Over the years, Manchester has had a big impact on modern music, and none more so than the early nineties and the Britpop and Madchester scene explosion. Yet before all of this, back in the early 70’s came a band who in their own right would change the face of British popular music. Musically, they were quite standard, yet there was a quirkiness, a fun side, sometimes tinged with darker moments that made them stand out. They did things their way, and despite not conforming to the expected methodology of mainstream pop music, they carved their own very distinctive niche. They were 10cc, and all these years later they still stand out as rock n’ roll royalty.
Though like many bands over the years the line up has changed, there remains the Lord of the manor, Graham Gouldman MBE, and long term member Rick Fenn very much still in control.
Tonight was very much a greatest hits set, as indicated by the tour title ‘Yet another Bloody Greatest Hits Tour’. Although 10cc, being themselves, were happy to mix up the set with some deeper cuts, a cover and solo material. Though the bulk of the set remains the same, there were enough changes from previous nights to keep the sold-out Dome on its toes.
Possibly a few may have wondered where the show was going with two lesser known songs starting proceedings, The Second Sitting of The Last Supper and The Worst Band in The World, a very tongue in cheek dig at the music industry and themselves.
But it’s not long before the hits start. Arts For Arts Sake, Life Is A Minestrone, Good Morning Judge. None of these songs require any introduction. They are rock and roll gold standards and the audience loved it as they rolled through one after another.
One thing that 10cc have always embossed in their sound is high quality vocal harmonies. No matter what their line-up these have always been to the fore, and this line up is no exception. Taking from the likes of the Beach Boys before them they have developed a manner of harmonising that covers numerous octaves, yet remains note perfect.
Clockwork Creep from the Sheet Music album, creates a bizarre diversion. Its strange, its clunky, its enigmatic and its dark, playing out a conversation between an airplane and a bomb. 10cc have never been afraid to push boundaries and it remains so to this day.
The wonderful dynamism of Feel The Benefit follows, nearly ten minutes of pure songwriting and musical perfection. It’s a barnstorming song that shows the very best of the band as it starts slowly and gently builds up the tension before Graham Gouldman’s bass solo raises the stakes and Rick Fenn’s guitar explodes into a stupendous break.
The middle of the show becomes more mixed up with more hits, covers and a solo song. Wall Street Shuffle is followed by a cover of the Hollies’ Bus Stop, a song written by Graham Gouldman, and subsequently there is no reason why he shouldn’t play it. After all it was another big hit, just for another band. Multi-instrumentalist Ian Hornell gets a look in with a song, Say The Word from his latest release, before a rocky and tongue-in-cheek Silly Love raises the bar again.
The only strange part of the evening follows with the band playing Somewhere in Hollywood whilst a screen video of Kevin Godley singing the song plays out, but despite that, the hits continue to follow. With the familiar intro tape lead-in from Clockwork Creep, I’m Mandy (Fly Me), a semi-ghost story relating to an air hostess in a plane crash (note the two songs are interlinked), before the big ballad I’m Not In Love has the Dome full of swaying phone lights. Gone are the days of cigarette lighters burning your fingers for a slow song.
The set closes out with the ever popular Dreadlock Holiday, with slightly altered lyrics to appease the home audience of ‘I don’t like Brighton, I love it’ sung out with gusto and received in the right manner.
Yet there’s more to come with the band returning for an encore, instrument less, before an iconic Donna, sung acapella with quite a show of messing about by the various band members during it, yet still retaining the perfect vocal tones.
The show with audience now on their feet ends with long-time favourite, Rubber Bullets, a song in itself which was banned on release due to the troubles at that time in Northern Ireland. It’s still popular to this day and allows the guitarists in the band to let rip and fully rock out.
So, two hours down. Not bad for a bunch of oldies. Roll on the next greatest hits tour.
10cc setlist
- Intro Tape: Son of Man
- The Second Sitting for the Last Supper
- The Worst Band in the World
- Art for Art’s Sake
- Life Is a Minestrone
- Good Morning Judge
- Old Wild Men
- Clockwork Creep
- Feel the Benefit
- The Wall Street Shuffle
- Bus Stop — The Hollies cover
- The Things We Do for Love
- Say the Word — Iain Hornal solo song
- Silly Love
- Somewhere in Hollywood
- I’m Mandy Fly Me
- I’m Not in Love
- Dreadlock Holiday
Encore
- Donna
- Rubber Bullets
Andrew Park
Support for 10cc tonight comes in the form of ex-10cc member and singer-songwriter Andrew Park. With only a short half-hour set, he managed to fit in five songs and some amusing banter with the audience. It’s clear that the 10cc mentality wore off on him over the years. The songs played were from his latest release, an E.P. titled Dangerous Games.
It’s a gentle entry into the evening with Andrew either playing acoustic guitar or keyboards, although neither at the same time; that’s what backing tapes are for.
Andrew provides an eclectic mixture of songs. For example, the title track of the E.P was explained as his Peter Gabriel song that is nothing like a Peter Gabriel song, and actually there are similarities in the chorus to Marshall Hain’s Dancing In The City.
Liz and Rich is a song about a visit to Wales by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Love at a Distance sees Andrew back on guitar, bemoaning the difficulties in maintaining a relationship when you are on the road for months at an end, or just living a long way apart from your loved one.
The short sets closes with Love Beats All, which sees Andrew switch from keys to guitar and is well received.
He has a great voice and handles the vocals perfectly and the songs are thoughtfully written and compiled. A refreshing start to the evening.
