freaky 70's porn movie - my expectations of this evening were being met by the bucket load (no pun intended). After Fee told us that he felt he needed to get a new torch (it was a little flickery at times, but who cares!!!), the pace took off again with "I Was A Punk Before You Were A Punk" (from the 1978 live album "What Do You Want From Live") - clever, funny and excellent all rolled into one. Next up was, so I've read, a rarely played track from "Remote Control", this one being "Prime Time" - another personal highlight for me because, as I mentioned earlier, this was the first Tubes record I bought. I loved this version, it was edgier and rockier than the original with real power in this arrangement. Following this was a cover of the Beatles' classic "I Saw Her Standing There" - not a Beatles fan (never got the hype if I'm honest), but this was a great version and it had that Tubes edge to it, which made it so much better. Next up was another track from "Remote Control" and another highlight, the beautiful "Love's A Mystery (I Don't Understand)" - even after an hour and a half Fee's voice was still in good shape, the emotion of the words coming through beautifully. An instrumental followed while Fee was busy getting changed, and drummer Prairie Prince showing why he is one of the most sought after session drummers in the world.

All of this was a build up to the moment I think we were ALL waiting for. Yes. "White Punks on Dope" and the appearance of the infamous but legendary icon of excess and debauchery, yes, the one and only QUAY LUDE. Long flowing curly (unkempt) white hair, glam-rocker makeup, "QUAY" fashioned shades, silver sequined waistcoat, black feather boa, white spandex leggings and MASSIVE platform sole boots, waving and swigging a bottle of beer, Quay Lude took centre stage, precariously balanced on the boots and blasted out THAT song, THAT song seen and heard on a late night T.V. show 42 years ago by a 12 year old me, yes, this was my personal highlight of this tremendous gig. These days, the tinfoil jockstrap is a thing of the past, Fee is 67 years old for fuck's sake, though that said, I don't think anyone has told him yet - kudos!!! You need to know that my cameras nearly melted with all the pictures I took. All too soon, it was done and Quay Lude left the stage, assisted by Rick Anderson and Prairie Prince, along with the rest of the band.

The roof went up as the audience, with an average age it seems of 55, screamed for more. And The Tubes came back for one more track, their hit song "She's a Beauty" from the "Outside Inside" album, with Fee resplendent in blazer and straw hat.

And then the evening was done!!! The band left the stage and within a few minutes were back out mingling with the crowd and signing stuff and smiling for photos. That sort of thing impresses me muchly.

As an overall thing, The Tubes live are a real force to be reckoned with. I have seen some truly fantastic live shows in recent times, all of them polished productions demonstrating the three principles I look for in a show - style, performance and presentation - but it has to be said that The Tubes took this to another level. The  beauty of their stage show is that it isn't about perfection, it's raw, edgy, theatrical, in the moment and crewed by five men who have been doing this for 45 years and still look as though they are loving every minute, still giving it their all and still able to produce a sound and style that is as fresh today as it was back in 1975. My smiles this evening were truly wide and plentiful, all expectations met and not the faintest ripple of disappointment, something that was felt by many of those I spoke to after the gig.

Yet again, I have to harp on about the showmanship, performance and style of a band that has been there and seen it all, things that many of today's young bands absolutely MUST look to and take on board - live music is about people coming to see something and I just don't know that a lot of young bands are getting this. The Tubes win through with a sound that crosses so many genres, they bundle it with a crazy stage show and sell it with strong and credible performance. It's breath-taking to think that these men are all in their late 60's and bands who are a third of their age don't seem to have the same drive and stamina. I've witnessed in the last month The Tubes, Big Country and Gary Numan - all of these people are what we might think of now as elder statesmen, but they have that accolade for a reason.

I make no apologies for the enthusiasm of this review - I love live music and when it's done well, I will rave. If The Tubes return to these shores for a tour, get a ticket and go see what it is I rave about, I will tell you now, it'll be money well spent.

Oh, and by the way, I got to meet Fee Waybill <fangirl squee>

Links:

The Tubes

Concert images (courtesy of Neil Fellowes Photography):

The Tubes

Big Country - The Waterfront, Norwich, 11th November 2017

Line-up:

Big Country:

Simon Hough - vocals, guitar

Bruce Watson - guitar, backing vocals

Jamie Watson - guitar, backing vocals

Scott Whitley - bass, backing vocals

Mark Brzezicki - drums, backing vocals

Support:

Beautiful Mechanica:
Graham Sampson - vocals, guitar
Grace Bailey-Hinks - keyboard, vocals
Van Naarden - guitar

Venue:

The Waterfront

139-141 King St

Norwich

NR1 1QH

Tonight saw a welcome return for Review Elektro to Norwich's Waterfront venue, this time to enjoy the Celtic rockings of the original jock-rockers, Big Country. There was a good crowd, all in fine voice and the atmosphere was a joy be enveloped in.

