Spandau Ballet: Spandau Ballet play to packed Sandown Park, Esher

A sell-out crowd enjoyed a sunny evening of racing followed by a live outdoor Spandau Ballet concert at Sandown Park in Esher, on Thursday, June 3.
Racing and music fans flocked from all over the region to look the 80s pop sensations perform their greatest hits, including 'True' and 'Communication', as well as new tracks from their current album 'Once More'.
But the highlight of the evening was a packed crowd dancing to the iconic 'Gold'.
Indie chart toppers Razorlight will be the next live music night at the venue on Wednesday, July 21.
Groups of 12 or more adults can get 20 per cent off the admission price.

Abba back together.

Spandau Ballet are back together, even Bros are rumoured to be thinking about it. It is an age of re-formation.

There remains one glaring exception, of course, and their name is Abba. For too long the former members of this band have ignored the demands of their old fans and a new generation turned on to their music by its endless appearances on wedding playlists and latterly, by the film Mamma Mia!

Their fans demand another tour!

Spandau Ballet with special guests Tears for Fears

After much speculation, Stewart & Tricia Macpherson announce the first ever visit to New Zealand, in April, by two of the 80’s greatest bands – Spandau Ballet and Tears for Fears.
Fresh from sell-out shows in London’s 02 Arena, both bands are visiting Australia in April, and we’ve managed to convince them to play one date in Auckland’s Vector Arena on 29 April from 7.30pm.

All the original members of both bands will play all their hits, so its effectively 2 shows for the price of one.

Experience Spandau Ballet performing songs like Gold, True, Lifeline, I Don’t Need This Pressure On, To Cut A Long Story Short, and Only When You Leave in a 2-hour set.
Opening the night are Tears For Fears whose hits include Shout, Mad World, Mother’s Talk, I Believe, Head Over Heels, Woman In Chains, Sowing The Seeds Of Love, and Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Spandau Ballet announce first single in two decades

Spandau Ballet are to release their first new single in 20 years this November.The band, who announced that they were to reform in March, release 'Once More' on November 9. Speaking about the release, band member Gary Kemp said he hopes the song will do well in the charts."The new song was a way for us to show that Spandau Ballet are back, not just to play the hits on tour but also to take on our contemporaries in the pop charts!" he said in a statement.

Spandau Ballet release their new album - also called 'Once More' on October 19.Meanwhile, the band are offering fans the chance to download a new version of old song 'Only When You Leave' from their official website, Spandauballet.com, from October 25

Spandau's Tony Hadley wins Gold in his home city

Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley has been honoured for his contribution to music in a celebration of what makes London great to visit.
Hadley, 49, who reunited with his bandmates after a solo career of nearly 20 years, last night won the outstanding achievement award at the BT Visit London Awards.
The singer, who lives in Muswell Hill, said it was an honour to win his first personal award in his home city. He added: “I've lived in London all my life, I love London and it's still great and excites me.
“As a Londoner born and bred I'm thrilled to be receiving this award. London has been a tremendous influencing force in my career.
“In the 80's Spandau Ballet were a formative part of the new romantic scene that had its beginnings here.
“Today London continues to be one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world, at the forefront of music and fashion and it's an honour to be recognised as part of its rich heritage.”
The award, previously given to Dame Helen Mirren, is voted for by the public. Musical Wicked won the Evening Standard award for best family fun.
The Natural History Museum took the Standard's award for best free day out. Visit London named Emma de Souza the capital's first London Hero for organising Kids Week which encourages children to visit theatres.
People's Choice Awards
Evening Standard's Best Family Fun Award Wicked the Musical
Evening Standard's Best London for Free Experience Natural History Museum
Kiss 100's Hottest Music Event West End Live
Magic 105.4's London's Hero Emma De Souza

Spandau Ballet: It's Gold for Spandau's Steve

As Spandau Ballet get return on the road for the first time since the 1980s, guitarist Steve Norman will find even less time to watch his beloved Spurs.
And there's no doubt that he will be receiving a load of 'stick' from his fellow band members after Saturday's result at the Emirates!
He laughs: "Unfortunately for me, the rest of the band are all Gooners!
"It has made for endless banter in the past and getting back together with a lot of history to catch up on has only reinforced that."
Speaking in hotspur magazine, Norman reveals that it was his uncle who introduced him to Spurs - despite the fact that Steve grew up in a block of flats overlooking Highbury!
"My uncle, thankfully, took me to a few games at White Hart Lane in the mid to late 70s...and I was hooked instantly, watching tremendous players such as Alan Gilzean, Martin Peters, Jimmy Greaves, Jimmy Neighbour and others. Martin Chivers was my ultimate hero."
Read the full interview in the November issue of our official monthly magazine, hotspur. It actually takes you behind the scenes and is a ‘must' for all Spurs fans.

