10 July 2025 (gig)
14 July 2025
It was pure synth heaven when The Human League, Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins and Blancmange brought their electronic pop classics to the Bedford Summer Sessions.
The crowd was taken right back to 80s summers, with the sun-drenched Bedford Park reminiscent of those long hot summers of that glorious decade.
First on stage was Neil Arthur and Blancmange, who treated the crowd to hits such as Living On The Ceiling, Blind Vision and Don’t Tell Me, interspersed with some of their more recent tracks. An uninvited guest on stage, a wasp, reduced Neil to uncontrollable laughter during one song, but he quickly composed himself and admitted that the insect had distracted him! It certainly didn’t take the sting out of his synth performance though, which was buzzing!
Next up was Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins who never fails to win over an audience with his catalogue of much-loved hits, while dressed to impress, all in white, with his female band following suit.
Always bringing a positive energy to festivals, Tom and his merry band of women treated Bedford to chart-topping hits including Doctor, Doctor, Lay Your Hands On Me, You Take Me Up and Love on Your Side. It was a special moment when Tom closed his set with Hold Me Now, during which the crowd carried on the lyrics when the music stopped and the band assembled for their final bow.
It's always a spectacle when The Human League enter the stage, bringing their unique brand of theatre, glamour and energy to the 80s faithful.
Phil Oakey never fails to impress, with his powerful vocals sounding just as good as they were back in the day. Completing a workout every time he performs, Phil is constantly on the run, covering every part of the stage, creating a unique omnipresence. He always cuts a striking figure with his eye-catching outfits and quick changes, bringing his own inimitable style, as he always has done.
Also bringing the glamour are The Human League original ladies, Susan and Joanne, both dressed to the nines in stunning evening gowns and sparkly accessories.
Always expressing a gratitude to the audience, Susan told the Bedford crowd: “I’m so glad we came to Bedford in this heatwave. The only reason we can do this is because you support us, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
The Human League helped define the 80s, continuing into the 90s, with their electronic sounds, enjoying 17 Top 40 hits which included one Number 1, Don’t You Want Me, and eight Top Ten hits.
Bedford was treated to classic after classic including Mirror Man, Love Action, Tell Me When, Louise, The Lebanon and (Keep Feeling) Fascination.
They finished their set with the No 1 smash, Don’t You Want Me, leaving the crowd singing in unison and wanting more Human League magic.
The band returned with Being Boiled, complete with a hellish backdrop of fire and lava, before launching into the much-loved Giorgio Moroder collaboration (Together in) Electric Dreams.
With electronic music reliant on the power, a slight outage caused a synth blip during the song, but the crowd’s energy and the band’s professionalism ensured the grand finale went off with a bang.
Laughing off the momentary power issue with good grace, Phil seemed amused at being “live and unplugged” for a very brief moment and thanked the crowd before the band bid them a fond farewell. No doubt that as people “climbed the wooden hill to Bedfordshire” that night, they would have been re-living this wonderful concert in their own electric dreams.
Photo credit: Cuffe & Taylor
