Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. August 2nd 2011.

The weather outside was somewhat frightful, with Blondie’s fans finding every possible hiding place from the torrential August rain that had decided to fall well before the doors opening at the Academy. Inside it was a sauna, the gig having being sold out long before the night arrived, such is the pulling power of one of New Yorks finest ambassadors to music, they could have head lined for a week at the Liverpool o2 Academy and still have people clambering for tickets.

Blondie have long been one of ultimate survivors of New Wave/Punk explosion and even though they have changed styles over the years, adding different genres to the set list and albums, they continue to be a big draw on the gig circuit.

It has to be said that Debbie Harry looked cool, calm and a whole lot of incredible as she belted out tunes from a long career alongside one of the coolest men to ever step behind a set of drums, Clem Burke, Chris Stein on guitars and the class act that is Tommy Kessler. Every song was greeted with a ferocity of emotion from an audience that was dripping with sweat but enjoying every single moment of adding to it with their own dancing to classics such as Sunday Girl, Hanging on the Telephone, Atomic and the excellent Rapture which had the added insanity of the Beastie Boys hit (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right to Party being segued into it.

Blondie remain one of the finest and much loved acts that visit this city, in terms of audience they hold the affection of Liverpool very close to their hearts and where some bands pay lip service to a city they play in. In Debbie Harry, Clem Burke and Chris Stein they have champions that will proudly boast of their time here, whether it was 30 years ago at the Deeside Leisure Centre or on the back of this gig and not even the unpredictable nature of the weather or the extreme sweat filled Academy could dampen.

Ian D. Hall

Dedicated to the memory of Sam Jones