www.manchesteronline.co.uk
December 2005
Dan Stubbs
COMPRISING three singers who can neither harmonise with each other or dance
in sync, Human League hark back to a time when pop groups weren't so
polished.
But after more than 25 years in
the business, they sure know how to put on a show.
The Manchester leg of the amusingly named Synth City tour delivered a string
of hits including Tell Me When, Mirror Man and the ubiquitous Don't You Want
Me Baby, with the stage set (and instruments including an electronic drum
kit and two keytars) adhering to a futuristic all-white theme.
Favourite
But despite the presence of the odd school disco favourite, this was more
than just a nostalgia trip.
One of the night's highlights was Being Boiled, a relic from the band's
experimental early days that's since become a favourite with electro DJs and
bootleggers thanks to its menacing bassline and itchy synths.
That was followed by a version of singer
Phil Oakey's collaboration with Giorgio Moroder, Together In Electric Dreams.
Not technically a Human League track, but an inspired finale. I haven't
stopped humming the chorus yet.
4/5
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