This unofficial site features his current and recent events and tours
Review of Tony Hadley at The Essential 80s, Clumber Park, Worksop - 19th August 2005
This gig wasn't really in my part of the UK, but it was the last of the summer gigs and the last one before the Butlins weekend, so I decided to go and thanks to Jane who gave me a lift from her hometown, I was able to go by train and not have to take my car (after my experience getting to Saffron Walden, this was a huge relief).
I wasn't disappointed, Tony was on really top form and the best I had seen him in ages, he always gives 110% but he surpassed that at Clumber Park. We arrived early and were rewarded with front row, along with all the other Tony regulars. The event was billed as a radio roadshow, which was hosted by a local radio DJ. The first act up were So80s who were a covers band who were quite good, then it was Howard Jones' turn, he did a 45 minute set which seemed to be very dependant on technology and it seemed that most of the keyboards on stage were for show. Headlining were Tony and Martin Fry, it looked from the advertising that they would be doing two separate shows, but instead they did almost a best of their tour.
I wasn't able to get a set list as the audience was too far from the stage, so I decided to write it down.
| Addicted to Love | Duet |
| Tears Are Not Enough | Martin |
| The Very First Time | Martin |
| Only When You Leave | Tony |
| Lifeline | Tony |
| Through The Barricades | Tony |
| You Get What You Give | Martin |
| Poison Arrow | Martin |
| Free Fallin' | Tony |
| Walking in Memphis | Tony |
| All of My Heart | Martin |
| When Smokey Sings | Martin |
| The Look of Love | Martin |
| True | Tony |
| Gold | Tony |
| Lets Stick Together | Duet |
The rest of the band were John Keeble, Phil Taylor, Phil Williams, Ritchie Barrett, Richard Brook, Matt Backer and the Horny boys Simon, Dave and Dan, no Andrea this time. Tony questioned the name of the show - The Essential 80s, I agree with him, he lives in the here and now and is not some sort of 80s throwback. It was a really great gig and although we had some rain earlier in the evening, it cleared up and there was no rain during the show, it was a bit chilly. There was a firework display at the end which was quite spectacular. We got thrown out before we got to meet Tony, but it is always difficult to meet him after outdoor shows and I have been very lucky this summer, meeting him on other occasions.