The Human League

How refreshing to attend a gig where a band delivered exactly what the audience wanted, a continuous string of hits. Of course when a band has as many hits under its belt as The Human League this is no mean feat. From the moment their clever staging lit up and Philip Oakey loped onto the stage, the brooding prince of techno-pop and his pop brides Susan Ann Sulley and Joanna Cathedral started to ooh and aha, stepping as they do from side to side in their won legendary fashion, we knew that we were going to get what we had come for. No strings of new work from recent unheard albums, just strings of classic pop masterpieces. Backed by a trio of excellent musicians, the sound was perfect too, as close to the originals as one might hope but with the added oomph that you hope for in a live show (unlike Pet Shop Boys who gave us a sterile presentation on their last tour). Equally impressive were the simple but visually exciting lighting and graphics. Oakey was stunning throughout and his voice is as strong as ever, and by the end the entire room was up and dancing. Don’t you want me? Of course we do!

Brighton Centre, 12 December 2014
Rating:
Andrew Kay