Midge Ure
četvrtak, 24. 10. 2024., od 21.20 h do 22.40 h
Zagreb / Tvornica kulture / Hrvatska
Slovene version (for an English version please scroll down the bar):
Dogode se i takvi koncerti kojima se u našoj regiji zaista ne nadaš. Nevjerojatni James ‘Midge’ Ure, škotski kantautor, jedinstveni vokal legendarne new wave senzacije Ultravox, nositelj počasnog odlikovanja Britanskog Carstva (OBE), dobitnik nagrada Ivor Novello, Grammy i BASCAP, vlasnik brojnih zlatnih i platinastih albuma, producent Band Aida i Live Aida i jedan od najprepoznatljivijih vokala svih vremena, a zaboravili smo dodati još štošta, javio se 24. 10. 2024. prvi put u svojoj raskošnoj karijeri i u hrvatskoj prijestolnici Zagrebu! Tko ga poznaje i tko poznaje lik i djelo grupe Ultravox, točno zna što je mogao očekivati na njegovu koncertu u Zagrebu!
Ovaj je put to bio jedan od onih dana koji se u novim vremenima, u 2024. i godinama koje slijede, sve rjeđe događaju. Na klupsko prizorište hrvatske Tvornice kulture naime stigao je ikonski glazbenik koji je sudefinirao planinski masiv jednak Himalaji kad govorimo o liku i djelu pop rocka osamdesetih. Publika ga nije zaboravila. Tvornica kulture se obilno napunila do 21.15, kad je kremeniti gospodin Midge Ure (skovanica ‘Midge’ potječe iz situacije kad ime Jim pročitaš zdesna nalijevo, dakle iz suprotnog smjera) zauzeo pozornicu ovog odličnog kluba kamo se uvijek iznova vrlo rado vraćamo.
Publika koja ga je pratila u osamdesetima i upoznala ga kroz nezaboravni niz neumrlih hitova koje je nanizao s Ultravox bila je te večeri u Tvornici upravo ona koja je uz njegovu glazbu i glazbu Ultravox proživljavala svoje tinejdžerske godine. Dame i gospodo u dobrih pedeset i nešto dokle god je doseglo oko. Bilo je naravno i nešto puno mlađih, po godinama bi im mogli biti sinovi i kćeri, samo što je situacija bila obrnuta. Pedesetogodišnjaci su se ovaj put gurali u prvim redovima, a mladež je koncert pratila u pozadini!
Ovaj je koncert bio savršen, može se reći briljantan odraz svega što ti na pozornicu može donijeti apsolutni minimalizam. Upravo te taj minimalizam doslovno dovodi do gole točke koja te vraća u okruženje percepcije glazbe ušnim pužnicama! Do primarne recepcije glazbe pomoću mehanoreceptorskih organa i ničega drugog. A elementarnost takvog djelovanja ključna je u iskonskom zbližavanju slušatelja i glazbenog artizma pojedinog umjetnika (izvođača). Kvartet, gotovo go, samo s instrumentima i mikrofonima, obasjan svjetlom na razini nekoliko žaruljica iz kojih kroz gustu maglu jedva probije poneka crvena i plava zraka, bez ikakvog ‘back dropa’ (što autori ove recenzije koncerta kroz bogate posjete ovom prizorištu svih ovih godina još nisu doživjeli, op. p.). U crnim odorama, bez ijednog snopa bijelog svjetla koji bi barem malo osvijetlio lica. Zato je ovaj put fotogalerija – oprostite na izrazu, ‘od apsolutnog kurca’. Ali kao što rekoh! U prvi plan stupa glazba. To joj je i svrha, ne treba joj vizualni efekti, jer bez njih u najgorem slučaju na najiskreniji način budi slušateljevu maštu i u njemu bude osjećaje i strasti. Po sve to je Midgeova publika ‘osamdesetih’ te večeri i došla.
Midge i ekipa upali su u početak s dvije samostalne točke njegove zavidne kantautorske karijere. Prva je bila Call of the Wild – nealbumski singl iz 1986., nastao u razdoblju snimanja prvijenca “The Gift”, a izdan u razdoblju između prvijenca i nasljednika “Answers To Nothing” (1988). Minorni singl (u smislu komercijalnog uspjeha), ali sa zaraznom refrenskom melodijom koja bi lako našla mjesto i na nekom od najpoznatijih albuma Ultravox, začas je probudila publiku i natjerala je na ljuljanje. Ali s navijenim driveom, jer Midgeov crni Gibson (njime je zapravo podsjetio na svoje kratko druženje s Thin Lizzy) nikako nije škrtario s prodornošću fraziranja, koje je zauzimalo poprilično prostora u miksu zvučne slike. Zajedno sa stjenovitom formom navijenih basovskih linija! To je cijelom koncertu davalo iskonski podton rudimentarnosti punk energije – točke iz koje su krajem sedamdesetih Ultravox zapravo i potekli. Tu je jedini singl s njegova drugog albuma “Answers To Nothing” Dear God, koji je potvrdio da je Midge u zrelim godinama zadržao svu krepku vokalnu formu. Vokal mu je kroz koncert odlično služio i čovjek zapravo nije izgubio ni mrvicu svega što ga je uzdignulo na oltar bitnih gradivnih elemenata artizma raskošne pop scene osamdesetih. Posebno je zašumjelo u nastavku, kad se u izboru našao klasik s “Rage In Eden” I Remember (Death in the Afternoon) i s njim prvi Ultravox šrapnel, koji je naslijedio sveočekivani hit Visage Fade To Gray – apsolutni naklon pokojnom Steveu Strangeu.
