You know you’re getting on a bit in life when you look forward to a concert with seating. Such was the case on Friday night at the Palais to see seasoned 80’s performers, Kim Wilde and Howard Jones, who also happen to be in a similar age group to their audience on this warm, Friday night.
Howard Jones is sporting a blonde quiff, and 80s inspired, bomber jacket, and is accompanied by a drummer and keyboardist, as he proudly grasps his keytar; a potent reminder of the 80s and the heavy synthesiser sound. Opening the set with synth led “Pearl in The Sky,” Jones vocals are just as fresh as when he first burst onto the music scene in 1982. For “No One is to Blame” and “Like to get to Know you Well,” the audience sing along confidently to the chorus and we learn that Jones is an accomplished pianist during “Everlasting Love.”
Jones apologises for the lyrics to “Life in One Day” that he wrote really quickly and runs them by us, in case we are “psychologically damaged.”His manner is affable and he establishes rapport with the crowd effortlessly. The keyboard interlude before popular hit ” What is Love” has the punters cheering in the aisles, and many reminiscing about their unrequited teenage crushes in ’83. A trance -souped up version of “Things can Only get Better” sees the crowd upstanding and dancing to Jones’ final song, primed before Kim Wilde’s set.
Click for the gallery by Mary BoukouvalasJones and his backing band once again take their spots on stage, joined by three guitarists; one is Ricky Wilde, Kim’s younger brother and her uninhibited niece, Scarlet on backing vocals. Wilde struts out during the first few bars of “Chequered Love,” resplendent in a black leather jacket, jeans, gloves and a long red scarf a la 80’s bogan, trailing behind her. The wind machine is blowing her hair, further enhancing the whole 80’s rock chick- video vibe. Wilde’s vocals are strong and husky, and any lack of dance moves is made up for by her niece who has those sexy dance thrusts, and rock moves, down pat. “View from a Bridge” follows in quick succession, and the faster tracks see the crowd upstanding, dancing and singing along to the soundtrack of their youth. Ballad “Cambodia” offers a little respite for the older folks (me) who need to sit down. Wilde is at ease on stage, regaling us with her warm, breathy, between song banter. Her response to a Chagall exhibit is “European Soul.”
“Pop music still makes as much sense to me as when I was a little girl and that’s why I’m here,” offers Wilde, before launching into “You Came” and “You Keep me Hanging on.”
The encore fires up punters with Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round” leaving no dance move unexplored and then the song everyone wants to hear and sing along to “Kids in America” blares out at full volume. And whilst we are content with a hearty set list replete with hits, it gets a notch better, with “the best pop song ever written” the Beach Boys “God Only Knows“, sung by the three Wildes and Jones. Searing harmonies in this soulful rendition leave the punters sated as they venture out into the warm Spring air. Long live the 80s.
