TOUR INFORMATION

March - June 1997

Date & Location Comments
24th to 28th March

Rehearsals at "The Joint, London"

 
2nd April

Warm-up in Norwich at "Waterfront"

The songs
  • Intro
  • (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
  • Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry
  • We Blame Love
  • Freak
  • Dive
  • Do I Believe?
  • Come Live With Me
  • Play To Win
  • Let`s All Make A Bomb
  • Let Me Go
  • An Electronic Prayer
  • Penthouse & Pavement
    (new version / remix ?)
  • Temptation (Remix)
  • Designing Heaven (Motiv 8 Remix ?)
  • Being Boiled (from Human League)
3rd April

Warm-up in Portsmouth at "Wedgewood Rooms"

 
4th April

Warm-up in London at "Heaven"

Review by Daniel Booth (source not known)

CUT straight to the encore. The Human League's "Being Boiled", transformed from a shuttering, industrial dirge to the sound of slinky, kinky, ballistic, bombastic, fantastic, frenetic, splenetic, sizzling, fizzling SEXSEXSEXSEX. I dance my legs down to the ankles, and step outside acting brash in Charing Cross, (feeling flash in Leicester Square).

To understand Heaven 17 is to understand that these are the five most important moments in the history of pop music:
1. Phil Oakey on The Human League's "Love Action". "But this is Phil talking / I want to tell you, what happened to be true." More than that the fact that Heaven 17's Martin Ware and Ian Craig Marsh were original members of The League, there has always been something connecting the two groups. "Come Live With Me" is to Heaven 17 what "Louise" is to The Human League. They're both slushy, sullen electro-ballads; high and dry emotion mixed with real love and soapy life. They're both prime examples of early Eighties soulless soul, the makings and breakings of a human heart set against the brutal logic of an inhuman machine. So plain, they're delightfully moving; so cold, they're delightfully sincere. It all makes perfect sense, if you don't think about it.
2. Morrissey's yelp on "This Charming Man". There were some who dismissed the "shallowness" of the early Eighties slaves to the committed "authenticity" of The Smiths. Listen and learn: The Smiths were the perfect antidote to Heaven 17, who were the perfect antidote to The Smiths. The immaculate loop, a beautiful co-existence.
3. The guitar riff soaring through Blondie's "Atomic". his has nothing at all to do with Heaven 17 but f*** me, what a great song.
The intro to ABC's "All Of My Heart". Watching Martin Fry earlier this year and Glenn Gregory tonight, one thing becomes abundantly clear. New Romantics will never become old romantics. Age respects genius.
4. The whole Heaven 17's "Temptation". Tonight, we are teased by a long, anticipation, building, euphoria-inducing intro before we're until blissfully rewarded. "I've never been closer / I tried to understand". "Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry" is also rescued from the poppy fields of Eighties electro-funk, featuring the second best "whoooh-whoooh" of the decade (beaten, just, by Wham's "Bad Boys"). In this context, the new single "We Blame Love", is a deadly swipe through dead life. Like Britpop never happened.
Songs to die for. Songs to dye your hair for. Catch the mo-mo-momentum and cling on for dear life. You'll thank me later.


They were pretty fab when they headlined at Heaven in London last year. I'll forgive any duff tracks if they give shows as memorable as that one...

JEREMY DAMSELL, Guildford, UK

6th April

Supporting Erasure in Birmingham at "NEC"

First review of the concert by Paul Lloyd

OK, here it is...my review of the Erasure concert. It was the first night of the UK leg of the "Cowboy Concerts". Got the closest I've ever been to the stage for a concert...about 3-4 people back from the stage! It's nearly all seats in the Arena, except for a small standing only section right in front of the stage.

But first, a word about the support...Heaven 17! They came on for about 30-40 mins and they were totally excellent. Really good. They did all their hits, only 1 of them in the original 80's style. The rest were the same vocal sound, but with a very very cool 90's dance beat behind them. Like revamped music with the original vocals. They finished with the line "We'd like to finish with a song that isn't a Heaven 17 song, but one we've always wanted to sing", at which point they broke into The Human League's "Being Boiled" in a 90's style, my god...it was too good for words. :) And that was after singing "Temptation"! They were just wonderful. :)

Anyway, on to Erasure[...]

