League Leaders

Contrary to popular belief, music was not invented in the year 2000. Before that, literally dozens of bands would go around producing songs for the general public’s enjoyment - a practice that some believe stretches back even as far as the early eighties.

One of the better bands releasing music in the early eighties was The Human League, who, in 1981, unveiled what was to become something of a template for electropop as we know it. The album was called ‘Dare’ (sometimes they put an exclamation mark after it), and to this day, it sounds at least three years ahead of its time.

In honour of this momentous LP - which, lest we forget, features the massive ‘Don’t You Want Me’ - The Human League have been touring the world, playing it in its entirety, along with some of their other hits.

Gigs where bands play albums in full can be a bit rubbish, but when the long player in question is packed full of hook-filled pop monsters, you know things are generally going to be okay. Better than sitting through Damon Albarn’s gloomy nonsense anyway.

We went a couple of weeks ago and it was very enjoyable. Phil Oakey - still sexy at 85 - has a voice that could fill a cathedral several times over and the charisma to match. Judging by the way he jogs around the stage, relaying between singers Joanna Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley, his enthusiasm for these songs is obviously undimmed.

Admittedly there was an ‘intermission’ (ie. a little sit down for all involved) but that didn’t stop it being one of the gigs of the year. More highlights included:

:: Screens depicting the ‘Dare’ faces not including all members. BAND POLITICS ALERT.
:: ‘Open Your Heart’
:: ‘All I Ever Wanted’
:: ‘Mirror Man’
:: the ‘girls’ coming out after the interval in amazing spangly frocks
:: Phil Oakey in general

The encore of ‘Being Boiled’ and ‘Electric Dreams’ was pretty fucking special too.

We took our highly-trained and award-winning snapper with us to the show. Look:

As you can see we had front row seats.


This is what you get when you don’t pay for gig tickets.


This was an amazing bit where the screens looked like massive fruit machines. Honest.

Overall we’d give the show a 9.5/10, which, we’re sure you’ll agree, shits on a Cribs gig.

BONUS POP FACT! Phil Oakey is a huge fan of pencils, and likes nothing better than to go shopping for them. Even if - and this is the crazy part - he doesn’t even need one.

Amazing.