Erasure, 21/11/14, 02 Academy
‘A Live Review of the Greatest Band in the World.’
Remember the date – 21st November; for that was the night that Erasure brought their sixteenth album to the O2 Academy and brought the place down with a great big canon of campness. The duo’s live presence was impeccable. Anyone too embarrassed to go completely missed out, and anybody who claims the show was “Just okay” are bare faced liars who must be too embarrassed to admit that they were dancing the night away. Sure most people might find it embarrassing to have a guilty pleasure for Erasure, but nobody can deny the sheer quality of their live performance.
The lead singer Andy Bell upheld his reputation as a gay icon well. He entered the stage wearing tight pants, accompanied by a sparkly jacket and top hat. However it seemed that Andy did not find his outfit flamboyant enough, as only four songs into set he whipped off his trousers to reveal a pair of glittery-silver underwear. He remained trouserless for the rest of the show. Along with Andy were two female backing singers who both looked as if they had come straight out of 1960s Motown. Together with Andy, they danced and sang with a high level of energy. Andy’s dance moves were the most impressive. He had some great shoulder and hip action for a fifty year old man.
Every song of the set was treated as a hit – probably because they all were. The audience were extremely loud, responsive and excitable. The majority were in their late forties and fifties. They knew all the words. During the chorus of ‘Drama!’ the crowd gave a deafening response to Andy’s singing, screaming ‘Guilty!’ along with the backing singers without the need of direct encouragement. The overall sound quality was great and the volume was loud.
The message I got from the night was to stop missing out on great opportunities to see cheesy band you know you love. The night was perfect for nostalgia, guilty pleasures and LGBTQ+ supporters; and whilst some (most) may disagree, a great success for music.
#ErasureForGlastonbury
[Sorley Mclean – @SorleyMclean]
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