The current fashion for artists to tour and play in its entirety one of their classic albums is nothing new for ABC – the esteemed Sheffield band have been performing their debut album, The Lexicon of Love, in its totality for many years. The 1982 album was rightly acclaimed as one of the finest of the early eighties; with the lush production of Trevor Horn, the orchestration led by Anne Dudley and the pop perfection of the ten tracks, the album was a hard act to follow.

The resulting album, Beauty Stab, received a negative response from critics and fans alike; subsequent years saw band members leave, a video of ABC becoming cartoon characters before the band discovered house music and, more recently, the release of The Lexicon of Love Volume 2.

The mainstay of the band has been Martin Fry, now aged 67. Fry still had the unmistakable voice that made all the ABC songs so compelling, soulful and emotional as he – along with the Lexicon Sinfonia orchestra – arrived on stage at the O2 Manchester Apollo.

The songs for their debut album were mostly composed in Sheffield. Whilst their contemporaries were recording albums in the Caribbean, The Lexicon of Love was recorded in the less glamorous location of an underground studio in London’s Brick Lane; tonight, however, was a more enchanting and regal affair.

As the overture regally resounded around the Apollo, the orchestra conducted by Dudley swept the audience away on the start of a journey through the ABC songbook.

Fry was never going to let the fans forget that they also had a string of hits after their initial success, with When Smokey Sings and Be Near Me being excellent examples. Thankfully tracks of the Lexicon of Love 2 album were a reminder that whilst the album may not have reached the commercial peak of the original album, the songs were equally as good; Viva Love benefited from the orchestra, with the string section adding a spiritual level, likewise The Flames of Desire.

From what had been an appetising start, following a short interval, the main course was ready to be served; The Lexicon of Love album played in full. With Dudley now wearing a gold sparkling jacket, Fry chose a more subdued pale blue suit rather than his famous gold one he wore back in the eighties.

Show Me sparkled, losing none of the original magic; Poison Arrow indeed went straight to the heart, whilst The Look of Love saw the audience up on their feet as if they were all dancing away to the track back at The Roxy in Sheffield in 1982!

Fry was a confident and consummate performer throughout. How many of today’s albums will sound as good in forty-three years’ time is questionable. The band are due to tour again, without the orchestra next summer, though with the quality of songwriting on display here tonight, the magic and splendour will not be lost.

As Dudley received a bouquet of flowers as the concert ended, tonight ABC and the Sinfonia Orchestra were still as fresh as a daisy.

ABC play the following northern dates in 2026

10th July - Millennium Square, Leeds
14th August- Scarborough Open Air Theatre
15th August- Halifax Piece Hall

https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/abc-tickets/artist/734382