Newcastle O2 Academy
15th June 2010
By Rosie Marsh
Blondie are still the unstoppable dolly-mixture of punk, reggae, pop and soul, and are just as popular today as they were twenty years ago, performing to a sell-out O2 Academy in Newcastle. They showcased material from their new album Panic Of Girls, and whilst the music is just as beguiling and innovative as it was in the band’s hey-day, the notorious Blondie ‘classics’ were the real crowd pleasers, with Hanging On The Telephone, Atomic, Maria and One Way Or Another whipping the Geordie crowd into a frenzy.
Debbie Harry’s distinct and powerful vocals, long blonde locks and envious silhouette made it easy to forget that this beautiful pop star is verging on 65. The audience ranged from teeny boppers to mum-rockers yet the generational gap did not leave out the younger crowd, who were treated to a whirlwind rendition of Taio Cruz’s Break Your Heart.
An hour into the gig the band were banished off stage while sound technicians fixed the faulty equipment. The audience were left wondering, “so, has the gig actually finished?” but the tremendous roaring crowd coaxed them back on stage, injecting the northern throng with another ‘hit’ of Blondie. The sheer enthusiasm on stage almost 3 decades later means the band has truly reached iconic status.
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