Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY HELEN LAME’
Nearly four decades after disbanding the eighties juggernaut Thompson Twins that he fronted with his future wife Alannah Currie, Tom Bailey’s set at the Fox Theater Sunday night was a solid reminder of the relevance of one of the greatest acts of the new wave era.
Tom Bailey appears during the Totally Tubular Festival Sunday night.
The Thompson Twins first formed in 1977 in Sheffield, England, evolving into a three-piece band with Bailey, 68, Currie and multi-instrumentalist Joe Leeway in 1981, releasing eight studio albums in a ten year period.
Capitalizing on the birth of MTV, the group rode the new wave fever to sold out arena tours as well as performing at Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985 with none other than Madonna at the height of her popularity. Bailey and Currie rebranded as the duo Babble in 1993 in anticipation of recording more experimental music, producing a pair of highly enjoyable but less commercial electronic albums before calling it a day.
Tom Bailey performs Sunday night at The Fox Theater.
Appearing as part of the Totally Tubular Festival to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Thompson Twins blockbuster album Into The Gap, Bailey’s flair, both as a front man and leader of the nattily attired three woman backing band The Sisters of Mercy, all fully dressed in white: Alice Offley (bass guitar and backing vocals), Charlotte Raven (keyboards and cello) and Paulina Szczepaniak (drums and percussion), was on display throughout his severely all too brief eight song set.
Time has been kind to Bailey’s voice. If one of a certain age closed their eyes they could’ve easily envisioned themselves at a show with the original group that made him famous. Opening with “Love on Your Side” from 1983’s breakthrough Side Kicks, Bailey delivered fan favorites such as “Lay Your Hands on Me,” “Lies,” “Doctor! Doctor!,” and “Hold Me Now” in addition to a riveting cover rendition of “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads.
Tom Bailey and The Sisters of Mercy perform Sunday night at the Fox Theater in Oakland.
Bailey’s Oakland performance was wildly received. Considering the quality of Science Fiction, his debut (and only) solo album back in 2018, one would hope that more new material and full length concert performances are in his plans for the future.
The next date for the Totally Tubular Festival, featuring Bailey, Thomas Dolby, Modern English, Men Without Hats, The Romantics and Bow Wow Wow among others will be on Tuesday at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside.
