Heaven 17 / BEF – Uptown in the Penthouse or Downtown Elland Road Live Sheffield City Hall 25 October 2016

I didn’t feel quite so bad missing the Leeds game, driving to Sheffield and hearing the news of 8 changes for our game with Norwich, it put my mind at rest that we weren’t that bothered about progressing in the cup and I could focus on Heaven 17 / BEF.

Penthouse and Pavement has always been one of my favourite albums, there was no other album quite like it at the time, Song With No Name remains a song I come back to time and time again, Height of The Fighting turns up so often when my music is on random play that I think it knows I love it.

Via a dodgy stream and City Hall Wi-Fi I get to watch the first 15 mins of the game on my phone before the gig starts, crikey, we are being taken to the cleaners.. 0-1

So a gig where the whole album is played is a tried and tested formula, but one that works, from an era where we listened to the whole album, all the way through, in the order intended and Glenn and Martyn bring subtly updated versions as they played Sheffield City Hall, surprisingly for the first time ever. Clearly thrilled, the excitement was tangible as Fascist Groove Thang showed its parallels with 1981 and 2016 and dragged the seated crowd to its feet. There they stayed throughout a set that included the classics Play To Win and Lets All Make A Bomb.

Recollections of recording the album on the studio night shift while the Human League recorded Dare on the dayshift put into context just how different the creation of music was then, and in the two resultant albums, how much better it was for it.

Mr Gregory is watching his mouth tonight, no swearing as extended parents and family are in, but the swear jar is filling up.. We’re Going To Live For A Very Long Time is the last track on the album and as Glen says, it lasts a very long time. It was an unwritten law that the last song on side B was the longest on the album…

Album complete and one more song before the BEF set, and in a nod to Martyn’s key role in the inception of The Human League, a take on the first song they wrote, Being Boiled, the faster less ‘bleak” version completes the circle.

BEFs original album Music of Quality and Distinction (volume 1) was released in 1982 and (re)introduced the idea of guest singers on synthesised takes on classic songs. That album featured the talents of Tina Turner amongst others, “Don’t worry” quipped Martyn, “she isn’t here tonight”. Peter Hooton, Mari Wilson and Glen Matlock were and provided a fantastic second half.

Peter, recalling his affection for Sheffield and the support it had shown causes he had been involved with over the years sang the classic All Together Now and Bankrobber, a song that had become a kind of anthem. Mari delivered a faultless Just What I Always Wanted - kudos to the backup singers for mimicking the dance routines from the day.. Mari’s second song, a soul classic ..Rescue Me. Still a sweet voice and one I intend to explore.  Finally original Sex Pistol and Punk legend Glen added an unusual synthesised electric / acoustic guitar take on Pretty Vacant before checking that the rule was one song you are known for and one you aren’t, launching into an even more unorthodox version of Pharrell’s Happy.
 
It’s almost extra time at Elland Road, its 1-1, I am checking twitter after every song, we’re playing well, its rocking down there, I feel bad but this gig is simply wonderful.

Returning to the Heaven 17 line up for the last leg, a quick swerve to the set list sees Glenn and Martyn duet on You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling (early Human League style), its sparse accompaniment and strong vocal bring memories of those early League gigs, its superb. Straight into a joyous romp through Boys Keep Swinging, Glenn channelling his best Bowie moves following time away touring The Man Who Sold The World.

Temptation gets bigger and longer every time I see / hear it. Deservedly so too, it’s a stormer and when you have a top vocalist in Kelly Barnes taking the lead, but more than ably assisted by Rachel Mosleh on stage to raise the roof, it would be rude not to. And boy does this scale the heights, the call and response extended intro as the two girls stalk the stage, Glenn a seated observer / voyeur. Its epic.

The finale sees Martyn explaining how they were to work with Colin Vernecombe (aka Black) this year at BEF gigs but his untimely death put paid to that, in tribute the collected ensemble perform his best know song, and a fitting one too, Wonderful Life. The perfect end to a perfect show, perfectly balanced and a unexpected contender for gig of the year.

We are losing 2-1 in extra time, we are down to 10 men but are fighting and equalise as I leave the venue, still pumped up from the gig I let roar “Come on Leeds” to the bemusement of the Sheffield public.

By the time I get the car out of the car park and Radio Leeds is just about receivable like Radio Helsinki in short wave, we are into Penalties, Silvestri saves, out psyching the taker, and saves again spectacularly oh my god, and on a night we remember one of our great keepers, Gary Sprake who sadly passed away last week.

It’s down to one of our growing talents,  Viera, 18 year old, in front of the Kop to hopefully score the winning penalty to put us into the quarter finals. The radio coverage fades in and out  but then I hear the voice of Noel Whelan almost ghost like, “Get iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin” and we’ve done it. I blast on the horn repeatedly like we have won the world cup in Mexico. Drivers wonder what the.. but hell this is some night.. I expect a penalty notice from Sheffield police any day now…  I might just ask for a contribution from the swear jar.