Tubeway Days and ULTRA:foxx, Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich, 8th July 2023

Line-up:

TUBEWAY DAYS:

Chris Fielding (vocals) 

Paul Hurst (synthesizers)

John Rose (synthesizers)

Jonny Phage (guitar)

Neil Bourne (bass guitar)

Ian Bourne (drums)

 

ULTRA:foxx (support):

Gary Pennill (vocals)

Rikk (guitar)

Mikk 'E' (keyboards)

Venue: 

The Maddermarket Theatre

St. Johns Alley

Norwich

Norfolk

NR2 1DR

U.K.

Before we get started, apologies for the VERY weird page formatting - Blogger seems to have a mind of its own at the moment. Please know that we are in the process of building something a little more flexible.

And after the best part of six years, now with a second contributor (Ebony Fellowes coming along this evening for her first gig shoot), Review Elektro is back and what a start it was. More of that in a bit.

So, Gary Numan, love him or loathe him, there's absolutely no denying the seismically massive global impact he had on the music world when he made his very first appearance in the Spring of 1979, a totally mesmerising performance from this unknown pale-skinned, android-like figure on  "Top of the Pops", which was the top music show in the U.K. at the time. The song "Are Friends Electric?" hit the number one spot and catapulted Numan into mainstream success as well as into music history. Along with hits such as "Cars", "We Are Glass" and "I Die: You Die", he became imprinted on the very fabric of the music that was to come, with many modern acts, such as Africa Bambaataa, Fear Factory, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson and Damon Albarn of Blur, citing Numan as a significant influence. In 1979 and 1980, Numan performed a series of concerts that were to become the stuff of legend with elaborate stage sets and lighting and of course Numans alien-like presence and it was the essence of these concerts that Tubeway Days, the main act for the evening at the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich, set out to recreate.

 

The Maddermarket Theatre sits in the centre of the East Anglian city of Norwich, Described by BBC Radio Norfolk as the "peoples theatre", it has since 1921 been something of a home for creatives, providing a place for artistes to perform, make friends and enjoy quality entertainment, surviving wars and pandemics through the unfaltering dedication of local volunteers, who upon our visit were friendly, helpful and generally really nice. 

 

 

Support for Tubeway Days was provided by a 3-piece band called ULTRA:foxx, a tribute band from the Midlands recreating the music of Ultravox (both the John Foxx and Midge Ure eras) as well as John Foxxs' solo material. They're normally a 4-piece, however, their drummer was unable to take part this evening. Having only 10 minutes to set up and sound check, these guys started their set seemingly unphased and got straight into the music with their rendition of Ultravox's "Sleepwalk". They then proceeded to belt out their versions of songs such as "Passing Strangers", "The Thin Wall", "Underpass", "Burning Car" (yeah these guys are real JF fans), "Slow Motion"', "Hiroshima Mon Amour", "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes", "The Voice" and of course, "Vienna". The excellent guitarist and keyboard were really tight, the music was excellently performed and captured the necessary essence of the artists they were covering.

 

We need to talk about the lead singer Gary Pennill - we were seriously surprised that this was his "first ever gig in any form, so was nervous" (Gary's actual words), he took to the stage and sung his heart out, keeping things going between songs. Now what's essential to know here is that Gary simply didn't sound like either Midge Ure or John Foxx, but that seriously worked in his favour as he was able to put HIS stamp on the songs and, for us (we're BIG Ultravox fans!!!), that is what made this set so bloody good, providing the absolute essence of what a tribute band should be - a group of great musicians getting out there and covering well-loved songs, in their own way and making those songs their own. Now, we are quite sure Gary will absolutely hate us for saying this, but, and this is a genuinely positive comment, ANYONE who covers Midge Ure-era Ultravox MUST do one simple, but totally necessary, thing to completely nail the authenticity, the mood and the atmosphere - mash up the lyrics - he did on one song and yes, we looked at one another, we grinned widely, we punched the air and we absolutely applauded it!!!

As you may have read in previous reviews, the three elements of style, performance and presentation are essential for any successful act, and it has to be said that ULTRA:foxx ticked all three boxes; they had style (immaculately dressed in shirt, tie and grey suits), they didn't just stand there and play, they got up on stage and performed, and their presentation was excellent with a simple back drop (which matched their grey suits), the keyboard set up painted to match and of course, well thought out set. We thoroughly enjoyed ULTRA:foxx, as did all the people we spoke to afterwards (some of whom were performing musos themselves) and can confidently tell you that these are ones to watch, we'll certainly be keeping a close eye on their progress as they get their foothold on the gig circuit.

