johnnynormal@btinternet.com
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9/25/2007 10:08:44 AM
A Word About... Adam Ant Live in London
Just a note to those doubting Thomas's...
Last night I took the M40 down to London to see Adam Ant and his intimate two-man show (Adam singing and reciting from his book, (accompanied by Dave Pash on guitar). I must admit I was apprehensive to say the least, but not as much as I presume Mr Ant was.
An interesting idea, to test the water with a live appearance in his home town, to a friendly audience in an intimate atmosphere. Adam was almost close enough to touch, and from the moment he appeared, to raptuous applause, you could feel the fondness and adoration from the crowd. This was not the pale, glassy eyed, chemically sedated Adam that I had met at the Book signing in Birmingham a few months ago...This was the Adam of old...the Adam that ignited a spark of wonderful creative madness inside my belly all those years ago. The audience was attentive and courteous throughout his near-two-hour performance, with the occasional unrestrained outburst of "ADAAAAAM!".
Adam read very lucidly and with his voice full of mischievious humour, punctuating the chapters with subtle comedy and some fantastic vocal and guitar renditions of his hit songs. How on earth did he make Ant Music sound so good with simply his voice and one guitar? Amazing. Some of the song choices were very interesting, he combined massive Ant favourites with some cover versions of his own personal favourite songs.
Never Trust a Man with Egg on his Face, Dog Eat Dog, Car Trouble, Young Parisians, Desperate but Not Serious, Vive le Rock, Stand and Deliver, Wonderful...the great Ant sound was still there.
It was good to see Mr Ant on stage, and I watched him own increasingly more and more of the stage space as the night progressed. Unlike the British press, time has been very kind to Adam. He prowled and sneered and stared and smiled his way around the stage, a true performer, reiterating why he was held in such high regard across all sections of the music loving public for so long.
This wasn't a room of screaming teenage fans any more, most were in there 30's and 40's, but there was also a surprising number of new generation insect lovers here, and they were as enthusiastic as anyone.
When the show ended, again to a standing ovation, Adam must surely have realised that it is time for him to put all the press and media nonsense behind him, stand proud and walk tall once more.The time is coming when a new breed say "Welcome tomorrow instead of yesterday"...as someone once said.
Johnny Normal 25th September 2007
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