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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
9:33 AM 16th April 2015
arts

Heaven 17: Warehouse 23 - Wakefield

 
It was always going to be a home win for Yorkshire's very own Heaven 17 as they made their first visit to Wakefield.

In the early 1980's Marytn Ware left The Human League to form Heaven 17 with lead vocalist Glenn Gregory. Their debut album Penthouse and Pavement has influenced many of today's acts such as La Roux.

With an all female band comprising of 2 backing singers and a keyboard player the duo seem to have re-invented the band. They seem also to have re-invented some of their tracks too so Fascist Groove Thang and Geisha Boys and Temple Girls sounded like they had been re-worked and brought up to date.

"It's good to be in Wakefield "Gregory informed the audience, to loud applause. It was not all nostalgia though as some new tracks were premiered too with Gregory promising the fans that a new album would be out "later this year".

There was a couple of cover versions too When the duo performed a duet of the Righteous Brothers' classic You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin it was pure cabaret. The David Bowie track Boys Keep Swinging sounded fresh and new.

"How long has this place been opened?" asked Gregory "Because we want you to take the roof off on this next track!" he continues. Every band needs a classic track in their top drawer and Heaven 17 has one with their biggest hit, Temptation. With Billie Godfrey's vocals adding a soulful spirit to the song, the Wakefield crowd nearly did raise the roof of the venue with their enthusiastic response to this disco-soul hit.

It might have been a trip down memory lane for many but with the duo still recording the future looks good too. Highly entertaining.