Midge Ure took the stage at the grand old Usher Hall in Edinburgh last Sunday, offering a dramatic portrayal of the artistry in his repertoire. On tour following the release of his album A Man of Two Worlds, Midge showcased a varied mix, including several hits from his time in Ultravox and Visage.
Opening things up…
The crowd was prepared to see the new wave legend, but before Midge could take the stage, the opening act, Scenius, offered an… interesting performance. The French-English electronic, synth punk duo gave the crowd some head-bopping punk rhythms, though with a rather lacklustre, soulless presentation.
Thankfully, the short break between the acts came, during which the screens on stage showed: “this performance begins with a non stop 45 minute musical journey. enjoy.” Midge was setting the scene, before entering the stage.
45 minutes of “Midge Dump”
As the lights darkened, he finally came out playing some notes on a keyboard as the band members of Electronica, backing Midge, came up next to him. Together, they were being conducted by another member through a string of notes.
As a mesmerising instrumental music from his song ‘A Different View’ filled the room, Ure’s intention of offering a cinematic concert experience started to become evident.
Suddenly, synth-pop 80s drums kicked off the show with a song from his days in one of his earlier projects, Visage. ‘Again we love’ is from the new romantic pop-group’s second album, The Anvil, released in 1982.
Midge Ure later left the project, continuing his career as the new frontman in the new wave band Ultravox. Prior to this, however, Midge had already contributed to three different 70s bands: Slick, Thin Lizzy, and as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter in Rich Kids.
His vast and varied experience was apparent with the energy of a legendary veteran, which exuded from him while on stage. Performing ‘Call of the Wild’, riffing on his guitar, there was a palpable sense of respect and admiration amongst the audience.
As the beat picked up with ‘Accent on Youth’ written while in Ultravox, the audience started to clap along. With a dramatic interlude, Midge and his band led the song into the classic 80s new wave melody.
Dramatic thudding filled Usher Hall with ‘Your Name (Has Slipped My Mind Again)’ from Ultravox’s 1981 album, Rage of Eden. The suspense amplified, as we had not yet heard him speak to the audience.
Midge also showed off his talented guitar skills, shredding like he was still in the decades of his youth. No doubt, it must be a true passion for someone to remain so in love with an art to be performing it for over four decades.
Ultravox’s ‘Vienna’
To end the first 45 minutes, Midge chose the Ultravox hit ‘Vienna’. In 2013, the British public voted the song as the best single to get second place on the charts upon its release in 1981.
The classic high notes of the song were, however, a struggle for the 72-year-old Midge Ure, who has recently had health issues impacting his touring schedule.
Nevertheless, there was a visible effort in his face, and the deeper notes resounded beautifully. Of course, the audience, consisting of his decades-old fandom, did not let the appreciation for it go unknown. Screams and applause filled the room as the song’s last refrain of the line ‘this means nothing to me’ reverberated all around.
As the synth outro played, I watched, sitting in the middle of the crowd in the stalls, as everyone jumped from their seats to offer a standing ovation.
The real party starts
But this was only the first half of his concert, and finally elevating the suspense, Midge spoke to the audience directly after 45 minutes of silence. Joking about the ‘Midge dump’ he had just performed and thanking the crowd, he went on to play some more light-hearted songs from his past.
But it wasn’t until he played ‘If I Was’ that the party really started. Midge was beaming with joy as the crowd started dancing and singing along. And it wasn’t just him; the audience was, no doubt, largely made up of eager fans who’d loved his music since their youth.
For the performance of his Visage song ‘Fade to Grey’, Midge prefaced with, “If this doesn’t get you up dancing, I don’t know what will.” To little surprise, few seats remained occupied while the classic visage synth notes echoed.
Midge didn’t leave it there. For the next song, he asked the crowd if they were dancing yet. To everyone’s excitement, this could only mean Ultravox’s ‘Dancing With Tears In My Eyes’ was next. The dramatic atmosphere from the concert’s first half was being heavily contrasted by the audience’s lively and joyous reaction.
As the song ended, the crowd eagerly asked for another. Midge came out again, starting with ‘Yellow Pearl’, leading into ‘Hymn’ from Ultravox’s sixth studio album, Quartet. It was a perfect last song. The audience danced their heart out as Midge showed off his talent in the guitar solo.
Conclusion
Midge Ure has been thriving in the music scene since the 70s, with a legendary resume from his time in the multiple bands he’s contributed to. Midge also co-wrote the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas Time” for charity, which was recorded by British and Irish musicians in the project Band Aid.
If the concert left the audience with any feeling in their hearts, it most certainly was admiration and awe. As proven by his fandom, Midge Ure is written in the history books of Scottish and British musical icons. And despite having likely performed these songs to crowds more than a thousand times over, to Midge, the joy as he performed appeared untouched by age.
Featured Image Credit: Kristina Wikensten