Adam Ant & The Good The Mad And The Lovely Posse /Krakatoa/Dressing For Pleasure

Mr Kyps, Poole

Once again this venue has pulled off a big name booking in none other than 80’s legend Adam Ant. But first,there are 2 supports. First on are Brummie 3 piece Dressing For Pleasure.

Immediately I’m thinking 3rd rate Slits wannabies but I decide to give them more of a listen. Their drummer plays standing up throughout,very reminiscent of Bobby Gillespie in his JAMC days but without the power. On tonights performance the band appear very nervous-not least the singer who insists on trying to engage the crowd between most of the songs. Theres murder in the air as they take us through an awful rendition of the Clash’s ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’. Their next song ‘No Good For Me’ sums up my mood throughout the set! A punter next to me says its like watching two Katy Perry’s on stage at once-very apt. They leave to moderate applause.

Second on are London 5 piece Krakatoa who immediately liven the venue. Imagine Hamburg-era Beatles fused with The Libertines playing the Arctic Monkeys & you’re somewhere near their sound. They have presence, power, confidence, attitude & a clutch of great songs. They do a political rant called ‘Fat Cats’ & a wonderful rendition of the classic ‘Find Somebody To Love’ & keep the audience interested through their entire set. Their singer does the usual plea-‘merch on sale, please buy, we need the petrol’! On this showing they should be shifting a few units tonight. We get the obligatory big drum solo to end before they exit stage right to rapturous applause. It wont be the last we see of these guys methinks.

And so to Mr. Goddard! Or, as billed tonight, Adam Ant & The Good The Mad & The Lovely Posse. A lot has been said & written about Adam recently but tonight we are here for a mixed set of Adam’s finest work. Tonight’s set will please everyone as he’s taken songs from the whole of his back catalogue. With his band taking to the stage first we wait patiently for the main man. He is attired in a costume not unlike that of his ‘Kings’ days but with an admirals hat & glasses as he cuts a fine pose. Where better to start then than ‘Plastic Surgery’, Dog Eat Dog & ‘Beat My Guest’. Adam’s voice proves better than I expected as he patrols the stage & hits the high notes with ease. No playing statues tonight,he is energetic from the off. More of his early output in the shape of Punkier numbers ‘Kick’,’Cartrouble’ & ‘Deutscher Girls’ before Adam explains ‘now for some songs when we started to have hits’.

Gallery:01–02–03

‘Stand & Deliver’ & ‘Kings’ are set highlights & so begin the crowd singalongs. Adam sings a heartfelt ‘Wonderful’ then mixes things up with the popular ‘Antmusic’ before a couple of tunes from the first LP. ‘Goody Two Shoes’ stretches Adam a little & falls somewhat flat for this reviewer but he rescues the set with the underrated ‘Vive le Rock’. He muses on about time spent with Bono at Live Aid backstage having a tongue in cheek dig at their friendship! Back to the early songs for set highlights ‘Christian D’or’,the brilliant ‘Lady’ & crowd pleaser ‘Fall In’. After an hour they leave the stage,only to return with a clutch more songs to finish. Adam introduces the band before launching into oldie ‘Fat Fun’ & then ‘Prince Charming’. A few arms go in the air, recreating the dance from the video but by now we are all in awe. Adam pays homage to his hero & ‘real’ pop star Marc Bolan then covers ‘Get it On’. The set ends with ‘Physical’ which is apt considering the heat in Kyps tonight! 90 minutes of sheer nostalgia & looking around me no-one leaves disappointed. Adam Ant ladies & gentlemen is back!!

Setlist
Plastic Surgery
Dog Eat Dog
Beat My Guest
Kick
Carttrouble
Zerox
Deutscher Girls
Stand & Deliver
Catholic Day
Kings of the Wild Frontier
Wonderful
Antmusic
Never Trust a Man With Egg On His Face
Cleopatra
Desperate,Not Serious
Goody Two Shoes
Vive Le Rock
Christian D’or
Lady/Fall In