Spandau Ballet Supportive stars

Spandau Ballet helped Gary and Martin Kemp cope with the death of their parents.
The brothers say their bandmates – Tony Hadley, John Keeble and Steve Norman – became their "second family" after their parents died within 48 hours of each other in January.
Guitarist Gary said: "I think I coped and my brother did too because of the band. It was like having another family to catch us. I think they understood what we were going through.
"They knew our parents very well. They were moved by it and they supported us."
Eileen Kemp was undergoing heart surgery at Bournemouth hospital when her husband Frank had a fatal heart attack. Eileen died shortly afterwards.
Bassist Martin told Britain’s Hello! magazine: "It came as a tremendous shock. They spent 50 years of their lives together. My dad wouldn't even go down to the pub with me because he wouldn't leave my mother on her own.
"That's how close their marriage was. The fact that they went together was in some ways comforting. Like it was meant to be. That's how I came to see it and that helped me deal with the loss."
The group – who officially reunited in March this year – split up in 1989 and spent the next 20 years in bitter conflict, with Tony, John and Steve suing Gary over royalty payments in 1999.
They eventually reconciled and kicked off their reunion tour in Dublin earlier this month.

Spandau Ballet Tony’s a glass act

IF the SPANDAU BALLET doesn't return work out, TONY HADLEY is lining up a nice little fallback.
The Gold singer is eyeing up a vineyard in France and wants to launch his own wine.
He is also talks about a range of chocolate and food.
Tony, who already produces a beer called Hadley's Gold, says: "I've found a vineyard run by a British bloke who is looking to get into the UK market.
"I've tasted the wine and it's fantastic. The only trouble is, I'll likely drink most of it."
Spandau will go head to head with the likes of LEONA LEWIS and ALEXANDRA BURKE when they release their new single and album Once More later this month. But MARTIN KEMP isn't impressed by the competition.
He said: "There's no individuality in shows like X Factor. The people who go into them want success on a plate and when they win, just become SIMON COWELL's puppets."

Spandau Ballet and Harry Connick Jnr to perform, Strictly Come Dancing

Poor old Andy Williams may have been a bit of a damp squib on last week's Strictly Come Dancing, but there are a few treats in store later this month.
As well as Amy Winehouse, bosses have signed up Harry Connick Jnr to croon a tune. But most exciting of all is the news Spandau Ballet will perform as they launch their new album. Yay! I know this much is true...
Get all the latest Strictly Come Dancing news in our dedicated section. Check out the best opinion on Mirror.co.uk's Strictly Come Dancing blog.

Spandau Ballet Offer Free Download of New Song Release

(PR) Spandau Ballet's official site had this update on Friday: Spandau Ballet appeared on GMTV this morning to make the surprise announcement that they are releasing a new single "Once More" and a new album of the same name on Mercury Records this November.
Featuring reworkings of classic Spandau Ballet tracks, alongside two brand new tracks, the album is available to pre-order now from or from the Spandau Ballet store. Pre-orders from the official store qualify for competitions to win signed numbered canvas prints of the artwork, and pre orders from either retailer qualify for the opportunity one of 400 albums signed by the band.
Spandau Ballet are also giving spandauballet.com visitors a very articular preview of the album by giving you the opportunity to download the incredible new version of "Only When You Leave" when you register. If you have previously registered, don't worry, you will be emailed a link to download the track on Monday.
Speaking earlier of the new recordings singer Tony Hadley said: "When we got back together and the tour dates went on sale, none of us could believe the fantastic reaction we got from fans and the press alike. When the chance came to get into a studio and play music together, we couldn't pass it up.
Gary Kemp continued: "The band gelled instantly and we instantly played better than we did even back in the day. The new song was a way for us to gig that Spandau Ballet are back, not just to play the hits on tour but also to take on our contemporaries in the pop charts!"

