Given that the only reason I went to Rewind was to see the Boomtown Rats, I may not be exactly the right person to constructively review the festival. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks before it that I found out who else was playing. Head scratch.
The crowd is, as you’d expect, mostly between mid-forties and early sixties. There are some younger bodies there but they’re definitely in the minority. The sun is out and everyone is in good spirits. There is much boozing and suitably awful 80s headgear and shiny nylon. And it’s a bank holiday weekend.
I should also say hats off to the house band. They come as a surprise as I’m unfamiliar with the Rewind/Forever Young festival format. They play with six of the nine bands performing and they are brilliant. That’s a lot of music to learn, although I’d imagine, given the format, they’ve played with those artists a few times before.
When I finally read the festival lineup, Toyah was the first one to excite me. She brings some (in)sanity and style to the festival, but sadly only for four songs. Her performance is as eccentric, energised and bonkers as you’d expect. They don’t make them like her anymore. She sings two covers which are fine (Echo Beach and Rebel Yell), but then she does Mystery and Free, which are great. I really wish it’s a longer set. She’s been active for nearly fifty years and she carries it well.
Midge Ure was the next on the list to focus my attention. We are treated to the fantasticness of Fade, a guitar-heavy Vienna, and Dancing, amongst others. He voice is still a powerhouse. His singing technique is identical to his 1985 Live Aid performance (watch Vienna!). It’s great to see. It’s odd that his name isn’t generally dropped into lists of amazing vocalists. He has an incredible vocal range and he’s as good now as he was over forty years ago. And not everybody is asked to play guitar in Thin Lizzy. Again, disappointing that he only plays a half hour set. Ultravox need to make a new album.
ABC’s Martin Fry is amazing. Another one I was looking forward to. Lexicon was one of my guilty secrets in school. His set spans four albums and is bookend with Poison Arrow and Look Of Love. He still looks suave (in a Yellow Pack Bryan Ferry kind of way) and sounds absolutely fantastic. And again, sadly a short set.
I’ve been a big fan of the Boomtown Rats since they started and this is my first time seeing them. The Citizens of Boomtown doc from a couple of years ago was a serious reminder of what an amazing frontman Bob was, and I’m really hoping he’s still got some of it (I did see a lacklustre Jools recently). Briquette and Crowe are still there. The last album is good too. And then our hearts drop as his tour manager(?) comes onstage to say that Bob is quite sick and his doctor has told him not to play. Fuck sake! And then he continues, that of course Bob isn’t going to be told what to do… and on comes Bob with a clearly banjaxed voice. He asks for help from the crowd, rants a bit about the genius Beatles only playing for twenty minutes sixty years ago in Dublin, and then introduces “the greatest rock n roll band in the world from Dunlaoghaire”. The voice is gone but he still gives it socks. And he’s still captivating to watch up close. In a Iggy way. He’s a show man. Starting with Rat Trap they play a song from the first three and the last albums. They sound great. Then something odd happens. Midge Ure joins Bob on stage while he rants about the Trump administration being cunts and Musk being “fucking hedge-trimming, catatonic fucking ketamine fuelled”. Midge looks slightly bemused. I guess it’s an historic moment—and they’re both on the same bill, so why not. There’s no mention of Palestine. And then they sing Do They Know It’s Christmas which is mental. It’s 1st June and the sun is belting down. Everyone’s pissed though so why not.
Last up is Billy Ocean. Mr Cheese. He undoubtedly had some great records in the 70s but most of the 80s was mulch. The only song he plays today that I like is Red Light, after that I’m pretty much done. But he does have his own band. They’re great. Oh, and there’s a colossal amount of finger pointing again.
I get that the cross-range of bands is to cover all tastes, but it’s ultimately lame. Just have less bands from similar genres and proper sets. And lower the bloody stage. You almost can’t see anything from the pit and the audience at the barrier can see marginally more. Take 4′ off it.
Other than all that, a great day out!
Full running order of bands on the day
Something Happens
Jerry Fish
Matt Goss
Tiffany
Toyah
Boyzlife
Midge Ure
ABC
The Boomtown Rats
Billy Ocean
Jerry Fish photos:
Matt Goss photos:
Tiffany photos:
Toyah photos:
Boyzlife photos:
Midge Ure photos:
ABC photos:
The Boomtown Rats:
Billy Ocean photos:
Photos & words Cormac Figgis @themasterswitch