China in your hand…

Revisiting T’pau almost 40 years on.

When I was 15 or 16, there were only three bands that I was ever genuinely obsessed with, and whose music was never out of my Walkman - those bands were Guns ‘n’ Roses, Bon Jovi, and of course T’pau.

I’ve always had a thing for redheads, so my two main crushes at the time were Tiffany, and T’pau front woman, Carol Decker.

Last night, almost 38 years after first seeing them perform live, as part of my attempt to go to one gig every month, I finally got to see T’pau on stage once more, and I have to say they were every bit as good as the first time I saw them.

What can I say?

She might be (a lot) older - and let’s be honest, so am I - but if there’s one thing you can’t deny, Carol Decker’s definitely still got it.

I went with two of my friends, Jen and Shirley - both of whom I know and met through the 37 Club - and the three of us were probably amongst the youngest there, but that still didn’t stop us having a good time as T’pau played a combination of stuff from their new album, Be Wonderful, along with many of the tracks they’re most famous for including Heart and Soul and China in your hand.

All I can say is I was so happy to see this band performing live again, after so long. Next year, apparently, it will be 40 years since Bridge of Spies, their debut album, was first released and to celebrate, the band are already planning their next tour.

I have so many fond memories of listening to the score aforementioned Bridge of Spies, along with the two albums that followed - Rage, and The Promise - and I was even one of just a few diehard fans (apparently) who also purchased their fourth album, Red.

Though their music has changed - the new album feels a little bit like a reinvention - is it any wonder? Carol Decker and her band are all a lot older now, as are the majority of her fans if last night is any judge, and it probably comes as no surprise that their sound has now evolved in a bid to remain relevant and contemporary.

Am I as big a fan of their newer stuff? Not so much (sorry Carol), but I’m sure it will grow on me and if nothing else, the title track of their new album, Be Wonderful, carries a glorious message of being proud of celebrating who you are, whilst neither making, nor accepting, any apologies for it.

Something T’pau still do very well.

Would I go and see them again? Most definitely - though being at a seated gig last night (at The Apex in Bury) did feel a little odd, and I really struggled to get comfortable. That said, seeing the band again brought back so much nostalgia - T’pau were my first ever gig on my fifteenth or sixteenth birthday - and will always hold a place in my heart for being one of the first bands I was ever truly obsessed with.

The fact that I am also going to be seeing Guns ‘n’ Roses - the first metal band I ever listened to, and that first got me into the whole scene - perform this year at Download for the first time since seeing them (again) over thirty years ago now, only serves to help make this year even better!

Meanwhile my next concert coming up is Lølø next week at Electric Ballroom in Camden, and I’m really really really excited for that as seeing her live was on my bucket list.

So far that’s one gig every month right up until July - what will the rest of the year bring?

Only time will tell…