Electricity: OMD deliver fizzling electro-pop numbers at Portsmouth Guildhall
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark took to the Guildhall stage.
Photo: Press
2023 marked the fourteenth studio effort — Bauhaus Staircase — from Merseyside electronic boys Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, full of political cynicism, social commentary and catchy, synth-y hooks. It’s an impressive effort from a group who never really seem to age, and on a chilly Friday night in March 2024, they brought the Bauhaus to Portsmouth Guildhall.
You’d be forgiven for thinking an OMD gig would be full of people in their waning years. In fact, you’d be right. But you’d be wrong to assume that meant there’d be less energy than any other live music experience. OMD were electric that night in Portsmouth Guildhall, throwing out familiar and delectable melodies to the crowd like techno-disciples.
The band – principally made up of vocalist/bassist Andy McCluskey and vocalist/keyboardist Paul Humphreys – ticked off every greatest hits staple on the sheet, whilst also leaving room for a generous helping of their newest release, Bauhaus Staircase. It was clear to see how the act’s dance influences grew with age; they ebbed and flowed between new wave classics (Souvenir, Messages, Joan of Arc) and dance-pop floor-fillers (History of Modern (Part I), Sailing on the Seven Seas, Kleptocracy).
McCluskey’s voice, too, was nothing short of mesmerising. One shut of the eyes and you could swear you were at one of their first gigs in 1978, or listening to Architecture & Morality. All the while, he had the energy of a colossal hadron collider; endlessly cutting, weaving, bobbing and leaping about the stage. Humphreys, meanwhile, was the consummate professional, occasionally stepping down from the back of the stage to deliver his own tunes with nothing but joy and admiration.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are one of those bands with an outstanding back catalogue that largely remains – true to the name – in the shadows. They’re not a name that pop up a lot in the 21st century, and yet so many of their songs are electro-rock anthems which stand the test of time. Everyone there, young and old, knew the words to main set closer Enola Gay, If You Leave (written for 1986’s Pretty in Pink) and Electricity – the grand finale.
OMD, in many ways, are one of the true, original, synth bands; seamlessly blurring together catchy digitised melodies, addictive hooks and verses about Nikola Tesla or nuclear apocalypse. That night in Portsmouth proved what pioneers they have been for nearly half a century.
They’re wonderful, they’re weird, and they helped create one of the hottest gig environments I’ve ever been to. They delivered and then some, still going after nearly 50 years and bringing their genius, synthesised melodies to the oceanfront.