Tony Hadley has always had a love affair for Australia. From way back in 1985 when Spandau Ballet first hit our shores, the new romantic movement grabbed music lovers and they showed tonight they haven’t lost any of that love, with this being the first of two sold out shows at Perth’s Astor Theatre.
The night was started perfectly by the charismatic and extremely talented Perth-born singer/songwriter Sam McGovern. Some may have recognised Sam from his appearance on the blind auditions on The Voice but tonight Sam didn’t need to turn any chairs as every one was transfixed watching his performance.
Sam’s warmth was immediately picked up by the Astor crowd as he soon had them eagerly awaiting his repertoire as he breezed through some wonderful originals. ‘Before I Fall’ started his set (also the opening track from his wonderful EP ‘Love Reverie’) and his clean vocal delivery gave us the perfect opportunity to hear his lyrics.
“Please be a bit forgiving for the next song. I only wrote it in the shower in Hobart two days ago so I may mess it up.” He didn’t, showing that this is a young man who can write on the fly. ‘Serendipity’ is an ode to his enjoyment of being on tour and the audiences he’s witnessed and played to. A heartfelt acknowledgement.
Sam’s dad was only sat three seats to my left and was introduced to the crowd as it was his birthday. “My dad used to play this to me, so I get to play it to him tonight.” Dire Strait’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’ was delivered beautifully, as Sam encouraged the crowd to help where ever they saw fit. ‘Step Back’ and ‘Hotel Rooms’ showed more of his song writing skills, the latter also channelling some Ed Sheeran looping techniques.
‘Memory’ we are told is about when he upped and left Perth to pursue his musical dreams over east and the pain of leaving loved ones and beautiful beaches and landscapes behind. Sam closed his set with ‘Tightrope’. A wonderful 45-minutes which had me, and the crowd memorised. Keep an eye out for Sam McGovern.
Sam McGovern Gallery
As the house lights faded, the anticipation in the theatre grew as the band strolled on stage followed by the smartly dressed Hadley, head to toe in black suit and white shirt – he was in for a hot night – before sitting on a stool placed front and centre and belting out Anthony Newley’s classic ‘Feeling Good’ and by God how we were. Ever the entertainer, Hadley flirted and smiled, pointing into the first few rows, but this wasn’t cheesy smarm, this was smooth and sophisticated and the crowd loved it.
Tonight, it was the Spandau songs people came to hear and they would not be disappointed, with twelve of the eighteen tracks highlighting Tony’s trip through those glory years which celebrated so many hits and anthems throughout the 80’s and 90’s. The first batch of four contained some of my faves from the songbook with ‘To Cut a Long Story Short’, ‘Highly Strung’, ‘I’ll Fly For You’ and ‘Only When You Leave’ delivered with outstanding quality – and immediately we realised why this man is still such a busy and successful entertainer, his voice has remained a constant.
There was always going to be a place in the set for a few of Hadley’s solo songs and they were generously received with ‘Because of You’, ‘Alibi’ and ‘Walk of Shame’ (from his fabulous 2024 album ‘The Mood I’m In’) performed with just as much gusto as the Spandau hits. The TH Band brimmed with talent and must be mentioned, with bassist Phil Williams and Tim Bye on drums holding the exquisite rhythm section together, giving a platform for guitarist Tim Sandeford and keyboard player Adam Wakeman (yes, son of Rick) to shine. The outstanding Lily Gonzales was a joy to watch as she blazed across a huge selection of percussion instruments and supply some incredible backing vocals.
‘Soul Boy’ gave Tony time to reminisce about the last time he was in Perth (the song opened the set that night) with the full Spandau Ballet band – 2015 at RAC Arena – and he reminded us that just because he isn’t with ‘the boys’ anymore, he thanks them for the music and the time they spent together because “without them, and these songs I wouldn’t be here now”. A nice tribute which was well received.
‘Through the Barricades’ is a song Tony has heralded as the greatest ever written and a song he never bores of singing and tonight he delivered it perfectly… with the addition of some stunning vocals by Gonzales, who joined Hadley front & centre – breath taking stuff!
‘Chant No1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)’ and ‘Lifeline’ got the crowd to their feet as we ramped up to the close of this magical night. The final sprint home was as good as could be starting with ‘True’ before erupting into ‘Gold’ which threatened to destroy Astor Theatre’s recent renovations. Tonight, Tony Hadley was on fire, stripping back the years to rekindle our love for this wonderful chapter in many of our lives.
He closed in an epic fashion, telling of his love, admiration and friendship with Freddie Mercury and the guys from Queen before launching into ‘We Are The Champions’ – what a way to finish. A 2026 tour is already locked in and we suggest getting your tickets early to avoid disappointment.
With special thanks to Estellar PR, Destroy All Lines and the staff at Astor Theatre.
Photos by Linda Dunjey Photography
Tony Hadley Gallery
