THE FRONT ROW

Here at H2N we like to think that our role is to bring to your attention exciting new music, so it may seem slightly incongruous of us to review a band who are touring to promote an album that came out over 40 years ago. All will become clear.

For the uninitiated, in the early eighties, Haircut 100 along with bands like Freeze, Linx, and Level 42 were at the forefront of Brit Funk. Their fresh-faced frontman Nick Hayward regularly adorned the covers of the many, shiny music magazines, and their unique fashion style meant that you could not walk into a branch of Top Man without bumping into racks of cable knit jumpers and fisherman caps. Their magnum opus was the 1982 platinum selling album Pelican West, which peaked at No. 2 in the UK charts. It is the re-release of this album that has got the band on the road again.

Much as I was looking forward to reminiscing with Nick and the boys, I also had an ulterior motive. Support act for the evening were a band we’ve been keeping tabs on for a little while, Brighton brothers Henry and John Tydeman, otherwise known as Barbara, last seen in these parts opening for The Divine Comedy at the Philharmonic Hall.

Barbara’s sound has a heavily seventies grounding – Supertramp, 10cc, Sparks, and even ABBA are discernible influences. Lyrically they are closer to The Kinks, typically English subject matter delivered with a hint of whimsy. Barbara don’t just play songs, they perform them. During set opener Waiting Outside Alone, singer John Tydeman theatrically produces a bouquet of flowers from his sleeve, magician stylee, and then launches them into the crowd.

There was a good size crowd to witness Barbara’s set, the venue filling-up nicely as they played These New Communications, a song with a message about the dangers of social media. Barbara’s effervescent style quickly drew the crowd on-board and they happily clapped along to the disco beated Pretty Straight Guy, and willingly waved in unison through Rainy Days In June. Barbara’s well received set concluded with an epic version of BRB (a song whose title is taken from an episode of Charlie Brooker’s TV show Black Mirror) which began with choral, vocal harmonies, and ended with the singer displaying a talent for Jaggeresque leaps and pirouettes.

Haircut 100 entered the stage of a packed Liverpool Academy to an arresting mash-up of The Thunderbirds Theme and Michael Caine ‘The Italian Job‘ dialogue. Perhaps their intention was to blow the bloody doors off. Haircut 100 opened up with the energetic Baked Beans and any nagging doubts anyone may have had about the band’s abilities having suffered from the ravages of time were immediately put to bed. Hayward knowingly hinted at such thoughts as he smilingly said ‘Bit worried about coming out to see a bunch of old blokes tonight weren’t you?’. I’m not entirely sure that the ‘old blokes’ remark is completely accurate. The ever-young Hayward must have an aging portrait locked away in an attic somewhere. The band, including original bassist Les Nemes, a three piece horn section, and additional percussion were on the money from the start. Hayward’s vocals were as clear, sharp and vibrant as they were all those years ago. Just to make sure the crowd were totally at ease, second song of the evening was one the band’s biggest hits Love Plus One.

Brit Funk’s sound was dominated by fast paced chucking guitars, lively brass section punctuations, and as much additional percussion as you could handle. The songs on Pelican West were brimming with those qualities, and exemplified in the performance of tunes like Nobody’s Fool and Milk Film. There were a couple of deviations from the Pelican West format, with new song Soulbird, and my personal favourite Hayward song, his melancholic solo hit Blue Hat For A Blue Day both getting an outing. Hayward encouraged the crowd to take their ‘Oxygum’ during his introduction to Marine Boy – a reference that I am sure was totally lost on younger audience members. A faux walk off was preceded by a crowd pleasing rendition of another of Haircut 100’s big hits – Fantastic Day.

Following an encore that consisted of a cover of Harry Styles‘ As It Was, and what Hayward described as being ‘The 12 inch mega-mix’ of Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) a happy crowd exited the venue thinking ‘Let’s not leave it another 40 years eh Nick?’. The doors were still on their hinges, but only just.

Ian Dunphy