On Saturday 1 August 2015, one of the finest electronic new wave bands The Human League played their very first Brighton Pride event at Preston Park. It was a remarkable gig for many reasons. The band sounded tight and controlled, Joanne and Susan’s vocals sounded perhaps the best they ever have, and lead singer Phil Oakey looked positively enthralled about being up on stage in front of thousands of Pride revellers. He clearly looked like a man having the time of his life.
What was most significant about this short but satisfying performance was how well received the band were. Yes, they played a greatest hits set (featuring five Top 10 hits), and avoided the temptation to play the more obscure fan-favourites such as ‘Being Boiled’ and ‘Empire State Human’, but they still showed the signs of one of Britain’s best synth pop bands pushing the boundaries.
From the opening bars of ‘Mirror Man’, through to the anthemic, ‘Heart Like A Wheel’, it was a rousing display of their best-loved tunes, culminating in a Giorgio Moroder classic, which was an emotional way to close the set.
It was heartwarming to see such a rapturous response from the crowd at Preston Park, proving that The Human League are not just ‘an 80s band’, but a band as relevant in 2015 as they were in their heyday.
SETLIST
Mirror Man
Sound Of The Crowd
Heart Like A Wheel
Love Action (I Believe In Love)
Tell Me When
(Keep Feeling) Fascination
Don’t You Want Me
Together In Electric Dreams