First single in 20 years to Spandau Ballet to release

Spandau Ballet are set to release their first single in nearly two decades. Once More will be released on 9 November, 20 years to the month that the so called New Romantics released their debut single Crashed Into Love.
The band, best known for a string of 80s hits including True and Gold, reunited in March of this year. They split under resultedly acrimonious circumstances in 1990. Singer Tony Hadley told the BBC: "We got back together and the tour dates went on sale, none of us could believe the fantastic reaction we got from fans."
He continued: "When the chance came to get into a studio and play music together, we couldn't pass it up."
Tickets for their comeback show at the O2 Arena in London sold out in less than 20 minutes, when they went on sale earlier this year. The success of their comeback appears to have eased communication between the band. Guitarist Gary Kemp said the band had "gelled" this time around.
Kemp said: "The new song was a way for us to show that Spandau Ballet are back, not just to play the hits on tour, but also to take on our generation in the pop charts."
Once More is taken from an album of the same name, which features reworked versions of some of the band's past hits. A release date for the album has not yet been announced.

Labour promises an 'A-list' conference act, Pandora

The Conservatives are to offer more energetic party members the opportunity to rave on to early Nineties club sensation Angie Brown (last year's star, Tony Hadley, was, we're told, "too busy with Spandau Ballet" to make a second appearance), while the Lib Dems decided not to book anyone but what of Labour's plans for their league entertainment?
Party representatives insist that they have lined up an "A-list" act to accompany Gordon Brown's keynote speech at the official conference dinner, though they are playing their cards inquisitively close to their chests as to the chosen star's identity.
Eddie Izzard, one of the party's few remaining big name cheerleaders, insists he won't be convinced to take to the stage, though he plans to attend. Billy Bragg, on the other hand usually a regular face around the party's annual love-in – turned out last night at a fringe Lib Dem event to discuss the role of the arts in prison.
As for the rest of the party's cast of celebrity supporters, the signs aren't promising. Beverley Knight and Geri Halliwell have both issued stern denials of any involvement which leaves... Mick Hucknall? Tragically, he didn't return Pandora's call.

Spandau Ballet see to tickets

celebrate the launch of the newly refurbished LG Arena at The NEC we have got the fantastic prize of a groups of tickets to see Spandau Ballet at LG Arena on Sunday, October 25, along with a wonderful Entertainment Zone hospitality package.
This includes a car park pass, welcome glass of champagne and a fantastic pre gig four course meal.
The LG Arena, Birmingham opens it doors this October after a £29 million facelift. There is a brand new pre and post gig entertainment space forumLIVE that boasts over 100 LG digital screens and a singular LG surprise.
There are also brand new exclusive hospitality bars and restaurants, including a spectacular show deck which looks out over the whole arena bowl and has a private bar and facilities for 100 inner ticket holders every night.
Marking the official launch of the LG Arena, a stellar line-up of 20 bands and artists have been confirmed for the opening season, running from October 7 to December 31.
Performers include teen diva Miley Cyrus, rockers Green Day, James Morrison and 80s superstars Depeche Mode, as well as Spandau Ballet.
The new LG Arena: where life’s good live!To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer this question using the form below:

newly refurbished LG Arena is located at which venue? Is it:
A) ICC
B) The NEC
C) Symphony Hall?

the unkindest cut of all and now

WITH the benefit of 20:20 hindsight, I can pinpoint the exact moment today when things went phut.
Due to a looming manuscript deadline and a neighbour with a vast collection of Bob Marley routinely played at Stadium Australia volume, I currently decided to ditch my London existence for a weekend away. In a quest for a geography that would invigorate me I headed ''up north''. Specifically to that part of England where the road signs stop listing town names and simply say "the north" and "the south"; where people say hello to you on the streets, and where articles in sentences are optional. This, however, is not the aforementioned moment.
After discovering that my four star hotel didn't have WiFi, my plans of writing all weekend took a slight detour. However, in an uncharacteristic glass-half-full moment, I decided to use the time fruitfully and so booked in to get my hair done at a local salon.
Upon comer at said salon a slight young thing, with hair that would not have been out of place on a member of Spandau Ballet, sat me down and started asking me the standard questions.
We agreed on what I wanted. Or so I thought. This, still, is not the moment.
She went off to mix the colours and I settled in to read a five-year-old copy of a magazine providing useful tips on decoupage and baking.
She came back and we began the small talk challenge, where she asked questions to which she had no interest in hearing the answers and I provided answers in the hope of shutting down the conversation.
About half way into the challenge, accordingly with my head half covered in aluminium foil, she mentioned that until two weeks ago her hair had been waist long. Given it was now cut in an homage to the New Romantics, this piqued my interest. ''Really?'' I say. ''Did you get it done here?''
She laughed out loud and said ''No!'' with such force that the foil strips tinkled in the breeze.
Faced with the prospect of asking her to stop half way through, I reasoned that clearly she didn't do her own hair so she was probably the talented one and I would be fine.
And that, dear reader, is the moment when, instead of getting a selection of autumnal low lights and a trim, I ended up looking like David Bowie as the Goblin King in Labyrinth.

