Heaven 17 Presents Reproduction and Travelogue
The
Roundhouse, London - 5 September 2021
"A
gig like no other"
This gig was
always going to be something special for so many people in so many
ways. Firstly there had been that teasing and tantalising
possibility, some years ago, after Heaven 17 had performed a few of the classic Human League tracks,
Martyn Ware had asked "Would anyone be interested if we would did
a full show of Reproduction and Travelogue?". The audience
response had been clear and inevitable... The possibility of seeing
the 1979 debut Human League album and it's 1980 successor performed
live again, causing a ripple of excitement and hopeful discussion
among the fan base.
Nothing more
was heard on the subject, then suddenly the news broke. Two shows
were announced, one to take place in their hometown of Sheffield and
the second at the Roundhouse in London. Dates confirmed at last, I
immediately ordered a ticket for the Roundhouse gig, due to take
place in over a years time, somehow fighting the temptation to get
one for Sheffield as well.
Time passed
and a previously unimagined event threatened to change our lives and
the world. Just a few weeks before the highly anticipated shows,
everything had changed.... Lockdown one, gig cancelled, rescheduled
for September, surely everything would be OK by then? Everyone was
hopeful that the nightmare would end and we could finally get our
lives back, but no.... just as everything seemed on course, new
variant... another wave struck and the lockdown misery began yet
again.
Finally and
tentatively another date was announced...
Sunday 5th of
September 2021, the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London, a beautiful
sunny summers day.
Never had the
prospect of going to a gig felt like this. The sheer nervousness and
anxiety at simply travelling to London, using the train and tube
again, meeting long missed friends for the ritual pre-gig drink.
Things that had once been such a normal part of life and taken for
granted, taking on a strangely unreal feeling. Sitting and chatting
in a pub garden before making our way to the venue, seeing familiar
faces and chatting to friends already in the queue. Scattered masked
faces in the crowd adding to the surreal feeling surrounding the
whole event.
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Tickets
checked by masked staff, perspex protective screens at bars, served
by masked but friendly staff, there was a tangible feeling of the
strangeness at what would once have been a welcome and routine part
of life. Finally into the auditorium. Anticipation rose as the first
movements were spotted in the half light on stage, final brief
equipment checks completed and Heaven 17 took the stage to loud
cheers and applause.
Screens behind
the band flash into life to as the menacing, pulsating beat of Almost
Medieval began to pound through the PA. Sequenced electronic
percussion, a key element of that unique early Human League sound,
setting the pace, finally it was really happening.
Glen Gregory
taking center stage, flanked by Martyn Ware to one side, two backing
singers to the other, an additional synth player to the rear, with
Malcolm Garrett on laptop, taking charge of the onstage visuals.
The stage had
been set up in an attempt to recreate the original look and feel of
those early Human League shows. Gregory center stage for lead vocal
duties as per Phil Oakey, with Martyn Ware in his usual position to
his right on synthesizers. For this show, also using his collection
of vintage machines along with his usual rig, the vintage Roland
Jupiter 4 and Korg 700s to one side and a Roland System 100 mounted
in a recreation of the stand, which had also served as an improvised
beer glass and spittle shield, that Ian Marsh had used in the days
when the League had supported punk bands. A reel to reel tape
machine spinning for effect, adding to the look and feel.
Circus of
Death was next up, complete with unsettling images of the
killer clown on the screens above the band, contributing to the
macabre tale of blood and murder. The images helping to recreate the
look and feel of those classic Human League gigs.
The set
continued in album order, each track warmly greeted by the audience.
Another of many stand out moments followed, with the classic Path
of Least Resistance coming next. Then onto Blind Youth
with it's warnings of peril to the past and future generations of
youth culture, screens flashing images of style icons throughout the
ages.
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And so it
continued, with a fantastic version of The Word Before Last,
showcasing once again the innate songwriting ability of the
group of 'non musicians' that had created the band. Empire
State Human of course closed side one to enthusiastic
cheers.
Straight
on to side two and immediately yet more classics followed.
Firstly as Martyn Ware manned the Roland System 100 for the
beautiful and atmospheric Morale, followed by You've
Lost that Loving Feeling. The song had always been a stand
out moment in the bands set, with it's unique, electronic take,
on The Righteous Brothers 60's classic. This saw Martin Ware
leaving his synthesizers to join Glenn Gregory on vocals in
center stage, just as he had done with Phil Oakey all those
years ago, when Reproduction itself, had been a mere
"gleam in an eye".
Austerity/Girl
One followed, with Zero As A Limit, the speeding,
dystopian tale of crashing cars and early graves closing first
album.
As the
final track crashed to it's conclusion I swapped position,
moving from the front to a location near the desk, expecting a
break in the performance. Instead, the band continued straight
on into the second album, Travelogue.