Before the Country men took to the stage, the audience and this reviewer were treated to what was basically an excellent support act in the form of Beautiful Mechanica, a three-piece outfit comprising Graham Sampson on lead vocals and guitar, Grace Bailey-Hinks on keyboard and vocals and the excellent Van Naarden on lead guitar.

Their set was a very curious, but amazingly crafted batch of songs with a high electronica feel to them. Some very obvious influences were Gary Numan (particularly his current style), Cocteau Twins, John Foxx, Ultravox and a hint of Blue Nile here and there. Very 80's maybe when looking at the list, but what impressed me the most was that, yes, the mentioned influences were definitely there, but the cool reality was that this was no retro 80's throwback outfit. Their sound was tight, polished and above all, current. Presentation was excellent, performance was of a high standard and their sound was impressive. Graham and Grace shared vocal duties and the connection with the crowd was good, enjoying a very healthy and positive response from the gathered throng. It was good to see people popping over to the merchandise stand to buy bits and converse with the band members.

This is a trio I would like to one day soon see as a headline act, and they are certainly worthy of the attention of anyone reading this. A great start to what was a great evening.

And so to the headline act.

Big Country came in being in 1981, in the Scottish town of Dunfermline, Fife, hitting their commercial peak in the mid-1980's with a very distinctive and immediately recognisable guitar-based sound that invokes a strong Celtic feel through the a blend of Scottish folk music and classic/new wave pop/rock, an often anthemic panorama of melody strong guitar and harmonies. Of note was the way in which they gave their soaring guitar sounds the feel and impression of classic Celtic instruments such as the bagpipes. For a full bio, please do visit Big Country's biography page on their website HERE.

With no fuss or drama, just a simple dip of the lights, Bruce, Jamie, Mark, Scott and Simon made their way on to the stage and made it happen with the opening track "Restless Natives" (from the 1998 compilation album "Restless Natives and Rarities"), it was the perfect ignition to forth-coming set. No sooner had the last beat been hit and the last chord struck, than they were away with a definite crowd pleaser in the form of "Look Away" from 1986's "The Seer". The spirit of the late Stuart Adamson was alive and well, the vocals being in the very capable hands of Simon Hough, his booming voice so perfectly suited the Big Country way of doing things. Next up was two tracks from the epic 1984  release,"Steeltown",  the title track and "Just a Shadow". The 1988 album "Peace in Our Time" was

represented by the first of two tracks, a sterling rendition of "River of Hope" before they moved onto the first two tracks this evening from their classic debut "The Crossing", a fabulous version of "Lost Patrol" which had the crowd chanting at volume (your reviewer here definitely included!!!) and then one of my personal favourite BC songs, "The Storm", during which I struggled to remember that I was also there to take photos as well as listen and review!!!

"Ships", "King of Emotion" (second track from "Peace in Our Time") and "We're Not in Kansas" followed on before what I can only describe as the "greatest hits" section of the set. "One Great Thing" from "The Seer" preluded the biggest noises of the night, starting with "Chance" (from "The Crossing") with Simon Hough handing over vocal duties at various times to the audience (I was there, I sang whilst taking photos, you need to know this), and then it was time for "In A Big Country" with Mark Brzezicki in overdrive (okay, when isn't he!!!), again there was much audience participation as there was for "Wonderland" and then the last song of the set before the encore, the unashamedly anthemic "Fields of Fire" in which I think everyone became Scottish for the duration of the piece. Big Country left the stage but were soon back for a single song encore, a roof-raising song from "The Crossing" called "Harvest Home", a very clever choice to finish with its uplifting chorus, Bruce and Jamie giving guitar hero shapes, Simon's voice soaring and Mark on the edge of supernova, all in a pretty fabulous finish.

Okay, so that was a song by song break-down and it's pretty clear that I have suffered no shame in imparting my enthusiasm, but it's also necessary to look at the overall concert in terms of style, performance and presentation, three VERY important factors for me when viewing live music. It's impossibly difficult to ignore the fact that these men are seasoned, professional performers, seemingly always performing in some part of the country, definite masters of their own art and in no short measure of joy in what they do. I actually firmly believe that Bruce Watson has to be THE happiest, smiliest rock guitarist currently walking this planet, a man who you cannot in anyway say does not enjoy what he does, his repartee with the audience and the band quick-fire and funny. The father/son interplay between guitarists Bruce and his son Jamie Watson is a pleasure to behold, their timings impeccable and their stage craft without fault. Simon Hough is the voice and soul of this current line-up, embodying, as I said earlier in this piece, the spirit of Stuart Adamson without compromising his own style and approach to the music of Big Country. Bassist Scott Whitley was engaging throughout, providing a strong back-bone to the sound, equal to the original bass player Tony Butler, and the newest member of the current line-up (he joined in 2015), though you'd never know it. And of course, Mark Brzezicki - okay, what CAN you say about probably the best drummer on the planet - and the most laid back. Bruce Watson often describes him as the "engine room of Big Country". Warp engine I'd say.

