Adam Ant Wows A Sold Out Crowd at Showbox Market, by Holly Homan

Adam Ant
Adam Ant
Saturday night, September 7th, brought the long anticipated return of the legendary Adam Ant. And judging by the reaction from the sold out crowd at the Showbox, he didn’t disappoint. He bounced onto the stage in full pirate regalia. One of the songs he opened with was “Beat My Guest” from the tumultuous album Kings of the Wild Frontier. Other notable classics played were “Stand and Deliver” and “We Are Family” (in which he let out an hellacious yowl).

Adam Ant may not move like he used to, but he was far from sedentary. He strutted about the stage with several twists and spins and his voice was in top form. He emoted to the crowd with several grimaces and gestures. His band was top notch and hearing all those songs for the first time in about thirty years, wasn’t just a trip down memory lane. The songs have truly withstood the test of time.

At times, though, I found the show dragged and Adam’s performance was more rehearsed without much audience interaction or spontaneity. The show livened up again when he sang “Goodie Two Shoes.” I noticed everyone on the floor bouncing and singing along. When he sang his famous “Strip,” he shed his pirate vest and swung it above his head — a far cry from when he stripped down to bikini underwear during the Strip tour of thirty years ago. Still, it was great fun seeing him mock his former self.

Other classics performed were “Prince Charming” (my friends and I used to call it Prince Chow Mein back in the day). At one point Adam stopped singing Prince Charming, letting the audience sing it, which they did in perfect harmony.

The encore included a cover of the T. Rex classic “Bang a Gong” and the classic Adam Ant song “(You’re So) Physical,” in which he proved he can still hit the high notes exquisitely.

A few songs from the new album Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter were also included.

I was almost equally impressed by the attire of some audience members. Some were completely dressed in pirate garb similar to what Adam was wearing and guys and girls alike were adorned with black eye liner and some sort of pirate attire.

Opening the show was Prima Donna. From LA, this band was a throw back to the glam scene of the early seventies. They were like a cross between the NY Dolls and T. Rex. Musically they leaned more toward T. Rex, but in mannerisms and style, they resembled the NY Dolls. This is a very lively band, moving about the stage frequently. I could almost hear a Mick Ronson guitar and a few elements of Bowie in their music. My regret is I didn’t discover Prima Donna sooner. I would love to see them at their own show and will keep my eyeballs peeled for just the occasion.

Holly Homan