Words / photo Wal Reid
It had been thirty plus years since I had even given Adam Ant’s music a second thought. Growing up as pimply young adolescent shit in Tauranga, playing Ant Music on the juke box at the local spacies (Space Invaders) immediately brought back fond memories.
Before Pirates of the Caribbean was a thing, Adam Ant was already forging his destiny, decked out in period garb, with his pulsating rhythmic drum beats and Native American screams: Was he a Highwayman, was he a Pirate? – a little of both me thinks.
Hell, I hadn’t even wondered what he looked like let alone pondered any of his tunes. However, the deep rhythmic music steeped in Goth/Punk heritage continued to pound away at the mature older crowd, for some this would’ve been the pinnacle of existence, as hits like Goody Two Shoes, Friend or Foe just further incited the crowd.
Packed with screaming parents (ok, and the odd millennial) it was a nostalgic sing-song down memory lane as the singer remarked, “Excuse the indulgence” in his soft English lilt. His first time ever in New Zealand, apologising for not saying anything earlier as he had to “finish it”.
Crowd sing-a-longs ensued as concert goers found it easier to enjoy his music live without the aid of a hot tub time machine. Crowd fave Stand & Deliver, got the most rousing crowd karaoke I’ve heard there, not a packed crowd but passionate and only to keen to join in the festive revelry.
If the 80s were your jam then Adam Ant didn’t disappoint, his music has always for me been the embodiment of anthemic 80s Rock. His music pivotal as it was probably never due credit, songs like Prince Charming or Vive Le Rock against the beat of the two drummers, solidly stood the test of time.
Timeless songs that once transformed the 80s and now the “twenty-tens”. Tonight was the stuff that thirty odd years into the future they’ll still be talking about it – by then it will be all about the legacy.
