Time travel is something totally impossible, a complete work of science fiction that no one will ever be able to experience…that is, unless you went to The Human League’s “Generations Tour” at The Warfield on June 5th. Concert goers were completely transported forty five years in the past where synth riddled pop music was king and keyboards were the musical weapons of 1980s pop hit-makers.
Alison Moyet, the former lead singer of English synth-pop duo Yazoo (or Yaz in America), was the first to hit the stage. She was quickly followed by her three bandmates all dressed in black who soon took their positions behind their guitar, keyboards, and drums. Their set erupted with “Footsteps” from her 1991 album Hoodoo and was followed with a collection of songs from her solo career including hits “Love Resurrection” and “It Won’t Be Long”. However, though being billed on Human League’s Generation Tour as a solo outfit she did not leave out any fan favorite Yazoo songs. They played easily their most popular song “Only You” along with other hits such as “Nobody’s Diary” and “Situation”. Throughout the set, Moyet hammered on through the songs letting her forty years strong contralto voice echo through the concert hall. She completely let the music take hold of her, dancing through the fun poppy tunes coupled with tragic lyrics of love gone bad. As she danced, the entire venue danced with her, with even those high up in seats moving to the beat.
The next act was Soft Cell, the seminal synth-pop band from Leeds, England. Their on stage set up was scant to say the least. Only lead singer Marc Almond, his new keyboardist replacing the late, great, Dave Ball, and two back up singers were present on stage. Nevertheless, Soft Cell gave a spectacular show with Almond opening up with a medley of the song “Memorabilia” from their 1981 hit album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, their new song “Danceteria” from their upcoming album of the same name, and Madonna’s “Get into the Groove” and “Holiday”. During the performance clips of Judy Garland, Cher, and various go-go dancers of the 60s danced on screen. Throughout the forty minute set Almond, dressing suspiciously similar to Neo from the The Matrix. He acted out his lyrics like a dramatic monologue whilst everyone in attendance was dancing to Soft Cell classics like “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye”, “Torch”, and “Tainted Love”. And with that, the band left the stage to make way for the main event.
First to arrive on stage were the backup players of the band with giant keytars in hand. Next were backup singers Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall. Finally, entering the stage like a super villain, was lead singer Philip Oakey dressed in huge platform heels, black bellbottoms, a black cropped coat with huge shoulder pads and a giant golden scarab brooch on the lapel. The scene on stage was futuristic as the band blasted through hit after hit playing “Human”, “Seconds”, “(Keep Feeling) Fascination”, and “Don’t You Want Me”.
Oakey played the role of a stern musical overlord coming up to either Catherall, Sulley, or the band staring intensely at them as they played before breaking out in a smile or laughter. When he wasn’t playing the role of domineering band leader he would continuously run to either side of the stage multiple times throughout the songs, in between lines, much to the amusement of the audience. Throughout almost every song, Oakey came out in a completely new costume sometimes wearing a long white robe with sunglasses that wrapped entirely around his head or a sky blue suit with pearl buttons.
To end off a great show, the band played a cover of Giorgio Moroder’s “Together in Electric Dreams” while everyone got up from their seats, cheered, and danced along with the band. By the end of the set it was almost sad when the house lights went up and everyone danced out of The Warfield onto the streets with the excitement of 80s nostalgia behind us. Although it was nearing midnight and the bands would all be on their way to their next stop in Wheatland soon, every concert goer appeared as they would’ve done it again in a heartbeat.
Review by Ruby Labrie, photos by Genevieve Achee
