Erlöserkirche, Duisburg, Germany5th November 2015
Midge Ure & India Electric Co - Breathe Again Tour
An artist like MIDGE URE, who has had so much success in the music business for such a long time now, working with many well-known bands like VISAGE, ULTRAVOX and of course the BAND AID project and gaining many awards over the years, does need little introduction. 20 years after the release of his very successful fourth solo album ‘Breathe’ in 1995, he revisits his Celtic roots, displayed in these songs by presenting all of them live on stage again. The date of the first show of his tour in Germany was also the release date of his new live album ‘Breathe Again: Live and Extended’, which was recorded in Scotland in May this year.
During his “Breathe Again” tour, Midge is supported by the duo INDIA ELECTRIC CO, who was also opening the evening with a short warm-up set of six songs. The duo, consisting of Cole Stacey & Joseph O'Keefe, is active since 2012 and has released one album yet which you could also buy at the merch on this evening, as the band stated during their little set. Basically, the band plays folky music, travelling through various European themes, from Irish Folk to Gipsy Jazz. In March 2015 they released their debut album ‘The Girl I Left Behind me’. They’ve recently found themselves performing live sessions on BBC Radio 2, 6 Music, and Glastonbury Festival and are accompanying Midge on his tour not only as support act but also as his live band. Their little set was a really nice warm-up. I really liked their cover of the BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN song ‘I’m on Fire’. Their song ‘Heimat’ (since there is no English word describing perfect what they meant so they chose the German term) is kind of a “refugee blues” and was really sad when listening to the lyrics. With ‘Eyes and Tears’, released in 2014 already, the closed their set and were rewarded with big applause. http://www.indiaelectricco.com / https://www.facebook.com/indiaelectricco
A little break followed to get the stage of the church ready for MIDGE, who entered the hall together with Cole and Joseph sharp at nine. MIDGE URE doesn’t need a big introduction. The legendary voice of ULTRAVOX was born in 1953 in Scotland. In the eighties the band was extremely successful. Nevertheless in 1985 MIDGE started his ambitious solo career and with his, in the same year released, first album ‘The gift’ he produced already two hit singles. But here is creativity and productive work didn’t end. Furthermore he founded many bands, worked with a lot of famous musicians and bands, wrote, composed and produced songs for them, with lots of them entering the charts. Thus it is no wonder that with such a long and diverse musical career he got many awards. Furthermore he is known for his social engagement. Together with BOB GELDOF he founded Band Aid. He also took a stand for the release of Nelson Mandela. Nevertheless his life was not only bright and shiny but he had some ups and downs as well. But he managed to fight his way back and is creative and busy as ever. After launching in 2014 finally the long awaited seventh studio album ‘Fragile’, MIDGE URE wanted to return to his Celtic roots and therefor this live double album was produced with recordings at concerts in Scotland that took place in April 2015. http://www.midgeure.com / https://www.facebook.com/pages/Midge-Ure/275159919205373
Music & Performance
When you ever saw MIDGE URE live you know there are different kind of shows. First you have the shows with full band, delivering even kind of a rock show. Then you have MIDGE URE totally alone on stage, only equipped with his acoustic guitar, playing were pure versions of his songs. And now, you learn to know a third kind of performance. His solo acoustic show is enriched by folky and Celtic tunes being provided by the two guys of INDIA ELECTRIC CO, playing accordion, violin or guitar and mandolin. Of course, above this sounds you have the amazing voice of MIDGE. It seems this genius cannot do anything wrong and so, also those new versions of his songs were perfectly arranged and sounded really interesting and new in this Celtic garment, giving the songs a more traditional and ancient touch, like folk songs that are already sung by our ancestors in pubs or at celebrations. The tour was meant to play the ‘Breathe’ album in total. But before we start with this one, a few other songs were played. The show started with ‘Dear God’, followed by ‘Become’ and ‘Fade to Grey’, a song MIDGE once wrote for VISAGE, whose front man Steve Strange died earlier this year. And so, MIDGE dedicated this song to him. It was kind of a sad moment and several people had tears in their eyes. With ‘Lament’, one of the very old ULTRAVOX songs followed.
Then it was finally time for the ‘Breathe’ album. And of course, MIDGE first had a little story to tell. He said, usually, bands deciding to play a full album decide for their most successful one. The story with ‘Breathe’ is different. First when MIDGE released this album, it was the worst selling one he had ever released, he told us. But then, the song ‘Breathe’ was chosen for a commercial of the Swiss watch company Swatch (“Swatch, not Apple”, he joked) and then the album finally became a big success. The following hour was now reserved for this album, being played in the released order of songs. With little announcements in-between, MIDGE raised the mood. And I simply love his Scottish accent. Very charming! ‘Guns and Arrows’ was announced with the words that now an uber romantic song will follow and since it is dark, people should behave. More laughs… With ‘The Maker’, the ‘Breathe’ part finally ended. Then, one of the ULTRAVOX classics presented in a new musical dress followed. When people finally recognized ‘Vienna’, loud cheers sounded through the hall and extended applause followed the song. With his own classic ‘If I was’, the main set finally ended.
“That was the last song”, MIDGE said, “and normally you expect us to go off and you clap…” Due to the setting of the stage on the church, the band would have to walk through the audience to go backstage and so they decided simply to stay on stage for their encores. First, the title track if MIDGE’s last solo album, ‘Fragile’, followed. Then, MIDGE announced that they have one more song for the audience, a very old one. ULTRAVOX’ ‘All Fall Down’ was finally ending a fantastic concert. It was really amazing how different the songs could sound in this new instrumentation. It was powerful, exciting and some thongs were made to pluck everyone’s heartstrings. If you ever have the chance to see MIDGE URE with this setting, don’t hesitate and go. It’s really worth it!
Setlist
01. Dear God
02. Become
03. Fade to Grey (Visage song)
04. Lament (Ultravox song)
---Breathe---
05. Breathe
06. Fields of Fire
07. Fallen Angel
08. Free
09. Guns and Arrows
10. Lay My Body Down
11. Sinnerman
12. Live Forever
13. Trail of Tears
14. May Your Good Lord
15. The Maker
---/Breathe---
16. Vienna (Ultravox song)
17. If I Was
---
18. Fragile
19. All Fall Down (Ultravox song)
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 10
Sound: 9
Light: 8
Total: 9 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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