Monday 22 August 2022.

THE REWIND SOUTH FESTIVAL is held at Henley-On-Thames. It is mainly a festival for 1980s acts, but also a couple from the 1970s and 1990s. Sat 20 Aug - HOLLY JOHNSON + LEVEL 42 + BELINDA CARLISLE + KIM WILDE + SLIM JIM PHANTOM plus a few others. Sun 21 Aug - HUMAN LEAGUE + MIDGE URE + HEATHER SMALL + THE SELECTOR + TUNDE ( The Lighthouse Family) plus a few others. ------------------- Sunday 21 August 2022. I have been to this retro festival several times over the years....perfect weather as nice and sunny today... Always lovely to be in upmarket Henley , with the venue beside the River Thames and all the boats. George Harrison lived here, and many musicians still do. Lots of folks in some pretty incredible fancy dress costumes. Easy to get near the stage, as half the crowd have brought their fold up chairs for the middle area. Capacity here is now 40,000 a day so a huge event, that has a many big funfair rides. Not much chance of any act saying "this is our new single" or "this is a track of our last album", as every act is playing short greatest hits sets apart from the headliner, who plays a full set. Four acts play 30 mins each with their own bands, them six acts play with the house band, which means nice quick changeovers, and finally the headliners play with their own band. DJ PAT SHARP introduces each act with some witty banter. Each act has two big screens at the sides showing live footage, and one in the middle is showing pre-recorded images. HOTHOUSE FLOWERS arrived on stage at 2pm for their 30 mins set. Singer Liam in bare feet, playing some Irish based tunes including their big hit "Don't Go". THE SELECTOR arrived on stage at 3pm for their 30 mins set. Ska legends played a really good set including their classics "Three Minute Hero", "Missing Words", "On My Radio" and "Too Much Pressure". THE REAL THING arrived onstage at 3.50pm for their 30 mins set. They are down to two members as one member recently passed away. Fab hits played included "Can't Get By Without You", "You To Me Are Everything" and "Can You Feel The Force". TOM BAILEY (Thompson Twins) arrived on stage at 4.45pm for 40 mins set. Thompson Twins were massive in the mid 1980s and i worked five of their shows at Hammersmith Odeon front stage in the years 1983, 1984 and 1987. Thompson Twins also performed at Live Aid, Philidelphia in 1985. Tom has three females dressed in white backing him. He still uses a face microphone , so he can concentrate on his hand gestures. Nice to hear their hits again including "Love On Your Side" , "You Take Me Up", "Doctor Doctor" and "Hold Me Now". CHESNEY HAWKES arrived on stage at 5.50pm for 15 mins. Even Chesney has headlined Hammersmith Odeon 30 years ago when had his big hit "The One and Only" in 1991 , which the crowd sang loudly along to. I can remember bringing my first son aged 3 to that gig, as he loved it. CAROL DECKER (T'Pau) arrived on stage at 6.15pm for 15 mins. Carol she actually lives Henley and sung her hits "Heart & Soul" and "China In Your Hand". MICA PARIS arrived on stage at 6.32pm for her four songs...two solo then two soul covers. TUNDE (Lighthouse Family) arrived on stage at 6.55pm for his 30 mins. A nice smooth soul voice and sung Lighthouse Family big hits "Lifted" and "Ocean Drive". HEATHER SMALL arrived on stage at 7.30pm for her 30 mins set. Heather Small worked the crowd well, as her powerful voice belted out those M People gems, along with her classic track "Proud". Full HEATHER SMALL setlist played tonight... One Night in Heaven (M People song) Search for the Hero (M People song) Sight for Sore Eyes (M People song) How Can I Love You More? (M People song) Proud Moving On Up (M People song) MIDGE URE arrived on stage at 8.05pm for his 30 mins set. Midge played six really good hits that he was involved with including... Hymn ( The Power & The Glory) (Ultravox song) Fade To Grey (he wrote and produced this hit for Visage) If I Was ( a number one solo hit in the UK) Vienna (Ultravox song) Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (Ultravox song) THE HUMAN LEAGUE arrived on stage at 9.05pm for their 70 mins set. Phil Oakey and the two girls are still here. They are still using their all white stage equipment, and there are outfit changes. They are the only act to have a proper light show, as darkness falls. Synth pop legends have got plenty of great tunes. Full HUMAN LEAGUE setlist played tonight... The Sound of the Crowd Mirror Man Heart Like a Wheel Open Your Heart Seconds The Lebanon One Man in My Heart Human Love Action (I Believe in Love) Tell Me When (Keep Feeling) Fascination Don't You Want Me Encore : Being Boiled Together in Electric Dreams (Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder cover)

Posted 22nd August 2022