LIVE REVIEW: ADAM ANT AT THE HONDA CENTER (ANAHEIM, CA)

K-Earth Presents Totally 80’s live
Honda Center in Anaheim, California
January 26th, 2018

Adam Ant has proven yet again his music is as ageless as he seems to be.  On Friday night the Honda Center was taken over by a brilliant lineup that could have easily succumbed to nostalgia but instead was destined to create history.

I always feel a bit skeptical when it comes to festivals.  In many occasions, the star-packed lineup ends up resulting in very short and un-impactful sets that make you question the validity of your ticket price.  Also often enough festival crowds seem to be more distant and more detached from the artists.  They are there to hang out and spend the day with their friends but forget to just fully allow themselves to get lost in the music and appreciate the artists playing.  This unfortunately remained true during this show.  I found it very difficult to dance to the Femmes while the group seated next to me discussed their tacos and took selfies just about constantly.  It was hard to lose myself in the Bangles playing “Eternal Flame” while they had to leave to refill their drinks -twice (and man it’s not a long song.)

I did however draw the line when Adam Ant took stage with a power house drum intro that could wake up the dead and they sat down to discuss their buddy who got them the tickets.  Yup. I bolted out of there and ran toward the front.  (Thank you Michael for lending me the seat!!!)

He opened the set full force with Dog Eat Dog and I don’t think I blinked once during his entire set.  He is so animated and energetic that I am always afraid of missing something.  While at first I thought it would be very difficult to not be able to record these moments with my camera I have to say I didn’t think about it once, well until I got home and I didn’t have 2000 photos to go through.

The last time I saw him I swore there was no way he could ever perform better or surprise me in any way and of course as usual he outdid himself yet again.  He managed to take a 7 song setlist and turn it into a night to remember.  Even the sound issues which ruined the Bangles set (though I was in heaven just seeing them, I would have rather heard them well) were not able to put a dent in his performance.  As always he sounded amazing and his energy took over the crowd.  He made the entire audience stump and dance during “Antmusic” but it was his performance of “Prince Charming” that swooned the crowd.  They stood there wide eyed singing back to him somehow frozen in the moment.

He possesses the rare gift of transforming a huge and otherwise cold arena into an intimate performance space where as the audience you are left gasping for air completely taken over by his music. I have said this before and I have to repeat it again, records and videos are all great but Adam Ant is something you need to experience live.

To feast on our photos from the previous coverage go here.

Adam Ant’s Setlist:

Dog eat Dog
Vive Le Rock
Antmusic
Cartrouble
Prince Charming
Kings Of The Wild Frontier
Goody Two Shoes

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