Andy Bell live in Bournemouth

Andy Bell at Bournemouth Pavilion (9.5.2025) with Hifi Sean and David McAlmont supporting.

Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre on a Sunday night – not the rock and roll centre of the World, although this place has had, and still has its moments. These days it is much more a venue for ballet, opera and comedians (I saw a four hour Ken Dodd show here once) in my experience (OK, there was just the one opera), although I have seen the place transformed a few times – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and The Stranglers notably and other bands I’ve seen here include 10CC, Deacon Blue Squeeze and Level 42. Possibly the most inappropriate place I have ever been to for a Stranglers gig. A sizeable proportion of the stalls eventually trying to squeeze into the space between the front row and the stage.

Support slot tonight, Hifi Sean and David McAlmont, are a pairing of a good soul voice and some electronic box work – Sean used to be in The Soup Dragons. Is this a one off? A puzzled audience claps and remains attentive while remaining glued to their seats.  Staying seated is the usual order of the day for the Pavilion, except for the end part maybe…..but Andy Bell/ Erasure fans are having non of it.

When Andy Bell emerges the front four or five rows get to their feet and then there is that uneasy period when a seated audience tries to work out if it wants to stand or sit. Ardent sitters can’t see anymore and I settle for a mix of standing, sitting and perching on the raised seat.

The mature audience includes the occasional glittery outfit that catches the eye. I look around from time to time to see dancing in the balcony and a general vista of happy faces – most on their feet for the chart toppers.

Erasure had 17 top ten singles – 24 consecutive top 40 singles from 1986 onwards. They were arena material, so this is relatively up close and personal.

A brave start with the first track from the new Andy Bell solo album (Ten Crowns): Breaking Through The Interstellar. I’ve been trying it but let’s be fair – I’ve come for the Erasure songs as have most in the audience I suspect. Blue Savannah and Sometimes ensure no one panics about the set being overwhelmed with new material.

The set is a well designed balance between the new albun and the old favourites, and suitably mixed up. Mid-set Chains of Love is a highlight.

Andy Bell is clearly grateful for this support on a Sunday night and makes his introductions to those right at the front almost individually. “They told me I can’t go over this line” he says, before stepping forwards and clasping the first outreached hand from the very edge of the stage.

He leave the band to deliver alone half way into the set and disappears to return with a sparkley pink vest with a netting back, having disguarded the jacket.

The cover of Xanadu is big showy number, and this is all very loud for so many aging ears – a bit of distortion at the front unless you have your in-ear defences in place. I have.

He got a good band with him – it’s not pure electronic – a gutarist, drummer and backing vocalist from Nashville, to go with the keyboards ‘stand in’ for Vince Clarke. Andy Bell makes a a few comments when introducing band members that indicate he and Vince will be back working on some new Erasure material soon.

I only ever owned one Erasure cassette – the humorously named Two Ring Circus – that was it, nothing else. Hence I really am here to hear the hits and Victim of Love was right up there with the best of those.

By this time the new songs were just a sit down break for me. Granted, it is always better to hear live versions of newer, lesser known material but the new tracks can’t compete, in my ears.

The alternate new and old approach continues in an atmosphere of increasing enthusiasm, with Oh L’Amour and the irresistably danceable A Little Respect sandwiching a new and apt song Thank You, to end the night.

I came away thinking ‘what a nice chap’ Andy Bell was. He’s been there and done it. Nothing to prove but humble and grateful for his audience thirty years on from the Erasure boom. Maybe I will be back for an Erasure gig sometime soon, if that new material gets going.