Ovaj put zaista nisi mogao pobjeći od doticaja s magijom koju je stvorio kvartet na pozornici. Glas koji ostaje izklesan, pogonski ‘drive’ i grabežljivi ‘groove’. Midge nije puno govorio tijekom koncerta. Nekoliko se puta od srca zahvalio publici, dodao da mu je neizmjerna čast prvi put u karijeri svirati i u Zagrebu, a inače je u žarištu ovaj put bila isključivo glazba. Midge se konkretno ‘raznio’ i u mid-eight dionicama, gdje je gitara na odabranim tonovima minimalizma toliko izdašnije ‘škripala’ i grmjela.
Čovjek ne zna kako bi nastavio opis. Hit na hit. Bilo solo karijere osamdesetih u koju je bio uklopljen i No Regrets, njegov prvi solo singl – inače adaptacija originala Toma Rusha. U fokusu su naravno bile himne Ultravox. Passing Strangers, All Stood Still, New Europeans (apsolutno iznenađenje s albuma “Vienna”), a briljantnu je atmosferu usred koncerta uzburkala If I Was, daleko najveći Ureov hit, koji je zbog uspjeha samostalne karijere navodno čak kumovao kasnijem raspadu grupe Ultravox. Pogledali smo se. Što, zar je to već kraj koncerta? Obično ga čuva za završne dijelove koncerata. No bez brige. Odavde pa do kraja pratili smo nizanje najvećih hitova Ultravox predvođenih pjesmom Vienna, koju je glasno pjevala cijela Tvornica, a tome su se s lakoćom pridružile dugo očekivane Hymn, The Voice (tu je Midge prešao na klavijature), tu je bio i non-Lament hit, šašava Love’s Great Adventure i naravno Dancing With Tears In My Eyes, koja je zamahom golemog atmosferskog krešenda zaključila regularni dio.
S “Lament” je završio regularni dio, a uz album “Lament” ostali smo i u bisu! Treba znati da je ovog rujna taj vrhunski album Ultravox ponovno izdan i u proširenoj vinilnoj deluxe verziji (s Wilsonovim remiksom)! One Small Day je dakle zaključila koncert! Nadao sam se barem još po nekoj Reap The Wild Wind ili We Came To Dance, Visions In Blue, The Thin Wall, Sleepwalk, Mine For Life, … Samo jedan bis dakle! Ali utoliko slađi! Kraj.
Hrpa hitova još je ostala u rukavu ovog izuzetnog glazbenog umjetnika, ali što ćeš, vrijeme je u takvim situacijama i koncertnim druženjima vječni krvnik koji na kraju uvijek sve pokvari! Koncert je prošao u tren! Odličan zvuk, odlična forma legendarnog Midgea Urea i njegove ekipe! Čovjek i njegovi glazbenici nakon koncerta su čak izašli do poklonika, koji su Midgea u Tvornici kulture dočekali sa svim potrebnim rekvizitima. S njima je čavrljao još dugo u noć. Bio je to jedan od onih nezaboravnih koncerata na kojima u prvi plan, s velikom prednošću, progovori samo poruka glazbene umjetnosti koja se na svoj način dotiče svakog srca! Dublje i iskrenije od takvog kontakta ne ide! Da bi Midge te večeri zadovoljio baš sve, morao bi odsvirati trosatni koncert u dva (sat i pol duga) dijela. Kapa dolje legendi! Nadajmo se da ovo nije bilo naše posljednje druženje s ovim profinjenim škotskim umjetnikom!
English version:
There are also concerts that you really don’t expect in our region. The incredible James ‘Midge’ Ure, Scottish singer-songwriter, unique vocalist of the legendary new wave sensation Ultravox, holder of an OBE, recipient of Ivor Novello, Grammy and BASCAP awards, owner of many gold and platinum albums, producer of Band Aida and Live Aida, and one of the most recognisable vocalists of all time, visited The Croatian capital Zagreb. Whoever knows him and whoever knows the character and the work of Ultravox, exactly knew what to expect at his concert in Zagreb!
The audience was exactly the same that lived their teenage years with his and Ultravox’s music in the eighties! Ladies and gentlemen in their fifties plus as far as the eye could see. There were, of course, some much younger ones, they could have been sons and daughters in terms of years, except that the situation was reversed. This time the older fans were in the front rows, while few youngsters watched the concert in the background!
