OMD : Hammersmith Apollo 19/05/07

I was born the wrong end of the M62 when it came to being hip.   By the late seventies it was all about what was going on up the other end of The Manchester Ship Canal, never more so than when Joy Division appeared on the stage.   Growing up in the provincial North West we clung to any shred of glamour we could muster and none was bigger than having a genuine rock star go to the same school as you.   When I was a kid I would find school text books with Andy McClusky's name written in the front, I guess that is where it all started.   Coming to this reunion show tonight I am not sure what to expect, for once I anticipate being the youngest member of the audience.   It is quite a relief to arrive at the theatre and run into Pete and Bob from St Etienne who both share my passion for OMD's first three albums.   I also spot Peter Saville the graphics genius behind the sleeves of those records and many more that graced Factory Records.
   To my surprise there are plenty of young faces amongst the middle aged spreads in the crowd, believe it or not, there are kids in day glo colours waving glow sticks as the lights go down and the impressive architectural projections begin.   The first half of the night is devoted to "Architecture and Morality", the masterpiece of somber electropop that gave the world three superb singles.   The band walk on, It is quite something seeing them altogether
again for the first time in many years.   They all look the part still, dressed in
serious suits, serious faced.   They can't keep it up though.   There was me thinking this would be as intense as the Kraftwerk show at The Royal Festival Hall, but when Andy starts to dance during "Joan of Arc" you know that this is a celebration.   Andys' dancing was always the subject of much mirth in the past, something he is more than aware of, but I for one am so glad to see that age has not contained him.   His moves are as spastic as ever and I love him for it.   Every time he straps on his bass guitar and throws himself around the stage is a glorious moment.
   There is almost visible relief from the band when they finish the Architecture and Morality part of the night and perform "!2 smash hit singles".   The earlier material is where my heart lies but it is hard not to be carried aloft by the emotional pull of "If You Leave", made all the more potent by the colour saturated visuals of Molly Ringwald.   But hearing Enola Gay and the glorious rush of "Electricity" take me back to an adolescent space that may well be a guilty pleasure but it's non the worse for that.