Adam Ant, Symphony Hall, Birmingham - review

Dandy Highway Adam Ant surfed the New Wave era of the 1980s as he enjoyed hits with Antmusic, Stand and Deliver, Prince Charming, Kings of the Wild Frontier, Goody Two Shoes and more. The trend-setting post-punk icon, however, disbanded his band at the height of their success.

And the subsequent years were marked by illness and injury, psychiatric episodes and treatment for bipolar.

Such difficulties, however, did little to sully his iconoclastic reputation. And a newly-rejuvenated Ant brought his Anthems – The Singles Tour to Birmingham’s Symphony Hall last night for the first of two shows.

It was a Kick Up The Eighties; a show of barnstorming hits and unexpected B-sides, of personal favourites and an impressive back catalogue.

The entertainment started before Ant took the stage as his audience provided light relief. Fans dressed as pirates and highway robbers, wearing new romantic gear and copious make-up.

It was like Friday night at the fancy dress as leather boots, captain’s jackets and outrageous face paint created uniquely surreal scenes in the normally-sedate stalls.

And then Ant took to the stage. He remains in fine shape, his piercing eyes hinting at darker depths beyond.

Full of swagger and verve, he prowled the stage like a caged lion – showing ferocious intent as he turned back the clock for a night of nostalgia.

His band were smooth and tight, the elegantly- coiffured drummer Jola keeping the rhythm while also winning the prize for the evening’s best-dressed person.

And though Ant clearly enjoyed the B-sides as much as anything else, it was the classic hits that brought the house down. They’ve lost none of their potency down the years and Ant remains a class act.

Stand and Deliver? He sure as hell did.