Look At Us Now

On Tuesday, Mrs. K and I ventured into Bristol for a rare mid-week gig to see Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark. Strap yourself in, you're in for quite a ride.

It was my third time seeing O.M.D., previously in October 1986 and November 2019. It was Mrs. K's first time, largely on the basis that I kept going on about how brilliant they were in 2019. Look closely and you can spot us in the crowd above, having a brilliant time along with two thousand other people, not least the four on stage.

That concert in 1986 is also significant as I saw O.M.D. in exactly the same venue, although it's gone through a radical makeover and name change in the last forty years. Previously the Colston Hall, the venue is now the Bristol Beacon and it looks - and feels - like a completely different place.

“Wow, look at this place", said Andy McCluskey as he came on stage, "but just because it’s new doesn’t mean we can’t mess it up.”

 

But more of that later. Due to the logistics of having a day job in another county, family stuff, getting into Bristol city centre and finding somewhere to park, there was never any hope that we'd get to see support act Walt Disco, who were off stage by 8.30pm. A shame, as I was intrigued by the Glaswegian band's overt nod to Associates, (early) Simple Minds and David Bowie. I mean, what's not to love about a band that describes themselves as "flamboyant goth-glam"? I'm sorry to have missed the opportunity as it seems that they delivered a tight and enjoyable set.

By the time we arrived and took position in the stalls, the audience were suitably warmed up and lubricated so that when the opening bars of walk-on track Evolution Of Species played in, there was a palpable rumble of excitement. That upped to another level when the band came on stage: Martin Cooper, Stuart Kershaw and Paul Humphreys taking position on three risers; lastly, Andy McCluskey darting and ducking either side of the central mike stand, as Anthropocene burst into life.

As you can see from the photos (none of them mine, credits below), the backdrop was spectacular, mixing footage and stills in vibrant electric colours with snippets of the animated videos from Bauhaus Staircase. The main lighting would also pop in from time to time, so you went from feeling like you were in the best nightclub in the world to suddenly seeing the enormity of the people and place surrounding you. It was a heady experience.

With an opening from the current - and reportedly last - album, things then went right back to the beginning with a blistering rendition of Messages from the first album and the first vinyl 10" single I ever bought. From there Tesla Girls seamlessly sequences into Kleptocracy. 

 

"You probably know us for doing happy songs about depressing topics" says Andy, introducing the latter with a smile. "[Kleptocracy's] about brexit and the rise of fascism and I hope you enjoy dancing to it.”

 

It's followed by History Of Modern, the only 21st century O.M.D. song in the set that isn't from Bauhaus Staircase. The concert felt very different from their 40th anniversary show in 2019. However, comparing them online I was surprised to see that two-thirds of the setlists were identical, even down to song order and encore placing. This means that older album tracks like Stanlow, Almost and Statues also didn't get a look in this time around. However, we did get live performances of 7 of the 12 songs on Bauhaus Staircase throughout the set, which was wonderful.

 

Aside from that, it was hits, hits, hits all the way. If You Leave, with stills of Molly Ringwald from Pretty In Pink mingling in the backdrop, was followed by Paul Humphreys first turn at the front with (Forever) Live And Die, back a couple of songs later for Souvenir. 

 

The first half closed, perhaps inevitably, with the two Joan Of Arc songs from Architecture & Morality, a reminder of time when music like this could smash the Top 5 UK singles chart.

There was no interval but the lights dropped and the PA played The Rock Drill, a 2-minute collage that originally appeared on the digital deluxe edition of Bauhaus Staircase and later on the CD of the title track's single release. It lifts the 'Creature / Judgement / Butcher / Engineer' Speak & Spell sample from Genetic Engineering and (I think) a bit of percussion from obscure B-side The Avenue. I suspect it was created specifically for the purpose of use in the live show as a bridge to the second half. For when the lights rose, O.M.D. are in a line, ready to go again. They also did this in 2019 and it's a simple yet effective way of changing things up a little.

Part 2 opens up with two of the more reflective, downtempo songs from Bauhaus Staircase, Verushka and album closer Healing. Both lovely songs and a good showcase for Andy's vocal chords and lungs. Not bad for a guy who will turn 65 in June.

Acknowledging the brief diversion into "culture", Andy signals with a smile the return to "mindless dancing" with Don't Go, originally released as a single to celebrate the O.M.D.'s 40th anniversary but also a snug fit on the Bauhaus Staircase album and now seemingly as a setlist staple/crowd pleaser.

 

The hits keep coming with Dreaming and Locomotion. In case my good friend Mike doesn't mention it in the comments, I will say that the latter is not a favourite of his and usually a cue to go to the bar or the bogs, or both. It was followed by Sailing On The Seven Seas, a surprise 'comeback' single in 1991. Neither Paul nor Martin were in the band at this point, Stuart had not long joined and co-wrote the song with Andy. That and it's status as O.M.D.'s joint biggest UK hit single (along with Souvenir) at #3 have guaranteed it a place in the setlist in perpetuity. Personally, my feelings about the song mirror Mike's towards Locomotion but there was no denying the enthusiastic response or energy in the room.

