We recently went to see The Steel City Tour gig at the Sheffield Arena for our Christmas Party. The show featured three legendary Sheffield groups who brought electro-funk (Heaven 17), orchestral disco (ABC) and synth pop (the Human League) to the masses.
Heaven 17 was the first act up to perform some of their biggest hits, including Geisha Boys and Temple Girls, Penthouse to Pavement and of course the classic Temptation. (It’s worth mentioning that the girls who sang along with Glenn Gregory to Temptation sounded amazing)!!
Martin Fry followed, offering a 40-minute extravaganza of theatrical pop rock from the ABC back catalogue. Featuring all of their biggest hits from the catchy Poison Arrow and When Smokey Sings to the more recent releases like Ride and The Look of Love. It was a flawless performance from 50-year-old Fry whose velvety vocals have not tarnished with age.
There was no doubt who the night really belonged to – 80s synth-pop heroes the Human League. Emerging like something from The Matrix, in a leather trench coat and shades, Phil Oakey opened with haunting 1981 hit Seconds, before being joined by the band’s original female vocalists Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall, for Mirror Man. From there it was non-stop for 12 songs from hardcore new romantic – Empire State Human – to 90s pop – Tell Me When.
The sound was immaculate, the visuals magnificent – all sci-fi lights and flickering images on a giant screen, from A Clockwork Orange to Barack Obama. I believe all concerts should be this arty, ambitious and entertaining.
The band ended the show with crowd-pleaser Don’t You Want Me and the uplifting Electric Dreams. It was easy to see why the electro-pop pioneers are still going strong.
Take a look:
