Thursday, March 26
Words: Glen Smyth
Photos: Gen Murray
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I read an article written in the eighties where Madness apportioned some blame for their breakup to their 1986 tour of Australia. It wasn’t their first Australian tour, but as a 17 year old discovering Madness I never imagined they’d be back to our shores again. In 2008 we saw them in London performing two sets: one of classics and one of their concept album, The Liberty of Norton Folgate. It was great – the whole package, and while it was an expensive $90 to see them this time in Sydney, we weren’t going to miss it.

As a sideshow for V Festival we were treated to some shitty indie band as the support, but most weren’t too concerned and spent the time catching up with the usual suspects and getting the beer in. I suspect most of the crowd weren’t accustomed to going to Luna Park’s Big Top for the gig, being on the north side of the harbour, but the theme park was a rather fitting place for Madness to play. The venue was a good size too and with the price having kept some away, we weren’t packed in like sardines.

The band were quite punctual in beginning, a rare thing in this day and age, and the very positive atmosphere was set with the first number, One Step Beyond. For the next hour and a half, the band mixed old and classic songs to great effect. Following Madness’s contemporary releases, I was quite pleased they selected a few less obvious songs including Lovestruck from their 1998 Wonderful album, NW5, Dust Devil, On the Town and Clerkenwell Polka from The Liberty of Norton Folgate and Max Romeo’s Iron Shirt from the Dangermen Sessions record. Although the crowd were quieter during these tracks, they responded well, which is a positive sign for future tours.

While other bands seem to age quite badly, Madness cannot be accused of such a thing. They were well turned out and their new tracks are well written. They feed off the crowd’s energetic response to the classics, and they have senses of humour akin to your old man. At one stage Lee Thompson tried to bound on to one of the speakers only to fail then try again and fail once more. Not to be defeated, he ungracefully slid his backside up on top and clambered up, to a rapturous applause.

Trying to pick out favourites from a Madness set list is fairly arbitrary, as I would be happy to hear anything they do. They mix ska, reggae and pop splendidly and I simply hope they come out to Australia to perform again. And with the following statement from Chas, one thinks it is a likely possibility:

Well. I have arrived back home to Ibiza after what I honestly believe was the best tour we have experienced since the Two-Tone Tour thirty years ago. Don't get me wrong there have been a vast amount of good times over the years and as moments go the first Madstock in 1992 was pretty unbeatable yet the overall picture I wish to paint has depth, colour and oodles of character. Australia feels like it has come of age ( or is it me thats changed?) the place is well mellow and virtually every one I came across (does that sound right?) were genuinely cool.
http://www.madness.co.uk/chas/2009_04_01_archive.html

Set List:

One Step Beyond
Embarrassment
The Prince
NW5
My Girl
Dust Devil (our new single)
The Sun and the Rain
Los Palmas 7
Shut Up
On the Town
Iron Shirt
Clerkenwell Polka
Grey Day
Lovestruck
Bed and Breakfast Man
Forever Young
House of Fun
Wings of a Dove
Baggy Trousers
Our House
It Must Be Love
Madness
Night Boat to Cairo

Photos:

Photos are copyright Gen Murray 2009