April 3, 2024
The Palladium, London
Packing four decades of hits into one 90-minute show was never going to be easy, but taking to the stage for the first of three sold-out nights at The London Palladium, Bananarama were firing on all cylinders with a non-stop run of classics from the group’s glorious history.
Emerging to the iconic Stock Aitken Waterman sound of I Heard A Rumour, Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward appeared resplendent in glittering black and gold jumpsuits that sparkled as they delivered armography in abundance.
Classics from the pair’s 1993 duo debut ‘Please Yourself’ – Last Thing On My Mind and Movin’ On – both of which later became party staples for pop outfit Steps, continued a set comprised of classic hits such as Cruel Summer, Robert De Niro’s Waiting, Really Saying Something and Love In The First Degree, and lesser-performed numbers from their 12 studio albums.
A Trick Of The Night was the first of several surprises in the 27-song set, which touched upon Bananarama’s original ‘80s years with Siobhan Fahey, along with their late-’80s/early-’90s run with Jacquie O’Sullivan, with the rarely-performed Love, Truth & Honesty, Preacher Man and “by popular demand” Only Your Love all making appearances.
As did various numbers from their more recent albums; Top 30 smashes Move In My Direction and the Angel City mix of Look On The Floor from 2005’s ‘Drama’ proved real crowd-pleasers, along with the gothic disco title song from 2022’s ‘Masquerade’ and Blondie-esque Looking For Someone from ‘In Stereo’ (2019).
It wasn’t the only reference to Debbie Harry and co., with a cover of the classic Atomic segueing into the live debut of Bananarama’s latest single Supernova. Stuff Like That was also refreshed with a mash-up of Sister Sledge’s Lost In Music.
Joining the duo on stage for Favourite was Sara’s daughter Alice – who co-wrote the song – which led into a run of huge anthems, including 2009’s epic Love Don’t Live Here and the ‘Glorious’ single Feel The Love, before the pair exited the stage and returned sporting pleated gold capes for a roof-raising finale of Dead Or Alive’s You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) and their 1986 US No. 1 hit, Venus.
Armed with a faultless arsenal of classic songs, not only did Bananarama deliver a standout show that ranks among the best of their career, but in sequencing their biggest hits alongside hidden gems they proved once more to be one of British pop’s most consistent acts of the past four decades, more than deserving of The Ultimate Girl Group title.
Setlist: Bananarama – The London Palladium, April 3, 2024
1. I Heard A Rumour
2. Last Thing On My Mind
3. Movin’ On
4. Move In My Direction
5. A Trick Of The Night
6. Cruel Summer
7. Love, Truth & Honesty
8. I Want You Back
9. Masquerade
10. Only Your Love
11. Preacher Man
12. Looking For Someone
13. Lost In Music / Stuff Like That
14. Atomic (Blondie cover) / Supernova
15. Really Saying Something
16. Nathan Jones
17. Look On The Floor (Hypnotic Tango)
18. Favourite (with Alice D)
19. Forever Young
20. Love Don’t Live Here
21. Feel The Love
22. Robert De Niro’s Waiting
23. Love In The First Degree
Encore
24. You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) [Dead Or Alive cover] / Venus
