The sound of immaculate synthesisers fills the air as the Human League takes the stage. Their music begins with a familiar hypnotic pulse that leads to the explosive burst of Love Action (I Believe in Love). Philip Oakey's rich and pristine voice sets the tone for an evening of electro pop music that is delivered with grace, precision, and elation.

Embracing the Past and Present

Once regarded as the epitome of synth-washed futurism, tracks like Mirror Man showcase the Human League's clear love for the 1960s. The Motown strut is spun into slick electronic soul, with Oakey's voice harmonizing seamlessly with those of Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall. The band leans into the retro futuristic aesthetic of their 1980s peak, using keytars, electronic drum kits, neon lights, and old school visuals. Despite the nostalgia, there is an unshakable pioneering spirit in their music. Tracks like Empire State Human, Open Your Heart, and Sound of the Crowd remain thrillingly fizzy and full of vigour.

The Power of Don't You Want Me

Don't You Want Me starts as an instrumental, and by the time Oakey opens his mouth, the crowd is in full-on gung-ho mode, screaming the chorus. This is a masterful move that extracts even more from a pop song that is deeply ingrained in the British psyche and may as well be in our DNA.

The Rousing Finale of Together in Electric Dreams

The closing version of Oakey and Giorgio Moroder's Together in Electric Dreams is a rousing finisher. It serves as a perfect bookend to a night filled with pop music that sounds as radiant now as it did 40 years ago. This is one of the great dichotomies of the Human League today - they are intrinsically connected to a bygone period in terms of style, tone, and production, yet their music remains utterly timeless.