Its not that I don’t like Adam Ant, its just that I couldn’t give a monkey’s cuss about him. I’m not really a pop person (mostly) and I’m certainly not inclined to the 80’s and new romanticism. So my first instinct was to keep very quiet about the whole thing. Then I remembered that Ken has large soft spot for Mr. Ant. So this is a gift to you Ken.
I think the first band on were called Krakatoa. They should have been called Knobheads Up A Pole because that’s what they were. Immaculately dressed and coiffed, with a singer who seemed to think that Liam Gallagher has it all worked out, the band played punky / ska-y retro bollocks that made me yawn till my jaw crunched, which was more pleasant than listening to their clap a long arse fest by a long way. Utter shit.
So next up was Adam Ant. He appeared in a pirate hat, big glasses and his classic Highwayman garb and launched into … something I have never heard before. That wasn’t great, apparently something from a new album…so far, so uninspiring. Then he played a couple more things I don’t know. Felt nothing. Literally nothing. His band of two drummers, guitarist and bassist were competent but in a soulless session band sort of way that meant any songs that weren’t among his “hits” just didn’t mean anything. But then he played “Kings Of The Wild Frontier” and suddenly it all changed. Something clicked for Adam and his band and the audience and it was for a few minutes pretty stirring stuff. Sadly then it ebbed away with the inevitable new guff. Cue wiggly pretty girls singing at the front, looking like something from Top Of the Pops in 1986, to distract the audience from the uneventfulness of the music.
“Prince Charming” arrived and sent everyone bonkers, and while it was quite engaging, I found myself thinking about what a weird song it is consisting of two chords and a minimal refrain that only lasts for a couple of minutes, its odd stuff really for such a big hit. More bad songs then “Stand And Deliver” which he shouted in a pretty tuneless way, but it was another moment where you could see why Ant became a global star, albeit briefly. Then it was all over….or if it would have been it would have been pretty good over all. But he insisted on coming back to an encore of a T Rex cover (ouch) and “Physical” which was covered (much better than the original) by Nine Inch Nails.
Special mention must go to Adam Ant for being a pretty charismatic and funny guy, if somewhat bitter. He told stories about Live Aid and had an unjustified go at Trent Reznor and really was very fun to watch, but for me personally he needs to sack his band and stick to playing a set no longer than twenty minutes.
Kim Monaghan
Mmm a pretty poor review and factually incorrect on a few points. Everyone has their opinion though and as you stated you don’t care either way so why bother?.
Btw the open track is not from his new album but an old as it gets track called “plastic surgery” a spine tingling intro building to a full blown assault as featured in the film “Jubilee”
There seems to be a few types of people going to see this tour – people who casually heard him on the radio, the fans knowing only the hits and the prince charming moves or long term fans that intimately know his back catalogue and history.
If you haven’t heard of jubilee then you probably fall into one of the first two, go to the gig and have a great night and witness a true showman at work and singalong to the big hits.
However, if you are one of the latter you will experience a gig that delivers the genius that is Adam from an era when he was pushing boundries and writing on subjects that modern day artists would squirm at….wonderwall wtf?
There are always two sides to a review and in my opinion the review above is poles apart from what I have witnessed during this tour. But like I said everyone has the right to their opinion and Adam Ant is so much more that the caricature often portrayed…he is an f***in genius with so much more depth and no just the “pop” prince charming.
If you want a geniuine representation of his work this is the tour for you, if you just want a happy hits tour…maybe think about going to see take that 🙂
Don’t be square be there! AM4SP
I agree with you. Putting me at an Adam Ant gig is like putting a sandwich on top of a tank. Meaningless.
Yes, Kim Monaghan really is a clueless Twat, like so many who were also at the recent Adam Ant gig. Adam gave drive and passion to the roots of his early success during the punk wave of the late 1970’s and even today proclaims himself as a punk rocker. These tracks are genius and so much better than the commercial hits ‘Stand and Deliver’ and ‘Prince Charming’which elevated his fame. It is unfortunate that many want to go and see him still play a pantomime set where they can stand and admire the great ant and become upset by Adam playing his earlier songs or by crowd members dancing to them. If they don’t know the full genius of Adam Ant they should not bother going to see him, it could have been worse for them, he could have played the Strip album!
Wow, we attracted some Ant-elite!
I, personally, am going to see the man perform at Guilfest later this year, and will (I hope) be loving every moment of it.
I know it won’t be as good as his earlier performances – I’ve seen the YouTube videos, and they look a bit ropey – but I will be there to celebrate one of my personal heroes, and just be happy to see these songs being played live.
Kim Monaghan may be a cad AND a bounder, but he certainly isn’t a twat sir!