Nothing left to make me feel small ....
Spandau Ballet @ the 02 Arena on Tuesday. Brilliant. I had such a good time with missy_manic. Whilst much of the audience got nostalgic about 20 years ago - the 80s and Spandau, the two of us got nostalgic about 10 years ago - when me first met at uni, and both together discovered Spandau Ballet through a combination of EastEnders and Steve Owen, The Krays movie (still can quote this movie far too much) and 80s club nights. Ten years ago we watched VHS recordings of Spandau's concerts in the 80s wishing we could have seen them live because from the concert footage they looked and sounded great. We never dreamed we would get that chance because at the time there were nasty feuds going as a result of the court case in which 3 members tried to sue songwriter Gary Kemp for unpaid royalties. We met Gary Kemp a few times between 2000-2003 when he was acting in various plays in the West End:
I am still proud of my signed Through The Barricades album :D.
Even at that time despite the difficulties in the relationship between Gary and his other band mates he asked us if we thought the band should get back together. We said 'No' LOL! Because we just could not see the rift being healed and there would be nothing worse than seeing a band who have fallen out attempt to perform as a band as if all was ok.
But moving forward to 2009 - I am so so pleased to be proved wrong. The band really have forgiven each other and seeing them live was as I had imagined it might have been in the 80s (minus the clothes and the fashion of the decade). This tour really is I think about a happy ending to the bands history. There is no mention of court cases for example in the tour programme. And really who can blame them - bands want to be remembered for their music. And I forgot how much I liked their music - I knew all the songs! The set list has all the hits (minus Musclebound - a wise choice, I'm not keen on that song either). There were some non-single release songs - loved How Many Lies and With The Pride. Would've preferred Cross The Line to Virgin. And I was right not to expect any songs from the Heart Like A Sky album. There were none sadly. But these are minor gripes to what was a fab night. I don't know how it compares to the 80s concerts - all I know is I'm grateful that this band got over their issues to give me the opportunity to see them perform together.
missy_manic This post is dedicated to you. Here's to the next 10 years. I don't know where we'll be in another 10 years time. But I know we'll be friends :D You are GOLD!
^ More photos from missy_manic to follow this post.
I am still proud of my signed Through The Barricades album :D.
Even at that time despite the difficulties in the relationship between Gary and his other band mates he asked us if we thought the band should get back together. We said 'No' LOL! Because we just could not see the rift being healed and there would be nothing worse than seeing a band who have fallen out attempt to perform as a band as if all was ok.
But moving forward to 2009 - I am so so pleased to be proved wrong. The band really have forgiven each other and seeing them live was as I had imagined it might have been in the 80s (minus the clothes and the fashion of the decade). This tour really is I think about a happy ending to the bands history. There is no mention of court cases for example in the tour programme. And really who can blame them - bands want to be remembered for their music. And I forgot how much I liked their music - I knew all the songs! The set list has all the hits (minus Musclebound - a wise choice, I'm not keen on that song either). There were some non-single release songs - loved How Many Lies and With The Pride. Would've preferred Cross The Line to Virgin. And I was right not to expect any songs from the Heart Like A Sky album. There were none sadly. But these are minor gripes to what was a fab night. I don't know how it compares to the 80s concerts - all I know is I'm grateful that this band got over their issues to give me the opportunity to see them perform together.
missy_manic This post is dedicated to you. Here's to the next 10 years. I don't know where we'll be in another 10 years time. But I know we'll be friends :D You are GOLD!
^ More photos from missy_manic to follow this post.