{"id":185,"date":"2015-05-19T02:06:16","date_gmt":"2015-05-19T02:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/greatgigs.com.au\/?p=185"},"modified":"2019-08-13T13:16:13","modified_gmt":"2019-08-13T03:16:13","slug":"spandau-ballet-rod-laver-arena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greatgigs.com.au\/index.php\/2015\/05\/19\/spandau-ballet-rod-laver-arena\/","title":{"rendered":"Spandau Ballet @ Rod Laver Arena"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Spandau Ballet<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Are you ready Tony?… Gary?… Steve?\u2026 John?… Martin? Well okay Soul Boys \u2013 let\u2019s go!<\/em>

These five \u2018Soul Boys from the Western World\u2019 graced the stage at Rod Laver Arena once again on Tuesday night to remind their devoted Melbourne audience just what qualifies them as true soul survivors.
If the boys from Spandau Ballet<\/strong> are anything to go by, the key constituents to career longevity are great songs, brotherly kinship, humility and forgiveness, and certainly \u2013 on a night like this \u2013 above all, staying power.
Never a band to keep an audience waiting, at 8.50pm exactly, a slow but steady percussive synth groove builds and we hear the reactive shrills of the girls down the front. In the low light we are just able to make out five shadowy silhouettes as the band take their places behind the elegant scrim that completely drapes the stage.
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Down in the pit, a dozen photographers jockey keenly for position. The intro to 2015\u2019s \u2018Soul Boy\u2019 rings out in the darkness and the curtain falls and there they are… well, uh… some of them at least! The over-zealous smoke machine\u2019s plumes completely obscure the front of stage and for the first verse lead singer, Tony Hadley<\/strong> and guitarist Gary Kemp<\/strong> find themselves playing some impromptu hide and seek in the thick haze.
Hadley\u2019s distinctive croon fills the arena… \u201cForever young and we were cool…And I\u2019m so alive…And all around the world we played\u201d. That golden voice is full and strong. He holds the long notes with confidence and all at once the audience are assured that years apart from each other have not in any way diminished the magic. All the elements are there. Steve Norman<\/strong>\u2019s cool sax wails wistfully and Gary\u2019s guitar solo at the song’s climax is electrifying. John Keeble<\/strong> is an absolute machine on drums and Martin Kemp<\/strong> is every bit the suave bassman of old. On this World Tour, Spandau’s sound is augmented by the addition of a sixth member: Toby Chapman<\/strong> \u2013 a veteran session keyboardist and guitarist in his own right, with an enviable pedigree, having played with everyone from Kylie Minogue, Rod Stewart, Paul Carrack, Mick Jagger, Cher, Tina Turner<\/strong> and Paul Weller<\/strong>. The resultant sound is full and beefy and the floor audience are on their feet and revelling in the spectacle. The boys are back in town \u2013 and in form. Nary a second to catch their breath and Steve\u2019s sax intro heralds the old fave \u2018Highly Strung\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The stage is a simple no-frills three-tiered configuration with the dependable timekeeper John Keeble sitting on the throne flanked either side by his able cohorts Steve Norman on percussion, guitars, and sax and the swarthy Martin Kemp on bass. The boys are all wide smiles as they strut around pumping out the ageless \u2018Only When You Leave\u2019. It\u2019s only the third track of the night and the crowd are already singing along at the top of their lungs.
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The lighting is super stylish \u2013 throwing lots of soft metallic shapes \u2013 lovely ambers, crimsons. silvers and golds \u2013 perfectly complementing these timeless tunes.
Tony Hadley is the consummate frontman, obviously having the time of his life and loving being back with his mates \u2013 he greets familiar faces in the first few rows, without missing a beat.
\u2018Round and Round\u2019 is accompanied with ‘Soul Boys Of The Western World\u2019 footage. Then it\u2019s time to trot out a brand new one \u2013 the muscly new Trevor Horn<\/strong> produced \u2018This Is The Love\u2019. It absolutely bounds out of the gates and is bonafide Spandau. As the song plays out, I notice Gary Kemp stands confidently \u2013 feet astride at his mic, proudly surveying the audience \u2013 he has that familiar “It\u2019s good \u2013 yeah?\u201d glint in his eye\u2026 he can be rightly proud. As the tunesmith responsible for all but a handful of Spandau Ballet\u2019s hits, his gift for penning these ear-worms is undeniable. And \u2018This Is The Love\u2019 is the latest in a very long line. For a relatively new tune, the audience know all the words and Steve\u2019s sax solo carries us on up to the heady crescendo. The boys\u2019 harmonies absolutely soar\u2026 \u201cwhen the lights are turning blue, when the radio\u2019s on, when the song\u2019s in my head and the frequencies strong\u2026\u201d Glorious stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More new material follows: \u2018Steal\u2019 with it\u2019s softly-softly purr \u201cYou come calling…Like a thief in the night…You\u2019re wrapped up in mystery…And I\u2019m giving into this\u201d. The wily Gary knows all the emotional trigger points and when Tony\u2019s seductive vocal couples up with the trademark sultry sax solo by Norman, we are complete putty in his hand.