The set closes of course with Enola Gay, a measly #8 in 1980 but ubiquitous these days in all manner of advertising (have the creatives actually listened to the song or understood what it's about?!) Andy has been slinging his bass on and off throughout the set and it's back on for this song, the image of him on stage a far cry from the tank topped singer from the video all those years ago.

 

After a very short break and an unbroken round of applause, whooping and calls for more, the band are back on stage for a three-song finale, opening with Look At You Now, the last 'new' song of the set and already sounding like a classic. “Here’s a new song…from 1991," jokes Andy as the band play Pandora's Box, another McCluskey/Kershaw co-write and Top 10 hit. 

Over a hundred minutes since they first appeared, and despite earlier promises of a 5-hour set, O.M.D. bring things to a conclusion with Electricity. A fitting end, given how charged the night - and audience - has been. The quartet seemed genuinely moved throughout by the huge reaction to the new and old songs, but it was well deserved.

If this is the last time that O.M.D. create new music and take their show on the road, then they have done both with style. An incredible night.

...although you can't please everyone, as Starr opined on Twitter a few days later. Unless it's a typo, of course.

 

As mentioned earlier, I didn't take any photos on the night as I was too caught up in the moment. Thankfully, lots of people did at various points around Beacon Hall. So, a big thanks for the cheeky swipes from Twitter of photos from Tuesday night by the following very talented people:

Platform Controller @platformcontrol: 1

Lath @Lath87815986: 2, 4

Suze @WestCountrySuzi: 3, 5

Rich Ford @FordyFive: 6

 

And I couldn't let the occasion pass without an accompanying Dubhed selection. I've followed O.M.D.'s cue and presented not one, but two selections recreating each half of the show. I've added a few alternative versions and remixes here and there, including (for me at least) a more palatable version of Sailing On The Seven Seas and a rather nice extended bootleg of Don't Go, alongside the definitive 10" versions of Messages and Souvenir. It also provides a nice bit of balance to the running time, both coming in at just over 47 minutes. You'd almost think I put some thought into these things, wouldn't you?!

There's a long dedication list for this post:

- A shout out to the wonderful Mrs. K for a brilliant shared experience, even if the long, unplanned detour home due to a motorway closure is another story and something to forget!

- Mike, who was also there in the crowd but who we didn't get to say hello to on the night

- Ian, brother of the legendary Stuart, who we bumped into in the post-gig squeeze/shuffle to get out, who I last saw in 2019 when he gave us a lift to see...O.M.D.

- Platform Controller, Lath, Suze and Rich Ford, for the excellent photos

- Andy, Paul, Martin, Stuart and the O.M.D. crew for creating an unforgettable experience

O.M.G. for this night, for sure.

 

Side 1

1) Evolution Of Species (Album Version) (2023)

2) Anthropocene (Album Version) (2023) 

3) Messages (10" Version) (1980)

4) Tesla Girls (Video Version) (1984)

5) Kleptocracy (Album Version) (2023)

6) History Of Modern (Part I) (Radio Edit) (2011)

7) If You Leave (Single/Soundtrack Version) (1986)

8) (Forever) Live And Die (Album Version) (1986)

9) Bauhaus Staircase (Album Version) (2023)

10) Extended Souvenir (10" Version) (1981)

11) Joan Of Arc (Album Version) (1981)

12) Maid Of Orleans (The Waltz Of Joan Of Arc) (Album Version) (1981)

Side 2

1) The Rock Drill (2023)

2) Veruschka (Album Version) (2023)

3) Healing (Album Version) (2023)

4) Don't Go (Extended) (Bootleg Edit By Richard Anvil) (2023)

5) So In Love (Special American Dance Remix)M (1985)

6) Dreaming (7" Mix) (1988)

7) Locomotion (Album Version) (1984)

8) Sailing On The Seven Seas (Extended Version) (1991)

9) Enola Gay (Album Version) (1980)

10) Look At You Now (Album Version) (2023)

11) Pandora's Box (Lost Girl Mix) (1991)

12) Electricity (Remix) (1988)

 

1980: Messages EP: A3 

1980: Organisation: B9

1981: Architecture & Morality: A11, A12

1981: Souvenir EP: A10 

1984: Junk Culture: B7

1984: Tesla Girls EP: A4

1985: So In Love EP (USA 12"): B5

1986: Pretty In Pink OST: A7

1986: The Pacific Age: A8 

1988: Dreaming EP: B6

1988: The Best Of O.M.D.: B12

1991: Pandora's Box EP: B11

1991: Sailing On The Seven Seas EP: B8

2011: History Of Modern (Part I) EP: A6

2023: Bauhaus Staircase: A1, A2, A5, A9, B1, B2, B3, B10

2023: Don't Go EP (bootleg MP3): B4

Side 1 (47:04) (KF) (Mega)

Side 2 (47:13) (KF) (Mega)