After the excellent ULTRA:foxx set, we were properly warmed up for Tubeway Days. The stage set looked like the 1979 Touring Principle set (lots of light panels) and a big neon triangle above the drum kit. We briefly spoke to Neil the bass player earlier in the evening and he was telling us that they weren't able to get the whole of their stage set into the theatre - we'll refer back to this comment later.

In true Numan style, a taped intro heralded the arrival on stage of the band, minus lead singer Chris Fielding. The five musicians briefly stood in a line at the front of the stage before taking their positions.
 

And then it started.

It was as though we were being transported back in time to Hammersmith Odeon in 1979, the light panels blazing, the spot lights cutting through the smoke and the power of the music pouring out of the PA - the mood was set ready for Chris Fieldings entrance and when he took to the stage, WOW, there were goosebumps because he looked just like Gary Numan, dressed in the black suit with the red and blue tie and the make up creating THAT face. 

Incredible.

Then he started to sing.

Wow again.

He sounded EXACTLY like Numan at that time, every nuance in his voice perfectly recreated.

It didn't stop there.

No.

The moves, the shapes, the attitudes, the stares, the manner, absolutely spot on.

It was, from the outset, very, very, clear that Chris Fielding had done his homework, everything was on the money and throughout the entire set, with no word of a lie, it was easy to believe you were listening to Gary Numan in 1979/80.

          Okay, the music.

The set was split into two, the first half being devoted to 1979 and the second half to 1980. Lead singer Chris Fielding changed costumes throughout, starting with the black suit synonymous with the Touring Principle (the jacket came off part way through this segment), the red lapelled military jacket (think the insert of the "Replicas" album), the "Telekon" jumpsuit complete with red straps, the "I Die: You Die" kung fu suit and the black bomber jacket (as seen in the end part of the Touring Principle shows). 

 

For these shows, Tubeway Days perform only Numans' music from the years 1978 to 1980, specifically the first "Tubeway Army" album, "Replicas", "The Pleasure Principle" and "Telekon". Putting Chris' incredible vocals aside (no really, we need to), mention has to be made of the musicians, bass player Neil Bourne effortlessly played Paul Gardiners sometimes demanding bass lines, guitarist Johnny Phage (great name by the way - we're also "Star Trek" fans) brought the punkier elements of the music to life on songs such as "Are You Real?" and "The Machman" and we think that keyboard player Paul Hurst may just be a clone of Billy Currie (Ultravox keyboardist who played synths and viola on Numans 1979 U.K. tour) highlighted by the ARP Odyssey solos (using the excellent GForce Software Oddity 3 emulation of that synthesizer) on tracks such as "On Broadway" and "Everyday I Die" plus an outstanding rendition of the instrumental "Airlane". It was great to hear some of the more obscure Tubeway Army material being played, particularly from the first album with songs like "Listen to the Sirens", "Are You Real?" and "My Shadow in Vain", as well "The Machman", "Praying to the Aliens" and Me, I Disconnect from You" from the "Replicas" album.

 

With tribute acts, you either like them or you don't and it would be easy for some to use the term "tribute act" in a dismissive manner. However, when you encounter the commitment and quality of the two "tribute acts" reviewed here, you can see the hugely important part they play in keeping the music of specific artists or genres alive. With Tubeway Days, they aren't so much a tribute band but more an experience, the way in which they have brilliantly crafted the 1979/1980 eras is about as authentic as it comes in terms of their look, the sound and the stage presentation. We said earlier in this review that TubewayDays couldn't get all of the stage set in to the theatre - what we had this evening was quite simply stunning, so the mind boggles at what it would have looked complete!!! A fair reason to see these guys again? Yeah. Gary Numan often bemoans having to play his old material, and that's completely understandable when he's pouring his heart and soul into new material, however, with acts like Tubeway Days, you can have a Numan experience that is as solid as concrete and know that you're watching and listening to commitment, dedication and skill which creates something unique through its authenticity. We heard die-hard Numan fans waxing lyrical about the performance and you can read on various Facebook group pages just how much people enjoyed and applauded this evenings performance. 

We make no apology for our enthusiasm, both acts were that good, and for sure, if we can to see them again, we will, with or without cameras. Style, performance and presentation were all in evidence by the bucket load, Tubeway Days and ULTRA:foxx complimented each other perfectly, so there's nothing further to add other than if either of these acts are performing near you, be it together or on their own, you owe it to yourself to get a ticket and go and see them.

