Edinburgh Castle
July 5th, 2024
Nothing Like a “Night Boat To Cairo” to create a little Madness. Last Friday the iconic historical monument that is Edinburgh Castle played host to one of the most influential bands of the last four decades. Madness brought their C’est La Vie Tour to the capital, but was it One Step Beyond?
Growing up in Camden Town London, the boys of Madness put their roots down in 1976 (in the bedroom of an Edinburgh-born lad Mike Barson), and from there the Madness was born. Being swept along with the revival of ska and two tone music, Madness soon established a fan base that would stretch for many years to come.
The band had an up and down period with members and with Dikran Tulaine taking on lead vocals the band seemed all set… well, until Suggs saw them perform in a friend’s back garden and insisted he took up the frontman position.
This new-look Madness were regulars at the Dublin Castle in Camden Town, where they were beginning to make a splash with their unique sound and combination of ska-licking tunes, and were soon on tour in the early 1980s with bands like The Specials and The Selecter. Their journey had begun.
With a slight chill in the air for July, and dark muggy clouds threatening release a thunderous down pour over the castle, all fingers were crossed that the only down pour we got was a storm of Madness classics. From the release on Two Tone records of Prince Buster back in 1979 to their newly released album C’est La Vie this year, they have a back catalogue like no other. Where do you start?
One Step Beyond needs no introduction, the place erupted, like a volcano awakening, a sea of red hats flowed like dancing lava. The sound was incredibly good and the visual show captured pivotal moments in time and history. Embarrassment, The Prince, My Girl, Lovestruck, NW5, Run For Your Life, C’est La Vie, and Wings of a Dove were delivered perfectly.
I say this because, after more recent experiences with bands from the past relighting their careers, I was disappointed in performances and vocal abilities. Madness however blow that concept out the park. The sound was spot on, Suggs vocals were as good as one could expect (for his age) and the band were as tight as a jam jar lid.
Bashing out hit after hit like, Our House, It Must be Love, Baggy Trousers, Shut Up, Lovestruck, Bed and Breakfast Man, it felt like I was back in the 1980s at Edinburgh Playhouse. What a memory train music is. As the gig started to near the end your thoughts start to turn to what songs is a must hear, and without delay the request is answered by the sound of “It Must Be Love”, “Madness” and the unmistakeable “Night Boat To Cairo”. Madness may have travelled through many decades but has not lost their ability to deliver a fantastic gig and set.
Raymond Speedie
themumble.uk 