New Model Army - Bradford - Live lounge at Utopia

Acustic EP - 1985

It's another one of those 'when I was a lad' moments! As a young and impressionable teenager I remember my first encounter with New Model Army. Back in 1985 Lea, my brother had been down to Rock Off in Bradford and bought 'Better Than Them - The Acoustic EP' because he liked the cover! And so it started. Both Lea and me instantly connected with the post punk rawness and Slade the Levellers story telling. We quickly got copies of 'Vengeance (1984)' , 'The Price (1984)' and 'No Rest For The Wicked (1985)'. These records still remain part of my psyche to this day.

New Model Army had already been through a bit of an upheaval, their original Bassist Stuart Morrow had left the band and had been quickly replaced by Moose Harris. We first got to see the band on the Ghost of Cain tour in October 1986 at the Communal Building within the Bradford Uni campus. Tickets cost £3.50! 

Over the years I've seen NMA dozens of times, I lost interest after the Impurity Album, times we're good I struggled to relate to the bands direction, however recently I've re-engaged with the band. Certainly the banking crisis has created a synergy between my thoughts and some of the modern NMA songs.

So to the gig...

New Model Army (Poor Quality Image)

It's been a long time since NMA did a gig in Bradford, we've seen them a couple of times recently at the O2 in Leeds. The Live Lounge is a new gig venue, something that Bradford really needs. Only a small venue but this made it even better, I've not seen NMA in such a small place before. It was also our first chance to see the new bassist Ceri Monger in action.

There wasn't a support band, however Slade did a half hour acoustic set, kicking off with Notice Me, all good! After this the band soon started and kicked off with Get Me Out, they then worked through a couple of hours of music. I 'had a jump about at the front' to 'Christian Militia' and really enjoyed the evening. The usual antics with all the standing on shoulders, waving arms about routine and slam dancing at the front.

It was a nice thought by Slade to dedicate 'Green and Grey' to the late Rob Heaton and Tommy Tee.

The evening was over all too soon, I would have liked to have heard Vengeance, but there's always a next time!!

Youtube Videos from the Gig.

Notice Me

Get Me Out

Green And Grey

Vagabonds

Frightened

Here Comes The War

No Rest

I Love The World

The Hunt

Ballad of Bodmin Pill

Nothing Dies Easy