Marc Almond - Frankfurt am Main 2009

Music & Performance
At 9 pm, the band appeared on stage followed by a good-looking MARC ALMOND who welcomed his guests with a bright smile. When he went to his microphone, there was a huge wave of excitement culminating in thunderous applause. In his capacity of being the host, he took a bow and mentioned that he had not been on tour through Germany for many years. Considering that he is 51 years old, he looked pretty young and seemed to be in a very good shape. Obviously, he was in a good mood and enjoyed the audience that was already swept off their feet by his first song’s measures. The stylist’s first pieces `Glorious´, `I have lived´ and `A Lover spurned´ were a perfect introduction to the show that should contain 26 songs after all. Showing expressive gestures and a lot of physical activity, the agile singer brought out the lyrics´ statements and made the audience being overwhelmed and moved due to his stage presence. Besides awaited hits, for example `The Days of Pearly Spencer´, he presented the new songs `Variety´ and `Friendship´ that were frenetically applauded as well as all the other songs.



Before singing the very popular `Something’s gotten hold of my Heart´, MARC ALMOND dedicated it to his passed away duet partner GENE PITNEY and asked the audience for singing along. That emotional situation made me shivering and I guess, everyone around me felt this way. Marc’s expressive and emotive performance reflected his whole range and talent. He sang `The Devil OK´, a cover of a JACQUES BREL song, and even wore a pair of devil’s horns which looked funny. While performing the lively `Jacky´, he even climbed the piano. His show often reminded me of a mixture of cabaret and a vaudeville act. Furthermore, he was able to display a kind of self-mockery, for example he excused with a charming smile and humorous comments for forgetting some lyrics. The catchy `The Idol´ made all the people dance, whereas `Ruby Red´ took the crowd on a trip to the disco era of the 1970s. `Bluegate Fields´ was a beautiful homage to London’s East End quarter and its temptations.



It’s hard to tell when the show reached its climax, as the vibes were constantly terrific. The audience celebrated a clearly moved singer who enjoyed his bath in the crowd. Of course, some SOFT CELL hits should not be missed: There was a rocking version of `Tears run Rings´ as well as the anthems `Tainted Love´, `Bedsitter´, `Torch´ and `Say Hello, Wave Goodbye´. The solemn `I close my Eyes and count to ten´, a stunning cover of Dusty Springfield’s song, was another highlight for me. The concert was accompanied by an amazing light show that made many light spots appear on the ceiling which looked like a starry sky. In my opinion, it was an unforgettable concert and I can’t wait to see MARC ALMOND on stage again.