www.thisisthesentinel.co.uk
December 2007
Luke Gessner
PERFORMANCE WAS IN DIFFERENT
LEAGUE
Anyone thinks
that The Human League are a touring band who have had their day but can
still sell tickets and so still pound the road to do so, then think again,
very seriously.I can say, quite honestly, that I have never had the
privilege of watching a band much better than this.
I had to get that off my chest, where do I go now?
Having listened casually and inattentively to their music in the past, I
would say I always had a respect for them. Their songs are catchy, well
written and unique enough for you to know you are not listening to 'factory
produced' music for the masses.
It has a
stamp on it, an individual character that shows that the music has been
thought about.
They now have a real fan in me, that is for sure.
With a synthesised sound that travels through the audience via a time warp
from 1980, The Human League don't try and lie about what they are, or become
creative beyond the point of recognition.
The group's set list featured every track from their iconic album Dare.
They seem to
have moved with the ages and stopped the clock at the same time.
It is still
the keyboard electronica sound we know and love, but used in a way that you
could almost describe as slow techno. They are a little deeper and darker
now but if anything that makes it more interesting.
It didn't take long for the classics to start flowing, I was seriously
concerned about the long-term future of my ear drums when the opening riff
from Don't You Want Me kicked in.
The audience it seemed got what they wanted to hear at this point.
On the
subject of halves, there was a strange interlude halfway through the act
where an instrumental song was played by the highly talented band.
The song seemed to freeze
rather like a CD jumping, and the same four bars of music were played over
and over for what seemed to be 10 minutes.
That ignored, this was a truly fantastic gig. They have still got it and in
absolute abundance. Arms in the air for the standing ovation said it all.
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