Blondie

All too often when the iconic bands of the 1970s come out on tour they have an air of “heritage” about them. The sound set in aspic, the edges rounded off and made comfortable, partly for our aging 21st century ears perhaps and often it would seem for the ease of the performers – not with Blondie. Emerging in the 70s from the New York new wave punk scene there was always a raw energy to their sound – and it’s still there, hard edged, pumping rock that, because of their excellent catchy tunes, took them across that barrier from edgy into chart topping pop icons. Debbie Harry is simply brilliant, the voice as good as ever, and the rest of the band have not lost there edge delivering searing solos throughout. Nor has their new work lost that edge either, tracks from their brilliant new album Pollinator pepper rather than dominate a set that delivers many, not all, of their great hits and gets the crowd on their feet from start to finish. This is pop, rock, punk at its very exciting best.

The Brighton Centre

8 November

Andrew Kay

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