PHOTOS: December 1985, The Marquee Club, London.
(Photos scanned from Erasure's INNOCENTS tour book)
1985 - VERY EARLY GIGS
November ? - Western Star Dominoes Club, Bristol UK
November 23 - Loughborough University, UKNovember ? - Norwich, UK
December 1 - Heaven, London UK
December 8 - Limit Club, Sheffield UK
December 14 - Marquee Club, London UK
December 20 - Gold Mine, Canvey Islands UK-------------------
Setlists for 1985 include:
Love Is A Loser - Senseless - Who Needs Love Like That - Reunion - My Heart...So Blue - Cry So Easy - Oh L'amour - March On Down The Line - Heavenly Action - Push Me Shove Me - Say What------------------
RECORD MIRROR MAGAZINE'S
REVIEW OF THE MARQUEE CLUB GIG:
As an intimate soiree in machine man Vince Clarke's company, with Andy Bell demonstrating his fine vocal range, it was fine. As a gig, it brought to mind some of the better nights on 'TOTP', with a devoted huddle of worshipers tapping their toes and twisting their torsos.
Elements of well-rehearsed spontaneity, and one of Vince's strings snapping, acted as a reminder that the whole thing hadn't been programmed beforehand.
And of course there was plenty of damn good dance music provided. 'Who Needs Love Like That' and 'Heavenly Action' were hot favourites.
Beyond that, very little was stimulating. There was minimal emphasis on the stage show. The two backing vocalists did their best, but they were already visually out of place togged up in dinner jackets and looking as if they were on loan from the BBC.
Whatever action was missing on stage was made up for by the small but enthusiastic crowd, who evidently intended on having a good time. But make no mistake, they had come to see Vince. Before the band went on, the place was buzzing with his name.------------------
NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS' REVIEW
OF THE DEC. 1st HEAVEN CLUB GIG:The main course: Two dinner-jacketed gentlemen on harmonies, one tufty-haired ginger (c)hunk on charisma and main vocals, a certain knack for creating a catchily memorable little morsel (the first number 'Dancing Across The Nation" stuck in my earlobes and caressed my feet) of a poptone...and Mr Vincent Clarke and his array of computers on everything else. Stuck on one side of the main action, gently swaying in the breeze and adulation, pumping out one (would-be) hit after another, looking as shy as ever, Vince is back!
Remaining firmly on the side of the lightweights, never veering toward that dreadful Morley/Horn mockpomp synthesizer rock that was in vogue a year ago, every note and every beat emanating from his little box of tricks was as pure and crystal-clear as as that first Mode single.. another success on our Vince's hands? Well, maybe - the problem here is that the frontman, Andy Bell, although the possessor of a fine pair of falsetto vocals, does lack a certain something in the personality stakes (unlike a Moyet, or a Sharkey, say) and this might hold them back somewhat in today's climate of 'pop as personality as records as units of success'.
Still, if the pop you swallow has to be top 40 (a day) then let it be this - disposable, but not nauseatingly so, fodder.
-The Legend
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