[MUSIC/Pop ~ UK]
Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, Fri 30 Oct 2022
There is a weird thing that happens at gigs like tonight’s show by Thompson Twins front man Tom Bailey. I see a bunch of people that only exist in my world at this sort of ’’80s tour. Oh there is that guy who is a massive Depeche Mode collector, back there is the guy with one of the biggest Pet Shop Boys collections in the world. Oh look there are those girls I only ever see at Pseudo Echo shows. It’s nice. Like being a Mason or a member of some other shady secret society. We are all joined together in a swirl of nostalgia and celebration of this music we have loved for over thirty five years.
The Thompson Twins only ever toured Australia once back in the day in 1985 and it was pretty glorious stuff. They were at the height of their global popularity and it felt like we were the luckiest kids in town to see them in actual real life. Front man Tom Bailey left pop music behind for two and a half decades concentrating on world music and dub reggae projects, but was coaxed back to his back catalogue a few years ago. He paid us a brief visit a couple of years ago as support act for Culture Club, but this is his first time headlining shows in Australia in 37 years, and boy was it worth the wait!
While the main part of the set is playing all of the classic Into The Gap album in full, Tom and his three piece female band play one of his solo songs, some other Thompson Twins hits, and a Talking Heads cover. The band (and associated tech) is great, Tom is in fine voice and seems to be having a genuinely great time up there in his white suit and sunglasses.
Opening with the magnificent In The Name Of Love their breakthrough single from 1982. The band sounds amazing and it becomes quickly apparent that Tom is keeping things authentic to the original sound of those records. Science Fiction is the title track of Bailey’s rather good solo album (well worth hunting down) and it sounds great tonight. Swiftly followed by a couple of Thompson Twins classics Lies and Lay Your Hands On Me and a gem for the hardcore fans with If You Were Here from the Quickstep and Sidekick record from 1983.
I wasn’t expecting to hear the Talking Heads classic Psycho Killer tonight but it was ace and a sort of breather before tonight’s main course. Into The Gap was a massive record in the 1980s. Released in 1984, some critics attacked it, but the public loved it. It sold over a million copies in the USA and five million worldwide. Five of the nine songs on Gap were released as singles. So, frankly, who cares about the critics? Clearly this was an important record for this audience who sing and dance and sing some more as Tom and his band work their way through the entire album (albeit in a shuffled order).
The Gap, Day After Day and Sister of Mercy are all sounding as fresh as they did 38 years ago. They glue No Peace For The Wicked with Storm on the Sea to great effect. But they have saved the (arguably) best until last, with a killer run of You Take Me Up, Who Can Stop The Rain and Doctor Doctor. These songs in particular are made to sing-a-long to and Adelaide is more than up for the challenge.
Tom :You Take Me Up
All of Us : WOOOOOOOAAAAAAHHHHHH.
Tom Doctor Doctor
All of Us : CANT YOU SEE IM BURNING BURNING
It is truly joyous. A celebration of these songs, of this band, of our youth. When they start Hold Me Now there is a wave of euphoria through the room.
Everybody is on their feet.
Everybody is dancing.
Everybody is singing.
As the song draws to it’s conclusion, the musicians drop out one by one until it’s just the band at the front of the stage singing the chorus acapella and the entire room shaking with backing vocalists made up of all of us. It’s ecstatic and wonderful, close to the best ending of any set I have ever seen.
They return to the stage to finish us off with a killer take on Love On Your Side also from The Gap. Killer bassline, super groovy keys, fantastic pop hook chorus and those declarations of ‘Rap Boy Rap’ that seemed so ‘urban’ in 1983 are still great.
In the history books The Thompson Twins may have been sidelined as ‘too pop’. They weren’t seen as being credible as The Smiths or Go-Betweens, they didn’t sell as many records as Madonna or Prince, but if tonight proves anything it’s that this band and this music has a special place in the hearts and minds of this audience for over three decades.
Mine too.
Bloody smashing night.
Ian Bell
Setlist:
In The Name Of Love (Set 1982)
Science Fiction (Science Fiction 2018)
Lies (1983 Quick Step and Side Kick)
Lay Your Hands On Me (Here’s To Future Days 1984)
If You Were Here (Quick Step and Side Kick 1983)
Psycho Killer (Talking Heads cover)
The Gap (Into The Gap -1983)
Day After Day (Into The Gap -1983)
Sister of Mercy (Into The Gap -1983)
No Peace For The Wicked / Storm On The Sea (Into The Gap -1983)
You Take Me Up (Into The Gap -1983)
Who Can Stop The Rain (Into The Gap -1983)
Doctor Doctor (Into The Gap -1983)
Hold Me Now (Into The Gap -1983)
Love On Your Side (Into The Gap -1983)