Spandau Ballet reunion

Johnny Marr has mocked his '80s pop rivals Spandau Ballet's "chicken-in-the-basket" reunion.
The former Smiths guitarist claimed that he would be happy if someone paid the new romantic band £20 million to cancel their upcoming live shows.
"I can't bear the thought of a Spandau Ballet style comeback. What's the point? Spandau are reforming, so they put on a big chicken in the basket event, which is all they amounted to in the first place," he told the Daily Mail.
"Maybe someone should pay them £20 million not to reform. purportedly we were offered $10 million [£6.2 million] to play a handful of Smiths gigs in 2007, and I wasn't remotely tempted."
Marr, who is recently promoting his new Ignore, The Ignorant LP with The Cribs, insisted that he is too busy to consider a Smiths reunion anytime soon.
He added: "I can't speak for Morrissey, but I know that I'm too busy right now to get The Smiths on the road again. Is that likely to change? Who knows?"

Loss of studios to Spandau Ballet

Spandau Ballet's Steve Norman has hit out at modern "clinical" recording techniques, which have been blamed for many traditional studios closing down.
The saxophonist and guitarist told of his sorrow at the collapse of facilities such as the Olympic Studio in Barnes, west London, which played host to musical wonderful and was the setting for Procol Harum's recording of A Whiter Shade Of Pale.

Norman told London's Evening Standard that the band had bonded at the Olympic: "We had such a fantastic time the studio makes bands productive and creative."


He continued: "It had a magical burden on us. Our squabbles are well known, but the studio was a place where we could come together."

Norman also told the newspaper a "friendly rivalry" developed in studios with popular such as their 1980s generation Duran Duran.

Norman, whose band are known for classics such as Gold and True, said the loss of studios will make the expension "very clinical".

He said: "When you go to a studio, you are going into work. It application respect. You don't get that with a backroom or in people's bedrooms."

A holocene report titled The Software Slump found that studios are being clasped on one side by record companies driving down what they are prepared to pay, coupled with a rise in home recording technology, allowing musicians to produce tracks from their bedrooms.

Donation band top 80s, the Breakfast Club, will perform in Cirencester

RELIVE old memories on the dancefloor at a disco night in Cirencester in aid of charity.
Top 80s donation band, The Breakfast Club, will be covering all the favourites of Duran Duran, David Bowie, Spandau Ballet, Roxy Music on Saturday, September 12 at the Royal Agricultural College.
Arranger Greg Power has also organised for Cardiff DJ James Vivet to help keep people on the dancefloor with his extensive cover of old classics.
He said: "My nights are based around giving a night out for the people who want it most, that is the 30 to 35 year olds and over."
All the proceeds from the night will go to Cancer Research UK and the plan is to upgrade a total of £5,000.
Mr Power, who helped upgrade over £20,000 for the Tsunami appeal at a disco night in the Corn Hall, said: "If past events are anything to go by the evening will be top compartment.
"It is nice to do something like this, it has the feel good factor."
There will be a bus service running from the Market Place in Cirencester to the RAC.
The 54 seater bus will pick party leaver up from the Market Place between 9.30pm and 10.30pm and will drop people back to town between 1.30am and 2.30am.
Tickets are £10 and are only available from the Porters Lodge at the RAC.
For more information call Sammy on 01285 653880.
If you are helpless to make this event you can always make a donation to Cancer Research UK by visiting www.justgiving.com/gregpower/