Tony Hadley - Pure Gold!

Tony Hadley. Photo courtesy of Warwick Arts Centre

Tony Hadley, Warwick Arts Centre, 16 June 2023.

Review by Jan Malatesta

Wow! Tony Hadley – it’s definitely True to say the ex Spandau Ballet frontman has still got it.

On tour with his highly accomplished Fabulous TH Band, Hadley ran onto the stage at Warwick Arts Centre yesterday (16 June) at full throttle as he launched into his hit, To Cut A Long Story Short. And by the third song the audience was short - at least half were out of their seats dancing in the aisles or at the front of the stage.

One fan even waved a photograph of herself with Hadley in his 1980s heyday.

"Hey, we were both really young then!” quipped the 63-year-old whose voice is as mighty as ever.

No getting away from the fact that most of those in front of the stage were ladies of a certain age – though I loved the couple up in the balcony reviving their own New Romantic dance moves.

Tony Hadley on stage at Warwick Arts Centre. Photo by Jan Malatesta.

Despite the heat, Tony refused to remove his trademark jacket as he wowed his fans with song after song accompanied by his seven-piece band, generously offering each of them the space to showcase their own astonishing talents. Not least, percussionist Lily Gonzalez, who left her deck and joined him for a couple of numbers.

This high energy performance kept most on their feet throughout the whole set as Tony ran through the Spandau Ballet back catalogue of hits, many re-mastered to include Instinction, I’ll Fly For You, Round and Round, Communication, Only When You Leave and Through the Barricades, along with a couple of his own recent numbers including Alibi and Because of You.

Naturally, no-one was letting him go without the storm trooping finale Gold.

Tony's lyrics certainly left A Little Passion in This Stranger, and a whole lot more in all his adoring fans. Most of us are just hoping he can come back to the Arts Centre next year.

Leamington-based artist Levi Washington was the support act for Tony on the night.

See who's coming to Warwick Arts Centre: https://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/