Midge Ure/The Mockers, Powerstation 6 March 2020: Concert Review

“Tonight we are here to celebrate 1980, a special time for creativity in music.” These are Midge Ure’s words, just prior to starting into the Vienna album. Truer words were never spoken. Rev Orange Peel reports on last night’s celebration at The Powerstation.

A surprise on first entering the Powerstation tonight, Andrew Dickson is on stage, by himself. He looks familiar and I know I’ve seen this man before, and of course, 40 years ago he was leading the Narcs.

He’s playing rhythm riffs on electric guitar.  It’s Not Over I recognise, another one I think is called Wrong Side Of Town. This is melodic pop music, and without a band it is always a revelation how much music you hear in between the spaces, often less is more. Andrew is very engaging with the audience, and there is genuine warmth from the crowd, at least up front here.

The Mockers with Andrew Fagan would be one of the best pop groups to come out of New Zealand in the 80’s. They were the Six60 of their time. Fagan was an excellent singer with a charismatic stage presence. Although they came out of the Big Bang that was Punk, they weren’t Punk themselves. That event opened the door for a lot of diversity and creativity, just like the previous two Bigger Bangs, Elvis and the Beatles.

When Fagan walks on, he is wearing a glitter costume, a silver crown and what looks like a shepherd’s crook. He is the spitting image of Keith Richard, with less wrinkles.

So, this Andrew Glimmer Triplet takes off the face mask he is wearing, keeps spraying himself with what could be hand sanitiser but is probably water, and he and the band tear into a set of many of their classic songs.

The band has had many members over the years, this line-up tonight is Brett Adams on guitar, Geoff Hayden on bass, Tim Wedde on keyboard and Chris O’Connor the battery.

They are a tight, rhythmic riff-driven band with just the right amount of melodic flourishes from guitar and keyboards. I last saw them in 1986 (or thereabout), and they sound better than I remember. But Fagan’s voice needs to be higher in the mix. It’s a bit of a quibble but he was a distinctive Kiwi vocalist of his time, and he is still in great voice. So, lets hear it.

Seven Years Not Wasted, One Black Friday, Swear its True, My Girl Thinks She’s Cleopatra, on record, echoing sixties era Kinks, presented tonight in revved up fashion.

Still a charismatic stage presence, Fagan repeatedly says “my band, my band” between songs. “I have a strange form of Tourettes” he explains.

Personal favourite  Manners Street is welcomed.

The closer is Always Tuesday Morning of course, almost a number one single in New Zealand. For myself a classic pop song that can stand with any other you could care to name from the Sixties.

I don’t know how often they perform now, Fagan mentioned every six years. That may or may  not be true, they sound tighter and more together than that. If he is doppelganger Keith, he can keep going for a lot longer.

It is a night of doppelgangers. When Midge Ure appears, he is Mike Myer’s Doctor Evil, with Fat Bastards Scottish accent.

Originally called Jim, he also had his role at the centre of the Punk explosion. A musician throughout the seventies, he was asked first to front the Sex Pistols. Although he didn’t want that gig, he formed Rich Kids with Glen Matlock, after the latter was unceremoniously dumped from the Pistols.

He played with Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott, and led Visage.

He took over Ultravox in 1979. An influential New Wave band (that’s where Mi-Sex got their name), their re-invention was a drastic as Fleetwood Mac’s second reincarnation.

This is when Midge explains the importance and the time of great musical innovation that was the early 80s’. It is 40 years since he and his band have performed Vienna in its entirety.

Well, it’s about time then. That was a stunning album, with its title song being a massive hit.

The opening songs are Visage/Yellow Pearl, and Fade to Grey. Steady metronomic drum beats give propulsion with low rumbling bass, keyboard and synthesiser providing a drone texture. The music rides on waves of sound with lead guitar coming in with Hendrix style dissonance and the judiciously placed melody riff.

Then we are into Vienna, close to an unbroken song cycle from start to finish.

We also know Midge as a superlative tenor voice. He sings in pure tones without affectations, and seemingly without effort. He can hit high notes and sustain them at length. There is a slight Hibernian accent, a bit the late Stuart Adamson of Big Country.

And you know where you can stick your Bono and your Phil Collins.

On stage tonight he is even better as he can ride above volume of the music. He has power without sounding strained. You can pick that little bit that separates very good singers from great ones.

Live there is also a bit of character to the voice, as it is without the sheen of studio production.

I love the band Electronica too, and I believe they has been with him for some time.

They are Cole Stacey and Joseph O’Keefe on keyboard/synthesisers. One of them also plays bass, the other violin.

At the back, a superlative drummer Russell Field. If the late John ‘Jabo’ Starks was James Browns’ human metronome, this is the English version. Nothing fancy, just solid and relentless.

Midge tells us Russell has removed all the hair from his head to look like him, but he is much bigger than Mini-Me.

Hard for me to pinpoint where the music comes from, much easier to see where it went. Think of Human League, Heaven 17, Jonzun Crew, Afrika Bambaata, for starters.

Where it comes from? Start with Velvet Underground especially their live drone-fests and mix in Bowie but with a better singer.

After the Vienna album, we get a selection from the later Ultravox, but not the earlier incarnation, and some solo period music.

If I Was from The Gift, Keep the Wild from Quartet, Death in the Afternoon from Rage in Eden.The encore closes with two personal favourites (great when that happens), The Voice and Hymn.

I don’t know if it is nostalgia that brings a lot of this audience here tonight. A large part of the crowd are too young anyway, as Midge observes early on from the stage. I suspect most people appreciate great music regardless of its time or social setting.

I asked one twenty-something young guy next to me if he had heard the Mockers before. He then told me “ Yeah, that’s my Dad, I’m Marty Fagan”. I have no reason to doubt that.

So we hail “Force” Midge Ure tonight. Corny pun intended and don’t worry , that’s the last time I do that.

~Rev Orange Peel

Midge Ure

The Mockers

Andrew Dickson

SET LISTS

MOCKERS

1. Casualty
2. Seven Years Not Wasted
3. Far From the crowd
4. One Black Friday
5. Swear It’s True
6. Manners Street
7. Alvison Park
8. Woke Up Today
9. My Girl She’s Like Cleopatra
10. Shield Yourself
11. Forever Tuesday Morning

MIDGE URE

1. Yellow River/ Visage
2. Fade to Grey
3. Astrodyne
4. New Europe
5. Private Lives
6. Passing Strangers
7. Sleepwalk
8. Mr X
9. Western Promise
10. Vienna
11. All stood still
12. If I Was
13. Keep the Wild
14. Death in the Afternoon
15. Loves Great Adventure
16. Dancing With Tears
17. The Voice
18. Hymn