“The music is weaving, haunting notes pizzicato strings, the rhythm is calling…”
80s pop legend Midge Ure returned to The Lowry last Monday to give loyal fans a night of acoustic nostalgia.
His latest tour Something from Everything is a showcase of the best tracks from 14 albums ranging from Ultravox and Visage hits to solo successes.
With the support of folk duo India Electric Co. Midge worked through a set list which saw new wave, pop and rock tracks stripped down to their very essence, accompanied only by a guitar, banjo, violin and occasionally a keyboard.
The gig kicked off with a couple of Ultravox hits; I Remember (Death in the Afternoon) from the vintage 1981 album Rage in Eden and Flow which was released in 2012.
The minimalist set up allowed Midge to show that at the age of 63 his vocal range is still as impressive as ever with no focus being diverted by the usual heavy synths, drums and electric guitar riffs.
Next on the agenda was the crowd-pleasing debut solo hit If I was followed by Star Crossed from his most recent album Fragile.
Even though these two songs were written nearly 30 years apart it is clear that the quality of Midge Ure’s songwriting has remained consistent with the same applying to other hits he played from his days in Rich Kids and Visage.
Talking between tracks was limited with Midge preferring to let the songs speak for themselves.
He did however mention his recent trip to America and dedicated All Fall Down to “the thing that is happening over there” since the lyrics “with your party ideals and your squeaky clean lies, when it comes to the crunch you’re no smarter than I” can certainly resonate today.
The definitive highlight of the night had to be the rendition of timeless ballad Vienna which despite lacking the support of a big band had a stunning violin solo and allowed the audience to focus on the haunting lyrics.
Although the set-list time-hopped between decades and albums the gig still flowed with ease and style, providing the perfect blend of old and new tracks to satisfy the faithful and perhaps also give birth to a new generation of Midge mania.
All in all Something from Everything has something for everyone and reflects the wealth of Midge Ure’s career proving that he is much more than Vienna or Do they Know It’s Christmas?
