Dexy’s Midnight Runners Newcastle Mayfair 1980
We are going to see Dexy’s latest incarnation at Whitley Bay Playhouse tonight, and I am really looking forward to it. Kevin Rowland may be an enigma, but he is also a hero of mine. He is undoubtedly extremely talented, and puts his entire heart and soul into everything he does. I first saw Dexy’s Midnight Runners in 1980 at Newcastle Mayfair on the Intense Emotion Review. The title of the tour said it all. Kevin was determined to create a band which was a vehicle for his passion and his vision; a band with a strong image, and built on the concept of soul and emotion. Geno was a hit at the time and the band came on stage dressed in donkey jackets and woolly hats, and delivered a set of great soul and r&b. Rowland said at the time: “we didn’t want to become part of anyone else’s movement. We’d rather be our own movement” and “We wanted to be a group that looked like something…a formed group, a project, not just random”. Master of Ceremonies and resident comedian for the evening was Keith Allen (see picture; doesn’t he look young!). Support came from The Upset featuring local guy Archie Brown, and The Black Arabs. Kevin Rowland lists his listening as Astral Weeks by Van Morrison in the programme (good choice). 
This was around the time of their first lp Searching for the Young Soul Rebels. I remember them playing Geno, and a great version of Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache, which is one of my favourite songs. The Mayfair was packed to the walls, and the place went mad when they played Geno; lots of singing along. At the time the band seemed to fit somewhere between The Specials, and new mod in the form of Secret Affair etc. In fact they were much more that. As Kevin said at the time: “I’m going to do what I really want to do: form a great group. We’ll wear great clothes and make soulful music.” And they did just that for a short period. The next time I saw Dexy’s was at a Radio One In Concert programme which was recorded in a marquee on Exhibition Park in Newcastle. By that time Kevin’s vision had changed into the gypsy folk which was Too-Rye-Ay, and that gig was just astonishing; one of the best gigs I have ever been to; I’ll post about that night in a couple of days. Can’t wait for tonight’s show. Will post on it tomorrow morning.
7 May
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