In terms of UK bands, it feels like we’re living – for those of my (middle) age – at the end of a golden era. In a digital world, number ones, top 10 hits and so on seem very much like a thing of the past. Madness, though, are a band who’ve had plenty of both, and this live set proves that with hit after hit entertaining a field full to its brim with (I admit) mostly other middle-aged people.
However, drink and dance are still very much a part of proceedings, with the age demographic simply translating into a lack of aggro and argy-bargy, rather than absence of fun. Fun is here, in boatloads, and Madness, as ever, are fantastic live.
Are they a band at the height of their fame? Hard to say – certainly Madness, and Suggs in particular, are household names. That they are at the top of their game is beyond a doubt, however. Music and music-making, like all creative endeavours, are lifelong pursuits, and practice means that the output only gets better over time.
Madness’ hits are here live, as I’ve said, but the showmanship, stagecraft and banter are also on point, and add greatly to the overall performance, with Suggs’ conversation between numbers upping the engaging and entertainment quality of the band’s appearance. Learning, from him, that very few women attended Madness gigs in their early 80s heyday is interesting – now, the crowd is definitely a 50/50 split. “The Wales, the Wales, the Wales” Suggs chants, a couple of times, and the audience go wild, knowing and feeling that the band are really here, really present, and this, too, makes a difference to some others I have seen, who don’t seem to really know where they are in the world when performing.
All of the hits are here, of course: House Of Fun, Baggy Trousers, Wings Of A Dove (my personal fave). Most of Madness’ songs are lively, lyrical, and upbeat, which translates to a similar feeling on the ground. Many are accompanied by video backdrops, with Wings… using doves, the band’s trademark black hats and a general, gently present humour to evoke an absurdist, even surrealist sense that would make Magritte proud.
In terms of performance, the band really are brilliant – full of vim, vigour, and vibrancy. You can hardly believe that they are ‘mature’ older men (whatever that means, in these days of increased health and longevity…) but, certainly, I’ve seen younger bands who seem ‘older’ in many respects.
As such, it’s all great fun. Many, many catchy tunes, and many, many minutes of enjoyment. Craig Charles’ warmup DJ set is, in addition, fantastic – wonderful, for me, as a fan of both Red Dwarf and his Radio 6 DJing, to see/hear! – and, altogether, it’s a brilliant belter of a night. Please try to catch this band, one of our all-time greats, while you can.
Madness, Singleton Park, Swansea, Fri 21 July
words MAB JONES photos NADINE BALLANTYNE