 

Links:

TUBEWAY DAYS

ULTRA:foxx

MADDERMARKET THEATRE

Concert Images (courtesy of Neil Fellowes Photography  and Ebony Fellowes Photography):

Tubeway Days and ULTRA:foxx

 

 

Gary Numan - Savage Tour, LCR, Norwich, 17th October 2017

Line-up:

Gary Numan - vocals, guitar, keyboards

Tim Muddiman - bass, backing vocals

Steve Harris - guitar, backing vocals

Richard Beasley - drums

David Brooks - keyboards
Persia Numan - backing vocals

Support:

Jayce Lewis

Venue:

The LCR

Norwich

NR4 7TJ

United Kingdom

The evening opened with a seemingly popular Numan support artist (as they do) called Jayce Lewis. This was my first time experience of Lewis and with his combination of powerhouse rock with tribal and a bit of industrial metal, backed by a drummer and two (yes, I said two) bassists, Lewis provided a full-on raucous and upbeat warm-up for the main act. Lewis has been championed by a number of established artists (not least Numan and the late New Romantic icon, Steve Strange) and it's easy to see why. His set was high on energy, sound and performance, the perfect ground rock for what was to follow. It would be interesting to see Jayce Lewis in his own headline gig, unchained by the ties of supportdom.

It wasn't too long before The LCR UEA played host to someone and something of current interest, a man who is enjoying something of a well-deserved renaissance and a man who we are about to witness is clearly on top of his game, once more leading the way forward.

As the lights dimmed, the dry ice flowed and the crowd roared, the infamous "Numaaan, Numaaan!!!" chant slowly drowned by the musical intro that accompanied the multiple screens projecting images of a burning world and lights burning fiercely red and yellow, setting the scene for the Numan's apocalyptic vision of a highly probable near-future, putting all of us present into that world, the heat of the lights more than hinting at what the acclaimed "Savage (Songs from a Broken World)" was about. The band quickly followed by Numan took to the stage for an explosive opener in the shape of "Ghost Nation", the opening track of the "Savage" album. The lights, the sound, Numan's contorted movements and the stunning video backdrop made for a thrilling start. In a breath, this first song was done and the first of only six references to the "Replicas"/"The Pleasure Principle"/"Telekon" classic trilogy launched with the track "Metal" ("The Pleasure Principle") which has once again been beautifully re-worked to suit Numan's latest sound, the lights and video displays bathing him in a twisting kaleidoscope of burning red and crackling white. From the album "Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind)", the next track was "Everything Comes Down To This", it's menacing industrial undertones rumbling through the building closely followed by the second of the "classic albums" trilogy "I'm An Agent" from "Telekon". The screens at the back heralded a return to the "Savage" album with "The End of Things", lights and imagery playing behind and around an almost mesmeric Numan, his moves so utterly snake-like and his face scowling from under the white markings on his forehead. All of this was under-scored with almost child-like music box sounds, symphonic strings, truly epic Mellotron-type choirs, and thunderous bass, glued together with the guitar and drums on the magnificent choruses, Numan's voice soaring above it all.

The next track was a welcome addition to the set, being the title track of the "Dead Son Rising" album - it's really good that Numan is leaving behind the all-too heavy emphasis in the last couple of years on classic tracks in favour of more recent offerings such as this, this material is still fresh and new, in much need of live airings. That said, classic track number three took everything to another level, a perennial crowd favourite, "Down In the Park" from the "Replicas" album, lighting, a simple but basically fucking awesome video display, earth-shattering bass and insistent guitar giving life to one of Numan's best-loved songs. This led into another "Savage" track, "Pray for the Pain You Serve", it's frantic Middle Eastern overtones melding with Numan's gyrating form, the lights screaming at you on the bridge sections, a set piece that was taking no prisoners. Next up was "Here In the Black", a second track from "Splinter" another demonstration of the darker heavier stance that Numan has been successfully taking for the last few albums, his utterly menacing whispered vocals reverberating around the auditorium between the frantic bridge and chorus sections, his sung vocals

