Human League , BIC, Bournemouth
It is a staggering 35 years since The Human League gave us that Christmas number One ' Don't You Want Me Baby'.
So I half expected Sheffield's famous musical export to be a tad tarnished, like a set of once gleaming but now past its-best cutlery made from the city's celebrated steel.
How wrong could I have been! First and foremost Philip Oakey's distinctive vocals are stronger than ever and together with his girl backing singers - Joanne Catherall and Susan Anne Sully and fine band, they succeeded in making every song sound as good if not better than in their 80's hey- day.
With four Top Ten albums and eight Top Ten singles, including the landmark, era- defining 1981 album Dare!, there was a surprising amount of big hitters to choose from and the audience lapped up each and every one of them.
Their music took us back to the days of the New Wave and Post Punk scene and their unforgettable dance synth sounds with tracks spanning almost 40 years.
Love Action, Open Your Heart, Fascination and Mirror Man were just some of the stand out songs but alongside the heavy beat and synth sounds were the equally well received ballads Human and Louise.
The staging was impressive with the colourful back projections that split in half to reveal the raised stage where the drummer and two keyboard players performed.
How Phil Oakey remains so youthful is a mystery : at 61 he still looked cool in his various black outfits whilst the girls - now in their 50's, also dazzled in their various spangled frocks.
A fun night was clearly had by all who were up dancing for a good deal of the show. Even singer/ actor Rhydian sat in the audience resting after a day rehearsing for the Bournemouth pantomime was singing along!
By the time we got to the set closer Don't You Want Me Baby, followed by the encore and closing song Together in Electric Dreams it seemed the roof might just come off the BIC Windsor Hall!
I am now counting off the days until The Human League play Southampton's Let's Rock Festival next summer on July 8!
Hilary Porter
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