Gary takes the microphone now, again with his trusty white Stratocaster slung low on his hips. The fat funky stabs of \u2018Chant No. 1\u2019 ring out. \u201cI checked the time… it was almost time\u2026 I don\u2019t need this Pressure On…\u201d Yes, the place is once again alive and kicking as the boys run the length of the stage from side to side, encouraging the audience to get their funk on \u2013 the groove absolutely irrepressible and everyone moving.
As I watch the frenzied audience below, I wonder to myself\u2026 \u2018this is awesome but how do you follow a classic like that…?’ …Well, we were about to find out.
The stage is plunged into total darkness. The voice of recently departed Steve Strange<\/strong>, co-founder of London\u2019s famous Blitz Club, is heard: \u201cThe Blitz… they were a lot of fabulous nobodies… kids who thought they were famous already\u2026 They were lovely little things\u201d
What followed was virtual ecstasy for early Spandau devotees. Ten foot blue neon letters silhouette the band, repeatedly blinking out the word “B L I T Z”. A visual and aural homage to their old friend Strange. Hadley croons: \u201cWe\u2019re building fires that will burn until moooooorning..\u201d
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For the next eight minutes the band time travel back to their earliest days, trotting out a medley of first album classics. The songs are accompanied by period footage of all the \u2018sweet young things\u2019 at the Blitz. It proves an evocative backdrop to these songs \u2013and what songs! We are treated to the glorious \u2018Reformation\u2019. It\u2019s pure vintage Spandau electro \u2013 for each track Gary alternates effortlessly between his strat and vintage moog \u2013 plying out those classic synth runs. These songs sound just as steely and swarthy as ever. We get snippets of \u2018Mandolin\u2019, and \u2018Confused\u2019 from their 1981 debut album \u2018Journeys To Glory\u2019<\/em> and the medley culminates with an immense version of the hooky and irresistible ‘The Freeze’. I simply can\u2019t sit still to this one and my partner moves one seat away to avoid my flailing arms. It sounds simply fantastic \u2013 these are early songs I never dared to dream would get an airing. To quote The Freeze…\u201cErogenous zones… win again!\u201d
After that unexpected high, it\u2019s hard to know where the show will go next but the boys have obviously thought that through and have a few more wild cards up their sleeve. Gary launches the band into an insistent \u2018To Cut A Long Story Short\u2019\u2026 and like moths to the proverbial flame, the reaction is instantaneous and the floor below us is now a writhing sea of old romantics revelling in the reminiscence. Martin strides confidently centre stage and delights the audience by enthusiastically pumping out the heady baseline. More grins \u2013 further shrieks.
The lighting rig now bathes the stage in a deep red and we are plunged into a two-play of new tracks, the first being \u2018Raw\u2019\u2026 for the first time in the show the band choose to showcase a new composition utilising some manga-style sing-along graphics which although explaining the lyrics, probably didn\u2019t do the composition any real favours. Obviously I can\u2019t speak for others, but I found myself a little distracted as I followed the animated lyrics rather than just being able to focus on the musicality of the song.
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This was followed by another new composition, \u2018Glow\u2019 which segued into a lengthy drum solo featuring Norman and Keeble. Still as fit as a Mallee Bull \u2013 Keeble delights in the percussive sparring with the bouncing Steve Norman. This sleight of hand totally captivates the audience and, in the relative darkness, few notice Tony and Gary leave the stage and slip quietly to the rear of the arena. At the song\u2019s close, the missing two suddenly appear spotlit perched high above the sound desk. They treat us to a gorgeous acoustic version of \u2018Empty Spaces\u2019 from 1989\u2019s \u2018Heart Like A Sky\u2019<\/em> and a short impromptu sing-along version of \u2018Gold\u2019. The audience love the intimacy and respond wholeheartedly to Tony\u2019s invitation to join in \u2013 the singing threatens to drown out the duo. A definite highlight.
Bravely, the two choose to walk back though their adoring audience to the main stage \u2013 with Gary still strumming his two neck acoustic and Tony singing AND high-fiving those who were quick enough to bolt down to the lower barricade and extend a friendly hand. The love in the room at this point was palpable.
