ShareOrchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark performing their Bauhaus Staircase Tour at The Royal Concert Hall Nottingham on Wednesday 13th March 2024.
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
From the 80s there were plenty of synth pop bands, some were one hit wonders and some are still active and successful today, like Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark who sold out the Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday night.
Touring to showcase their first album in six years, Bauhaus Staircase and dressed in their signature black, against a back drop that included screens showing psychedelic visuals, Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys captivated the audience from the moment they took to the stage.
Instrumental Evolution Of Species from the new album was followed by another new song, Anthropocene which immediately showcased McCluskey’s iconic, frenetic stage presence. Older songs Messages and Tesla Girls followed which formed part of a set list that was a master class in balancing new material with their classic hits.
There was the protest song Kleptocracy and History Of Modern (Part 1) followed by Souvenir, Joan Of Arc, and Maid Of Orleans (The Waltz Joan Of Arc), which all culled from 1981’s Architecture And Morality and which got the high praise and interaction they deserved from a crowd that was hanging on their every word.
For (Forever) Live And Die, Humphreys took centre stage and McCluskey took over keyboard duty meaning he had to keep still for a few minutes. But normal service was resumed for If You Leave, So In Love, and Locomotion.
The iconic Enola Gay had the crowd dancing which was reminiscent of McCluskey’s own unique style. The catchy Look At You Now from Bauhaus Staircase led the encore together with the brilliantly euphoric Pandora’s Box and the inevitable final song, Electricity.
Having delivered a spell binding performance, OMD are undoubtedly the pioneers of synth pop and are a band that has continuously evolved whilst staying true to their core and that is why there wasn’t a seat to be had.
