Sad Café Newcastle City Hall 1978 & 1980
“For a few years in the late 70s and early 80s, Sad Café may just have been the best live band on the planet. Their charismatic and under-rated front man, Paul Young, was a mix of every great rock band leader you’ve ever seen but he had an energy and personality that was all his own and which put him ahead of the pack. The solid-as-a-rock rhythm section of Dave Irving and Des Tong, the guitar pyrotechnics of Ashley Mulford, and those virtuoso keyboards from Vic Emerson were pulled into shape by Paul’s right-hand man, Ian Wilson who added rhythm guitar and exquisite harmonies to the mix. At their commercial peak, their single “Everyday Hurts” sold 600,000 copies……” (From the official Sad Café website). High praise indeed. But it is true that Sad Café were a great live act.
I saw them a few times in concert in the late 70s and early 80s. The first couple of times I saw them was at Newcastle University and/or Newcastle Poly, not sure which. At the time, it must have been 1976 or 1977″ Sad Café had just formed and were slogging away, playing the university and ballroom circuit. They were fighting against the tidal wave of punk and to their credit, they kept at it, playing up and down the country, with their brand of rock’n’soul and a great front man in the late Paul Young. By 1978 they had gained sufficient following to headline concert halls and theatres, and I saw them play at Newcastle City Hall on 1st May 1978.
They hit the big time in 1979 with their third album “Façades” and the No 3 hit single “Everyday Hurts” which was massively popular. The Façades tour called at Newcastle City Hall on 21st March 1980 and this time the venue was full. Support came from a band called “The Out”.
Sad Café were a good solid live act, but didn’t quite make it into the big league of rock acts. They continued until 1990 with a changing line-up, and then went their separate ways. Vocalist and front man Paul Young sadly passed away, aged 53, in 2000. In 2012, the band was reformed by original member Ian Wilson, along with other former members.
“I saw the lamp light from your window
I didn’t think you were home, sitting there all alone
So I came up to your room to ask you why
Why did you hurt me so?
Why did you have to go, away?
…..
There’s one thing I can say, everyday, how I miss you, oh oh
Every day that I’m without you hurts just a little bit more than
Than I’ve ever been hurt before
Every day that I’m without you hurts just a little bit more”
(Everyday Hurts, Sad Café, 1979)
Archive for the ‘Sad Cafe’ Category
6 Sep
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