The original band members are now just Bruce Watson and Mark Brzezicki, but let me assure you right here and now that this is no tribute act. Big Country are a fully functioning performing unit, delivery quality music with their own unique style, no shortage of performance and a superbly packaged presentation. If Big Country are playing a venue close to you, do yourself a huge favour and get to see them and experience a band from yesterday, revelling in the here and now, still sounding fresh and exciting.

I'd like to add a massive "thank you" to Sandra Watson and Rory Cowieson for sorting everything out - hugely appreciated :-)

Links:

Big Country

Beautiful Mechanica

The Waterfront

Images by Neil Fellowes Photography

!!! HOT OFF THE PRESS UPDATE !!!

Much excitement here at RW Towers as we have just had confirmation of a photo (Neil Fellowes Photography) and review pass for the amazing American rock legends, The Tubes, playing at Norwich's Waterfront venue this coming Friday 17th November 2017!!!

Preview very soon!!!

Gary Numan - Savage Tour, LCR, Norwich, 17th October 2017

Line-up:

Gary Numan - vocals, guitar, keyboards

Tim Muddiman - bass, backing vocals

Steve Harris - guitar, backing vocals

Richard Beasley - drums

David Brooks - keyboards
Persia Numan - backing vocals

Support:

Jayce Lewis

Venue:

The LCR

Norwich

NR4 7TJ

United Kingdom

The evening opened with a seemingly popular Numan support artist (as they do) called Jayce Lewis. This was my first time experience of Lewis and with his combination of powerhouse rock with tribal and a bit of industrial metal, backed by a drummer and two (yes, I said two) bassists, Lewis provided a full-on raucous and upbeat warm-up for the main act. Lewis has been championed by a number of established artists (not least Numan and the late New Romantic icon, Steve Strange) and it's easy to see why. His set was high on energy, sound and performance, the perfect ground rock for what was to follow. It would be interesting to see Jayce Lewis in his own headline gig, unchained by the ties of supportdom.

It wasn't too long before The LCR UEA played host to someone and something of current interest, a man who is enjoying something of a well-deserved renaissance and a man who we are about to witness is clearly on top of his game, once more leading the way forward.

As the lights dimmed, the dry ice flowed and the crowd roared, the infamous "Numaaan, Numaaan!!!" chant slowly drowned by the musical intro that accompanied the multiple screens projecting images of a burning world and lights burning fiercely red and yellow, setting the scene for the Numan's apocalyptic vision of a highly probable near-future, putting all of us present into that world, the heat of the lights more than hinting at what the acclaimed "Savage (Songs from a Broken World)" was about. The band quickly followed by Numan took to the stage for an explosive opener in the shape of "Ghost Nation", the opening track of the "Savage" album. The lights, the sound, Numan's contorted movements and the stunning video backdrop made for a thrilling start. In a breath, this first song was done and the first of only six references to the "Replicas"/"The Pleasure Principle"/"Telekon" classic trilogy launched with the track "Metal" ("The Pleasure Principle") which has once again been beautifully re-worked to suit Numan's latest sound, the lights and video displays bathing him in a twisting kaleidoscope of burning red and crackling white. From the album "Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind)", the next track was "Everything Comes Down To This", it's menacing industrial undertones rumbling through the building closely followed by the second of the "classic albums" trilogy "I'm An Agent" from "Telekon". The screens at the back heralded a return to the "Savage" album with "The End of Things", lights and imagery playing behind and around an almost mesmeric Numan, his moves so utterly snake-like and his face scowling from under the white markings on his forehead. All of this was under-scored with almost child-like music box sounds, symphonic strings, truly epic Mellotron-type choirs, and thunderous bass, glued together with the guitar and drums on the magnificent choruses, Numan's voice soaring above it all.

