Live Review: Spandau Ballet

Spandau Ballet showed that they’re still as great a band as they ever were at the Sydney leg of their Soul Boys Of The Western Tour.

With a dramatic drop of a sheer curtain Spandau Ballet began. Three songs in and the audience were off their seats, dancing in the aisles to Only When You Leave. While the 1984 hit Round & Round played the stage screen showed old footage of the band touring and playing in venues from the ‘80s. The crowd was filled with adoring loved-up nostalgia. Frontman Tony Hadley spoke to his Sydney fans in his London accent, reminiscing about the last time they played Sydney, back in the 1980s. As Hadley announced that they would next play some of their new songs, the audience in a domino-like fashion returned to their seats, sending a strong message that although Spandau Ballet’s new material has not lost their signature sound, the fans were there to relive memories of their youth, the ‘good ol’ days’.

As Spandau Ballet took the audience through the Blitz era, complete with a giant disco ball that showered the crowd with sparkles, Hadley paid tribute to Blitz Kid Steve Strange, who passed away earlier this year. They wrapped up this segment with top tune To Cut A Long Story Short. Then, as a heavy bongo solo was smashed out by John Keeble, Hadley and lead guitarist Gary Kemp snuck away before popping out in the middle of the fans to deliver an up-close-and-personal performance. Spandau Ballet had the entire Arena on their feet singing to 1983 chart topper True. They finished with Gold, which sent the crowd into a roar, proving that this revival tour was indeed worth it!