ABC, The Lexicon of Love

The minute I heard about this concert I wanted to go and true to their word Double8 got me in with great tickets.

2 sets of 40 minutes was both short yet long enough to wallow in the nostalgia of the eighties.

First was greatest hits minus Lexicon. When Smokie sings being a highlight.

And Lexicon of Love in its entirety in the second half.

Good band and orchestra with orchestrations to everything by Anne Dudley who conducted as well. It was great to have her there as well as the band.

Martin Fry still has a voice and was let down by boxy sound at the start. His rather lovely backing singers provide very good support.

The crowd of greying forty to fifyty somethings discgraced themselves appropraitely by getting up and dancing in the second half although after 30 mins most had toi sit down and have a rest.

The Look of Love was the hit of the night and was duly encored.

A smashing trip down memory lane. I hope they filmed or reordered it. Or do it again. They were very good tunes. I went home and bought Alphabet City.

And I wouldn't mind an album with Anne Dudley's orchestrations either.

A good excuse to go back into the studio.

Steve Wake