To sum up...H17 were excellent, Erasure were too, the new songs came across much better in the live setting and they balanced the old and new songs in equal amounts. Really enjoyed it. Looking forward to seeing them again some time...and Heaven 17. :)


Comments by Stephen Banner

I saw H17 live just recently when they supported Erasure and in all honesty the were excellent, I never expected the crowd to respond as well as they did. They really gave a good show, you could also tell Mr. Gregory was nervous, but settled in well and gave the set some stick...
...Many who had come to see Erasure, weren't aware who H17 were, and curiously clapped. It wasn't until "Temptation" started, that many realized the song that they had heard at the clubs, was from this famous band . The applause said it all, things only got better in the crowd / group rapport. The finale of " Being Boiled" left the magic moment with everyone. That night, I think many had been converted to the Sheffield clan.


14.000 people had been at this gig.

7th April

Supporting Erasure in Bournemouth at "International Centre"

 
9th April

Supporting Erasure in Cardiff at "International Centre"

 
10th April

Supporting Erasure in Brighton at the "Centre"

 
11th April

Supporting Erasure in Manchester at the "NYNEX Arena"

Glenn Gregory in action
Glenn and Martyn in action
12th April

Supporting Erasure in Newcastle at the arena

 
14th April

Headline in Dublin

 
15th April

Supporting Erasure in Glasgow at "SECC"

This concert was recorded and will the the basis
for the live album "Live At Last" (working title).

17th April

Supporting Erasure in Sheffield at the arena

Erasure gig review by Sheffield Electronic Press :
...One-hit-wonders Heaven 17 were the support band. Of their set, 'Temptation' was good but the rest didn't impress...

My personal remark to this review: they don't like the sons of the city who raised Sheffield to the 20th century concerning music ? Strange !


Quote from Darran

... went to see H17 support Erasure last month, found that many Erasure fans enjoyed H17's set more than Erasure, The guys were on form especially as they were performing to their Home town. The Highlight of the show must have been when they performed Being Boiled! ...

Authors remark: Strange again, Erasure fans like Heaven 17 better and Heaven 17 is best when performing songs of "other" bands...

18th April

Supporting Erasure in London in Wembley

Excerpts from "Wembley concert review" by Rob Ornee

... There were, in my estimation, about 7000 people there tonight, and everyone left with a great big smile on their face. The one thing that put a smile on my face was the unannounced support act - Heaven 17 !!! Apparently this is the first time they've ever toured, and it has to be said that they were superb. It was a real bonus to have them warm us up. ...

19th April

Headline in London at "GAY"

Info from e-lectric

Appearing late at 2 o'clock in the night they played 9 songs. 'Designing Heaven' was the only new one. The Three seem to be stressed by the tour !

 

The songs:

  • Fascist Groove Thang
  • Let Me Go
  • Come Live With Me
  • Penthouse And Pavement
  • Designing Heaven
  • Temptation
  • Being Boiled
1st May

Live PA in London at "Cafe De Paris"

 
24st May

Planned only:
Supporting Erasure at Molson Amphitheater Toronto (CA)

According to the usenet:

...they have been interviewed on "Muchmusic" the same day...

...they cancelled quite unexpectedly before the show...


Important info from Martyn Ware about the Toronto concert !!!

We were stunned to discover that the promoter asked us not to come over because he claimed that he was going to lose a lot of money as he had only sold 2,000 tickets. This happened a week before we were due to travel, and as far as I know I don't think we've even been offered any compensation.

Any H17 fans (and some travelled from the UK) who wish to get a refund should contact the promoters quoting this letter if necessary

Martyn Ware pp H17

Sat 14 June

Cardiff - Music In The Bay

With Echobelly, Brand New Heavies, INXS, Alisha's Attic, Supernaturals plus many others

See concert review page for a nice review by Robert Sommerville. Thanks !

Sat 28 June

London Lawyers Ball

"Private party" with Heaven 17 playing for one hour at 2:30 a.m. New T-Rex coverversion planned as second encore.