Marc Almond and Dave Ball reunited as Soft Cell in London tonight for the first time in 15 years to simultaneously commemorate the classic synthpop act’s 40th anniversary and bid fans farewell with one final concert — dubbed, naturally, “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.”
The duo performed a career-spanning 30-song set at the 02 Arena, opening with early non-album single “Memorabilia” and wrapping it all up with a run of songs that included “Bedsitter,” their covers of “Tainted Love” and “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Sex Dwarf” and, of course, “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.”
Amid the final strains of that last song, Almond addressed the crowd: “Thank you for supporting us. It’s not been an easy ride, but there have been moments of magic. In other words, it’s been a blast. Thank you.”
Soft Cell released three albums — including the classic 1981 debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret — during its original run from 1977 to 1984, then reunited in 2001 to tour and record a new album, Cruelty Without Beauty, which was released the following year. The band dissolved again after touring into 2003.
Below, check out the setlist from the duo’s final concert — and some video selections.
We’ll post more as they surface.
Setlist: Soft Cell, O2 Arena, London, UK, 9/30/18
1. “Memorabilia”
2. “Monoculture”
3. “Darker Times”
4. “Together Alone”
5. “Torch”
6. “Forever the Same”
7. “Baby Doll”
8. “Insecure Me”
9. “Where the Heart Is”
10. “Numbers”
11. “Barriers”
12. “Loving You, Hating Me”
13. “Last Chance”
14. “Frustration”
15. “Youth”
16. “The Best Way to Kill”
17. “Meet Murder My Angel”
18. “Surrender to a Stranger”
19. “Somebody, Somewhere, Sometime”
20. “So” [Off stage]
21. “Martin”
22. “Heat”
23. “The Art of Falling Apart”
24. “Northern Lights”
25. “Soul Inside”
26. “What?”
27. “Bedsitter”
28. “Tainted Love”
29. “Where Did Our Love Go”
30. “Sex Dwarf”
31. “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye”
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Soft Cell debuts ‘Northern Lights’ — first new song in 15 years — off upcoming best-of
- Soft Cell reuniting for final ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’ concert in London this year
- ‘120 Minutes’ Rewind: Soft Cell’s Marc Almond goes under the ‘120 X-Ray’ — 1988
- Soft Cell’s Marc Almond releasing ‘Variete,’ first original album in a decade, in June
Nice set list – shame they didn’t get It’s A Mugs Game or Down In The Subway in there.
Amazing night…. could have done loads more but … they left us with the cream of the crop… May have said hello and goodbye… but so many memories xx thanks boys xx
Fantastic gig…brought back loads of memories. Marc’s voice still amazing ..x