This concert was a perfect, one could say brilliant, reflection of everything that absolute minimalism can bring to the stage. It is this minimalism that literally brings you to a bare point, which brings you back to the environment of perceiving music with your eardrums! To the primary reception of music by means of the mechanoreceptor organs and nothing else. And the elemental nature of such an effect is essential in the primal convergence of the listener and the musical artistry of the individual artist (performer). A quartet, barely armed with instruments and microphones, illuminated by few red and blue rays barely penetrate through the dense fog, without a single ‘back drop’. In black outfits, without a single shaft of white light illuminating their faces even a little bit. But as I said! Music comes to the fore. That is its purpose, and it does not need visual effects, because without them, at best, it stirs the listener’s imagination and awakens emotions and passions in the most sincere way. This is what Midge’s ’80s’ audience came for that evening.
Midge and the team got off to a flying start with two standalone highlights of his enviable songwriting career. The first was Call of the Wild – a non-album single from 1986, written during the recording of the debut album “The Gift”, but released in the period between the debut and the follow-up “Answers To Nothing” (1988). A minor single (in terms of commercial success), but with an infectious chorus melody that could easily have found a place on one of the most well-known Ultravox albums, it woke up the crowd in no time and got them rocking. Midge’s black Gibson (with which he actually recalled his brief stint with Thin Lizzy) carved out a lot of space in the mix of the sound picture. Along with the pulsating bass lines! This gave the whole gig a primal undertone of rudimentary punk energy – the point from which Ultravox really emerged at the end of the seventies. And there was the only single from his second album “Answers To Nothing” Dear God, too!
Midge has kept all his virtuous vocal form in his mature years. The vocals served him well throughout the concert and the man hasn’t really lost a shred of everything that elevated him to the altar of the essential building blocks of the artistry of the lavish pop scene of the eighties. The crowd woke up completelly when “Rage In Eden” classic I Remember (Death in the Afternoon) found its way into the set, and with it the first Ultravox shrapnel, followed with much-anticipated and unforgettable Visage hit Fade To Gray – an absolute tribute to the late Steve Strange.
This time you couldn’t help but get in touch with the magic created by the quartet on stage. A voice that remains unharmed, a grasping ‘drive’ and ‘groove’. Midge didn’t talk much during the concert. He thanked the audience from the bottom of his heart a few times, adding that it was an immense honour to play in Zagreb for the first time in his career, but otherwise it was only the music that was absolutely in focus this time. His guitar ‘squealed’ and thundered quite abrasive (noticed especially in mid-eight passages), where he carefully selected tones of minimalism.
Hit on hit. With No Regrets, his first solo single – an adaptation of Tom Rush’s original, too. The focus was, of course, Ultravox anthems. Passing Strangers, All Stood Still, New Europeans (an absolute surprise from the “Vienna” album), but the brilliant atmosphere was stirred up in the middle of the concert by If I Was, by far Ure’s biggest hit. What is this, the end of the concert? He usually saves this hit for the final parts of concerts. But no worries. From here on and up to the very end, a string of Ultravox greatest hits followed, led by Vienna, which was sung by the whole crowd, and so it remained also when much-anticipated Hymn, The Voice (here Midge switched to keyboards), a non-Lament hit Love’s Great Adventure, and, of course, Dancing With Tears In My Eyes, which closed the regular part with a swing of a giant atmospheric crescendo, were nailed one after another.
Encore! One Small Day closed the show! Just one more addition then? But so much sweeter! The end. I was hoping for at least one more hit! Reap The Wild Wind, We Came To Dance, Visions in Blue or The Thin Wall, Sleepwalk, Mine For Life, …
A bunch of hits are still up the sleeve of this outstanding musical artist, but at such concert gatherings, time is the eternal executioner that always spoils everything in the end! The concert went by in a flash! Great sound, great form of the legendary Midge Ure and his team! The man and his musicians even came out after the concert to meet with fans. It was one of those unforgettable concerts where only the message of the musical art really speaks out, and in a big way, touching each heart in its own way! It doesn’t get deeper and more authentic than that! To please everyone this evening, Midge would have had to play a three-hour concert in two (one hour and a half long) parts. Let’s hope this was not our last encounter with this legendary and very subtle Scottish artist!
Autori: Edita Klemen & Aleš Podbrežnik
Fotografije: Aleš Podbrežnik & Edita Klemen
Setlist:
1. Call of the Wild
2. Dear God
3. I Remember (Death in the Afternoon)
4. Fade to Grey
5. Passing Strangers
6. No Regrets
7. New Europeans
8. Supernatural
9. All Stood Still
10. If I Was
11. Vienna
12. Love’s Great Adventure
13. Hymn
14. The Voice
15. Dancing With Tears in My Eyes
—bis—
16. One Small Day
