Live Review

Yazoo – Manchester Apollo Theatre

• 9th Jun 2008

The last time Yazoo played Manchester was at the Palace Theatre way back in 1982. So only a mere 25 years has passed.

Since then Vince Clarke has gone onto great worldwide success as part of Erasure and Alison Moyet (aka Alf) has forged a successful solo career. However, for Yazoo fans that brief coming together for 18 months in the early eighties will be fondly remembered. The liaison left behind four hit singles and two hit albums, plus a legacy that would influence many artists in the interim years.

The stage set for the re-connected tour consists of a backdrop of red velvet curtains with two rather large metallic mesh constructions placed in front of them, which are angled to face mainly toward the audience. In front of these on a raised stage were what looked like lecterns, set up as if the gospel of Yazoo was about to be preached.

As Alf and Vince appeared out of the darkness the crowd cheered in anticipation and the mesh lit up in a multi coloured collage, forming a slide show to compliment each song as the concert progressed. They started with their final hit single from 1983, Nobody’s Diary. Alf stood stage left dressed in all black wearing her hair in pig tails. Vince dressed in a grey suit took up a position behind one of the lecterns behind his keyboard and began working his magic. The godfather of Synthpop was back.

The songs came thick and fast as Alf engaged the crowd and advised us that it was her chance phone call that had led to the re-union. Thankfully Vince had agreed, on another day the outcome could have been different. The chance to play songs from their second album for the first time was a great pull and the delivery on the night was crisp and crystal clear.

Midway through Alf took to an armchair to deliver a fantastic version of In My Room from the Upstairs at Eric’s album, with a marvellous backdrop of a light bulb swinging from side to side on the metallic screens behind. A mid concert break was then taken after Vince wheeled a tape to tape machine to the front of the stage. He switched it on and a brilliant re-work of the track I before E except after C belted out giving Alf and Vince time for a break. The bass was so vibrant it made the whole venue shake in unison.

As the concert continued Alf then requested complete silence as a haunting version of Winter Kills, which allowed the audience to take to their seats. Respite was short lived though as they then belted out three up-tempo songs including the 12” version of Situation (one of the 7 versions they had to choose from) and second top ten hit Don’t Go before they left the stage to rapturous applause.

After a good 5 minutes of cheering, clapping and whistling Alf and Vince re-emerged from the darkness to close the show with a marvellous version of their biggest hit Only You.

With a new box set containing both albums (remastered), a remix cd together with a dvd already in the shops, talk is that the due could be about to start work on some new material. Let’s hope this works out and we don’t have to wait quiet as long for the next tour.