Live Review: Tony Hadley (ex Spandau Ballet) in Perth 2025
Tony Hadley – The Australian Tour 2025 at the Astor Theatre Perth on the 1st of February 2025
Review by Angela Frodsham
Photography by Erica Lorimer Photographer
I have a confession.
My view of Tony Hadley was formed in 1982 when I was only 18 summers long. He was the tall, dark and handsome lead singer of one of the most successful music groups of the New Romantic era. Like many other Spandau Ballet fans, I was a little in love with the suave man with a heavenly voice and a sartorial elegance mimicked throughout the world. However, the 80s icon taking the stage on Saturday evening at the Astor Theatre is now the consummate 21st century crooner and showman, weaving together multi-genre musical influences to gift his audience a magical night out. And we fell in love with him again…
Wearing his trademark dapper suit, Hadley and his slick Fabulous TH Band commanded the cabaret-themed stage and launched into a great cover of British Broadway star Anthony Newley’s “Feeling Good”, taken from Hadley’s 2024 solo album “The Mood I’m In”. Hadley immediately proved his rich and distinctive voice has aged to perfection over a four-decade career, its range and power making him one of popular music’s most admired and influential vocalists. Hadley’s TH Band is true to its name and includes seasoned musicians including Lily Gonzalez on percussion and vocals. The show promised reimagined Spandau Ballet classic hits as well as Hadley’s material across his successful solo career.
Hadley’s legions of fans are clearly captivated by the charismatic and debonair songman, some buying tickets to both Perth shows. He genuinely seems to love interacting with his audience and uses theatrical glances and gestures causing some to melt into their seats when looking their way. One front row concert goer fanned herself into a state of composure in the face of the Hadley charm, the singer later borrowing the fan himself to cope with the Perth heat. His audience chat was cheerful and amusing, suggesting there were probably some who were pressed by wives or girlfriends to bring them along to see him. He thanked them for that, and quipped that when they get home, they will thank him as well.
Hadley’s musical influences such as Queen and Roxy Music were supplemented by a steady diet from his parents of swing music and the crooners, such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. This apparently inspired Hadley to sing, and as a teenager he was drawn to London’s new wave post-punk scene and together with London schoolmates formed a band that by 1980 was Spandau Ballet, taken from a phrase a friend had seen written on a wall in Berlin.
In 1990 after a decade together clocking up eight UK top 10 albums, ten UK top 10 singles hits and world album sales of 25 million the band disbanded. Despite reuniting in 2009, by 2017 Hadley had left the band. Last night he told the audience that although a lot has been written about his relationship with his bandmates, “without the rest of the guys I would not be here and neither would you, so I always thank them for that”.
“To Cut a Long Story Short”, the band’s debut 1980 single pitched at the London night club dance scene, was followed in quick succession by three hits from 1984’s “Parade” album including “Only When You Leave”. Then came “Because of You”, a Hadley solo composition released as a single in 2022 with an EDM feel and energy making it a winner. “Soul Boy” is also a song written by Hadley, released by Spandau Ballet in 2015 and which showcases Hadley’s songwriting abilities despite almost all Spandau Ballet hits having been written by Gary Kemp.
Hadley revealed his favourite Spandau Ballet song to perform is 1986 ballad “Through the Barricades”, adding that he never tires of singing the band’s songs as they are so much part of his life. This song gave Lily Gonzales the chance to display her impressive voice in a duet with Hadley, and the respect and affection between all the members of the Fabulous TH Band and Hadley was obvious. After sips of his favourite ‘Jack’, Hadley delivered “Walk of Shame”, another impressive track he composed.
The end of the night was looming so Hadley changed gears into the final straight with the funky 1981 “Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)”, a track showing just how flexible and adaptable the band was across a range of genres. “Lifeline” then brought many to their feet to very enthusiastically boogie.
Hadley announced the “lovey-dovey” part of the show, and the luxurious start of the 1983 international number one hit “True” was met with very vocal approval and sing- along. The unofficial anthem of the London Olympics, “Gold” then got all in the front stalls to their feet and rushing stage side to party. Queen’s “We Are the Champions” was the final song of the night, before Hadley thanked the crowd and to a rapturous applause he and the TH Band took their final bows.
Fans will be glad to hear Hadley has another headline Australian tour planned for 2026. He told the audience that when he first came to Perth in 1984 it was “just mental… we had some parties…you were all a bit younger, so was I…”. Bringing back everyone’s memories of earlier, carefree days and with a voice as varied and strong as human emotions, a night with Hadley and his band reminds us of the power of music to enrich our lives.
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Destroy All Lines and Estellar PR again for the Media Accreditation. Our first coverage of Tony Hadley was in 2022.
Tony Hadley Setlist:
Feeling Good (Anthony Newley cover), To Cut a Long Story Short, Highly Strung,
Only When You Leave, I’ll Fly for You, Alibi, Round and Round, Because of You, Soul Boy, With the Pride, Through the Barricades, Walk of Shame, Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On), Lifeline, Mad About You, True, Gold, We Are the Champions
Sam McGovern
The night began with 22-year-old Sam McGovern, a local indie talent who opened the tour headline shows in Adelaide, Hobart and now in his hometown Perth. All smiles and showing great crowd interaction, the relaxed and confident singer immediately captivated the audience with his own catchy and emotional compositions from his album “Love Reverie”, accompanied simply by his guitar and loop pedal.
About the writer: Angela is a music lover who has enjoyed live concerts with her sister Erica and friends since the early 1980’s, including raving in the pit during The Angels performances at Perth Entertainment Centre in 1981. A career in Government economic development and transport policy followed a Bachelor of Economics majoring in Japanese. More recently, Angela’s love of writing and history has led her back to UWA to study Classics and Ancient History, including the Latin language and ancient Greek.
About the Photographer: Erica is a freelance photographer who loves capturing images of live music and travel photography. She enjoys shooting film with vintage cameras and making prints in a home darkroom. She has lived in Japan, the UK and Nigeria. Erica holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Western Australia (UWA), majoring in English Literature and Economics, and a Certificate IV in Design.
Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) have been accredited to over 150 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), Backstreet Boys, KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK and Robbie Williams with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, UB40, Delta Goodrem, The Wiggles and Toni Childs on social media.