The atmosphere and closeness to the stage had of been great during the first half of the show, but the sound quality was definitely better further back, my new vantage point near the desk, probably providing the best position to benefit from the clear and powerful PA. The snarling, Black Hit of Space, announced the arrival of the League MK1's second and final album, always a fans favourite, the powerful synths and percussion setting the scene for what was to follow. Keeping to the album's track order again, the wonderful Life Kills followed, as Travelogue continued to flex it's muscles.
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That
recording's production had much more truly captured the band's
sound and edge at the time. Coupled with the sheer invention and
development in technique, it had taken the band to another level
in places, as was proved tonight in a truly stunning
performance.
Glenn
Gregory's vocals were superb throughout, as he continued to
interpret Phil Oakey's distinctive and creative lyrics to those
early Human League songs. Later, at the end of the marvelous A
Crow And A Baby, both Gregory and Ware, humorously
questioning, just what was that about? Only Phil Oakey will ever
know for sure.
The
visuals provided by artist Malcolm Garrett, continued to provide
a perfect foil to the music. A touch more restrained perhaps
than Adrian Wright's alternating images of humour, horror and
nostalgia that had accompanied the Human League's performances
in the late 70's, but still in keeping and adding to the
atmosphere. One particular highlight being the poignant
accompaniment to a powerful and emotionally charged version of Dreams
of Leaving, coupled with moving images of the destruction
and desolation of war torn cities.
Each song
delivered perfectly and demonstrating the true variety and
unique sound and take on electronic music that the MK1 League
had developed.
Final
track of the album, the excellent WXJL Tonight,
revealing the song as a truly unrecognised classic and
underlining just how undervalued the band had been at by the
wider public and media at the time. If ever a band had been
ahead of it's time, The Human League were surely the epitome,
the lack of commercial success leading to the inevitable
tensions and breakup of the original band.
Finishing
to loud applause, they finally left the stage.
In the days before the gigs, the Ware and Gregory had promised a few more surprise tracks to come on their social media feeds and they certainly delivered.
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In the days before the gigs, the Ware and Gregory had promised a few more surprise tracks to come on their social media feeds and they certainly delivered.
Returning
to the stage for a much deserved and demanded encore, they
took no prisoners. First came the classic Holiday 80
EP, complete with fan favourite Marianne and yet
another favourite and highlight from their early sets, the
Rock and Roll/Nightclubbing medley. The crowd sang
along loudly and enthusiastically as Rock and Roll
pounded and bleeped to it's conclusion, before segueing
into a truly amazing performance of the Iggy Pop classic,
Nightclubbing, again accompanied by tremendous
visuals. I really had forgotten how just fantastic and
groundbreaking their version of this song had been.
The
encore continued with the ill fated, yet portentous "disco
classic", I Don't Depend on You, a song which the
band had released under the pseudonym of The Men. A
curious oddity at the time, which in hindsight, pointed so
clearly to the directions that both Phil Oakey's Human
League MKII and Heaven 17 would eventually take. The
knowing audience suitably enjoying and singing along.
Finally,
following a brief retelling of the tale of the break up of
the League and birth of Heaven 17, we were taken full
circle with a rousing and much appreciated version of
Heaven 17's debut single Fascist Groove Thang,
audience again in full voice, enthusiastically singing
along to the final song of a fantastic evening.
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Of
course, short of having a time machine, it could never be
possible to fully recreate the sheer uniqueness and impact
of the live experience that had been the Human League in
the late 70's. The more edgy and playful visuals Adrien
Wright, Phil Oakey's look and voice, Ian Marsh's sheer
coolness. That along with the volume and driven power of
the sound at gigs in those days, was a different
experience.
That said, this gig was quite simply nothing but a triumph
in every way. During the show, the band had spoken of how
they had originally tried to persuade Phil Oakey to join
them for these shows, if only... But tonight they raised
the possibility that there may be more to come, perhaps
next time with Phil? I truly hope so. But with or without
Phil, I for one would love to hear and experience these
fantastic songs live again.
This
really was a gig like no other. 10/10
Set
list: Almost Medieval, Circus of Death, The Path of
Least Resistance, Blind Youth, The Word Before Last,
Empire State Human, Morale...You've Lost That Loving
Feeling, Austerity/Girl One (Medley), Zero As A Limit,
The Black Hit of Space, Only After Dark, Life Kills,
Dreams of Leaving, Toyota City, Crow And A Baby, The
Touchables, Gordon's Gin, Being Boiled, WXJL Tonight,
Marianne, Rock and Roll/Nightclubbing, I Don't Depend on
You, Fascist Groove Thang
Review:
Cliff Chapman
Photos: Rob Dyer + Mark Smith
Photos: Rob Dyer + Mark Smith
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