The next track was a welcome addition to the set, being the title track of the "Dead Son Rising" album - it's really good that Numan is leaving behind the all-too heavy emphasis in the last couple of years on classic tracks in favour of more recent offerings such as this, this material is still fresh and new, in much need of live airings. That said, classic track number three took everything to another level, a perennial crowd favourite, "Down In the Park" from the "Replicas" album, lighting, a simple but basically fucking awesome video display, earth-shattering bass and insistent guitar giving life to one of Numan's best-loved songs. This led into another "Savage" track, "Pray for the Pain You Serve", it's frantic Middle Eastern overtones melding with Numan's gyrating form, the lights screaming at you on the bridge sections, a set piece that was taking no prisoners. Next up was "Here In the Black", a second track from "Splinter" another demonstration of the darker heavier stance that Numan has been successfully taking for the last few albums, his utterly menacing whispered vocals reverberating around the auditorium between the frantic bridge and chorus sections, his sung vocals

on the latter lifting the whole thing before the brickwall drop back into the whispered verses. We return to "Savage" once more with the slower-paced, but apocalyptically atmospheric "Mercy", Numan's moves now more sensual than ever. The pace picks up again with another offering from "Splinter", the excellent "Love Hurt Bleed" with it's searing synth hook and growling guitar, and acting as a perfect bridge to the next "Savage" song, and a real highlight, "My Name is Ruin". The place erupted when a little music stand and microphone appeared on the stage next to Numan as he introduced his 12 year old daughter Persia, who gave a fantastic performance with her dad - it was very clear that Persia Numan is growing in confidence with each performance, as she moved almost in sync with her father on the choruses, her powerful voice cutting through the mix, she might be small, but her voice is big. Personally, I loved this section as it was so cool to see such an established figure as Numan clearly delighting in having his little girl on stage with him, and his pride positively glowed. As an aside, could we be witnessing the next stage of the Numan Legacy with Persia Numan? As I said though, a genuine highlight. Persia Numan left the stage into the arms of mum Gemma, and we had no time to dust ourselves off before classic track number four, and another crowd favourite, the timeless "Cars". I say timeless because, once again, Numan's latest re-working of the song makes it relevant and current and another highlight. The evening's set was cleverly put together, satisfying the need for tracks from previous albums with the "Savage" songs, older songs providing an interesting segue to the new, and this was the case with "Cars" taking us into "When the World Comes Apart". Another epic offering, hinting at elements of the past with what felt like "Telekon" type sounds alongside the raw energy of the guitar-driven present. The pace slams to slow with another highlight, the emotional "A Prayer for the Unborn" from Numan's 2000 album, "Pure". A synth sequence percolated away as Numan gave an authentic performance of what is a very personal song, bathed in red light with a moving and perfectly pitched video backdrop, this was a powerful set piece to end the first section of the gig.

Numan and the band left the stage. The crowd called for more. A few minutes later Numan and the band returned to the stage. Before more music happened, Numan light-heartedly explained that all he could hear out back was a bit of clapping and asked the audience "do you fucking want it?" - he wasn't happy with the answer and asked again - this time the place erupted and he launched into classic track number five, "M.E." from "The Pleasure Principle". Another re-working that left the original standing, and a lighting display that was stunning, bedecking Numan in a triangle of swirling white beams, before the final song of the night and classic track number six. Bet you can't guess which one......okay, I'll tell you - "Are Friends Electric?" - and to be honest, I don't think Numan would have gotten out the building alive if he hadn't played it. And what a finish. The lighting, the video back drop, the sheer power of Numan's performance and the re-working of this iconic song made for a finale never to be forgotten.

I spoke to a few people after the gig and everyone was blown away by what they had just witnessed. The lighting was simply stunning, the multiple screen back drop carried images of wastelands, burned out desert vistas, contemporary imagery and stylised graphics that were pertinent to each and every song, the sound was loud, make no mistake, but it fed you the raw energy of where Numan is at this time. And that is a good place if one goes by what was seen on this night, a man that is clearly happy and enjoying life.

It was good to attend a Numan concert that had a lot more of his more recent material from albums such as "Pure", "Dead Son Rising" and "Splinter". Whilst I am sure there is a place for the "classic albums" stuff, I for one hope that after the last couple of years of featuring nothing but his older material, future performances will focus on the later albums as they contain a wealth of material that is ripe for live and undoubtedly, Numan's best work. I suspect Mr. Numan may feel that way also. Perhaps this latest tour will show fans that there is so much more to Gary Numan than "Cars" and "Are Friends Electric?", good and all as they are.

It's so incredibly easy to describe people as a legend, and in this throw-away, consumerist day-and-age, it IS transparently easy to the point of making it a much-over-used word. But, and this is kind of important when you're talking about Gary Numan, the word fits, Gary Numan IS a legend. Not many about that can have that said about them these days.

Links:

Gary Numan

Jayce Lewis

LCR UEA

https://uealcr.ticketabc.com/venues/uealcr/

Images by Neil Fellowes Photography