Then came another of the evening’s highlights. \u2018I\u2019ll Fly For You\u2019. Always a personal favourite, it was an intense slow-burner with everyone singing along. Gorgeous aerial footage graced the screens and the extended sax and guitar solos really took it to another level. Tony reappeared at the song\u2019s end holding a glass of Jack Daniels (\u2018for medicinal purposes only\u2019 he assured) and toasted the band and the crowd. A quick swig of ‘Old Jack’, and some amusing band introductions ensued: “I call him the Johnny Cash of bass guitar, smoother than a fisherman\u2019s cod piece \u2013 Mr Martin Kemp!\u201d
Steve Norman: \u201cWho was here in ’85\u2026 anyone?\u2026 we didn\u2019t play this!.\u201d The hissing sexy whispered intro to Instinction…”Stealing cake to eat the mooooon!” and the crowd erupts once again… Having now whet his whistle, Tony is in a very happy place as \u2018Instinction\u2019 cranks up and he relaxes \u2013 delighting in watching Gary share vocal duties \u2013 but is laughing so hard he fluffs his own vocal cue…\u201dHaha\u2026 keep going Gary!\u201d So Kemp has to go around again, unaccompanied. Gary smiles… It\u2019s not a problem. This place is vibing. More flailing arms.
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\u2018Communication\u2019 and \u2018Lifeline\u2019 follow which both absolutely go off. So so good. \u201cOK Melbourne!\u2026 You ready for this one?\u201d \u201cFunny how it seems…Always in time, but never in line for dreams…Head over heels when toe to toe\u2026this is the soooooooound of my soul\u2026\u201d
I seriously don\u2019t think Hadley\u2019s voice has ever sounded better. The performance surpasses the studio recording and then some, and when Norman steps up onto the stage monitor and leans steadfastly into that trademark sax solo the emotional sparks fly\u2026 superb…utterly superb.
The band walk off to rapturous applause as the back wall illuminates with some behind-the-scenes \u2018confessional footage\u2019 \u2013 an extract from the recently released DVD \u2018Soul Boys Of The Western World\u2019 documentary. It is obvious from what we see, that after all Spandau have gone through as a band, it has required quite a degree of humility by all parties to reach the point where we find them tonight \u2013 happy to just be in each other’s company belting out the hits \u2013 both old and new.
The most telling quote from the film footage came right at the end…Gary: \u201cWalking into that room and actually seeing the equipment and seeing the guitars was …a shock\u2026 there was a certain magic in the room\u2026 It\u2019s a chemistry, it\u2019s a certain chemistry that only ‘us five’ have got\u2026 and at that moment\u2026 I really wanted to do it again\u2026\u201d
There were cheers to that comment and out of the darkness comes Hadley\u2019s plaintive vocal\u2026\u201cMother doesn\u2019t know where love has gone…She says it must be youth that keeps us feeling strong\u2026\u201d On walk Gary and Tony who proceed to serenade the audience with the almost autobiographical \u2018Through The Barricades’. It\u2019s another watershed moment in the show and afterwards Hadley thanks the audience, remarking it\u2019s his favourite Spandau Ballet song.
The boys are still up for one more and for the last time this evening they count the audience in. It\u2019s a full-blown supercharged version of \u2018GOLD\u2019. It\u2019s mirrorball city and the stage is awash in gold \u2013 everything sparkles: the sound, the instruments, the guys, the shared smiles. It\u2019s simply joyous. The boys are truly pumped and at song\u2019s end linger on the stage edge for a few moments to take group selfies with the Rod Laver Arena audience behind. Gary invites everyone to \u201cCheck my Twitter later Baby!… Thank you Melbourne, you are fucken brilliant!\u201d
If you ever get the chance to get along and see this band \u2013 who are sounding better than they ever have \u2013 make sure you do\u2026 You won\u2019t regret it. This much is true.
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Spandau Ballet\u2019s Rod Laver Arena setlist was as follows:
Soul BoyHighly StrungOnly When You LeaveHow Many LiesRound and RoundThis Is The LoveStealChant No. 1 (I Don\u2019t Need This Pressure On)Blitz Medley: Age Of Blows Intro \/ Reformation \/ Mandolin \/ Confused \/ The FreezeTo Cut A Long Story ShortRawGlowEmpty Spaces (acoustic on second stage)Gold (singalong on second stage)Once MoreI\u2019ll Fly For You(band introductions)InstinctionCommunicationLifelineTrue
Encore:Through The BarricadesGold
Their new hits compilation \u201cSpandau Ballet \u2013 The Story\u201d includes three new songs and is available in both single and double disc extended editions including a bonus disc of further hits and rarities.
The new DVD \u201cSoul Boys of the Western World\u201d is available now on www.spandauballetstore.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spandau Ballet – Soul Boys of The Western World Live Tour<\/strong>
13 May – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
15 May – Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney
19 May – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
22 May – Perth Arena, Perth

We have a comprehensive photo gallery of Spandau Ballet <\/strong>with 50 vibrant colourful photographs available here:
thedwarf.com.au\/photo\/20928\/\u2026<\/a>
THANK YOU SPANDAU BALLET!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Credit: The Dainty Group’s Facebook page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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