TCT first night Madness

Royal Albert Hall shaken up

08 April 2008 - Roger Daltrey's week of shows at London's Royal Albert Hall got off to a riotous start this evening, with live favourites Madness.

Suggs and Co were in fine form as they literally rocked the hall to the core, with the audience up and dancing from the very first note of One Step Beyond.

The band were supported by The Holloways and The Metros, all jangly guitars, skinny jeans and catchy pop tunes. They unfortunately felt the effects of punters not being allowed to bring drinks into the hall as many chose to stay in the bar until the headliners took to the stage.
 
At which time the hall came alive with the crowds chants of 'Ole, ole, ole, ole...' infact the band had a standing ovation before they had even begun.

The audience were made up primarily of old school Madness fans, complete with eighties Madness concert t-shirts and fez hats. Many had brought their kids along too - my favourite were a family where Mum and Dad sang the words of It Must Be Love to each other, much to the total embarrassment of their two kids.

Highlights of the set included the opener One Step Beyond, and the last six or seven tracks which had the audience in total sing-along mode, including Madness, Night Boat to Cairo, Baggy Trousers and Our House.

"It's like playing infront of a really posh block of flats" - Suggs

Suggs wasn't too chatty, but the tunes satisfied the crowd completely. He did say that playing the Royal Albert Hall was like performing infront of some really posh flats: "There's someone up there pulling their curtains, turn it down Madness!"

The band were seriously enjoying themselves as the crowd got more energetic and frantic, infact the hall seemed to shake as they launched into House of Fun. This was followed by Wings of a Dove and then Baggy Trousers brought the house down, Suggs dedicated it to Jake Riviera, founder of Stiff Records.

As an encore the band took full advantage of the organ set high up in the Albert Hall's wall, playing the opening bars to an instrumental track that soon became Madness.

Roger Daltrey did say that he was especially looking forward to seeing Madness as part of the TCT gigs and he can't have been disappointed. Just ask any one of the sweaty, voiceless and exhausted fans who trooped out into the night. 

Madness set list:

One Step Beyond
Embarrassment
The Prince
NW5
My Girl
The Sun and the Rain
Instrumental
Shut Up
Out of Space
Bed and Breakfast Man
Grey Day
Lovestruck
Forever Young
House of Fun
Wings of a Dove
Baggy Trousers
Our House
It Must Be Love

Encore:

Instrumental
Madness
Night Boat To Cairo


Ruth Barnes