on the latter lifting the whole thing before the brickwall drop back into the whispered verses. We return to "Savage" once more with the slower-paced, but apocalyptically atmospheric "Mercy", Numan's moves now more sensual than ever. The pace picks up again with another offering from "Splinter", the excellent "Love Hurt Bleed" with it's searing synth hook and growling guitar, and acting as a perfect bridge to the next "Savage" song, and a real highlight, "My Name is Ruin". The place erupted when a little music stand and microphone appeared on the stage next to Numan as he introduced his 12 year old daughter Persia, who gave a fantastic performance with her dad - it was very clear that Persia Numan is growing in confidence with each performance, as she moved almost in sync with her father on the choruses, her powerful voice cutting through the mix, she might be small, but her voice is big. Personally, I loved this section as it was so cool to see such an established figure as Numan clearly delighting in having his little girl on stage with him, and his pride positively glowed. As an aside, could we be witnessing the next stage of the Numan Legacy with Persia Numan? As I said though, a genuine highlight. Persia Numan left the stage into the arms of mum Gemma, and we had no time to dust ourselves off before classic track number four, and another crowd favourite, the timeless "Cars". I say timeless because, once again, Numan's latest re-working of the song makes it relevant and current and another highlight. The evening's set was cleverly put together, satisfying the need for tracks from previous albums with the "Savage" songs, older songs providing an interesting segue to the new, and this was the case with "Cars" taking us into "When the World Comes Apart". Another epic offering, hinting at elements of the past with what felt like "Telekon" type sounds alongside the raw energy of the guitar-driven present. The pace slams to slow with another highlight, the emotional "A Prayer for the Unborn" from Numan's 2000 album, "Pure". A synth sequence percolated away as Numan gave an authentic performance of what is a very personal song, bathed in red light with a moving and perfectly pitched video backdrop, this was a powerful set piece to end the first section of the gig.

Numan and the band left the stage. The crowd called for more. A few minutes later Numan and the band returned to the stage. Before more music happened, Numan light-heartedly explained that all he could hear out back was a bit of clapping and asked the audience "do you fucking want it?" - he wasn't happy with the answer and asked again - this time the place erupted and he launched into classic track number five, "M.E." from "The Pleasure Principle". Another re-working that left the original standing, and a lighting display that was stunning, bedecking Numan in a triangle of swirling white beams, before the final song of the night and classic track number six. Bet you can't guess which one......okay, I'll tell you - "Are Friends Electric?" - and to be honest, I don't think Numan would have gotten out the building alive if he hadn't played it. And what a finish. The lighting, the video back drop, the sheer power of Numan's performance and the re-working of this iconic song made for a finale never to be forgotten.

I spoke to a few people after the gig and everyone was blown away by what they had just witnessed. The lighting was simply stunning, the multiple screen back drop carried images of wastelands, burned out desert vistas, contemporary imagery and stylised graphics that were pertinent to each and every song, the sound was loud, make no mistake, but it fed you the raw energy of where Numan is at this time. And that is a good place if one goes by what was seen on this night, a man that is clearly happy and enjoying life.

It was good to attend a Numan concert that had a lot more of his more recent material from albums such as "Pure", "Dead Son Rising" and "Splinter". Whilst I am sure there is a place for the "classic albums" stuff, I for one hope that after the last couple of years of featuring nothing but his older material, future performances will focus on the later albums as they contain a wealth of material that is ripe for live and undoubtedly, Numan's best work. I suspect Mr. Numan may feel that way also. Perhaps this latest tour will show fans that there is so much more to Gary Numan than "Cars" and "Are Friends Electric?", good and all as they are.

It's so incredibly easy to describe people as a legend, and in this throw-away, consumerist day-and-age, it IS transparently easy to the point of making it a much-over-used word. But, and this is kind of important when you're talking about Gary Numan, the word fits, Gary Numan IS a legend. Not many about that can have that said about them these days.

Links:

Gary Numan

Jayce Lewis

LCR UEA

https://uealcr.ticketabc.com/venues/uealcr/

Images by Neil Fellowes Photography

Back in Business!!!

Greetings, hello and welcome!!!

After a far-too-long-life-induced sabbatical, Review Elektro is coming back, much the same as before, but with a few new things to be added.

Naturally, concert reviews (with photos!!!) will be the main thrust of this page, but it's quite possible that you may find the occasional album review, a gear review or two, or even the odd software review.

I've decided to keep the layout and format of Review Elektro as simple as is possible, and I feel that the Blogger option is probably the best and most accessible way to do things. I've used Blogger for a good few years now for other projects and find that it is pretty flexible and will present the reviews as I would like them.

Exciting stuff huh?

Yeah, you know it.

On to the business in hand......

Two exciting concerts are already lined-up in the coming weeks, namely Gary Numan (currently enjoying a huge and massively deserved resurgence) at the LCR Norwich on the 17th October and Big Country (perennial live favourites) at the Waterfront, Norwich on the 11th November 2017.

Please do keep a look out on the Review Elektro Facebook page for updates or if you want a comment - and if you do, please be nice ;-)