In the mid '70s, 10cc in their original incarnation was a relatively short burst of extraordinary creativity.
The run began from an initial quartet of musicians (Lol Creme, Kevin Godley, Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart), all of whom had varying degrees of success in partnership as serial one-hit wonders before coming together, and then again after the dissolution of the latter duo in the '80s.
Initially reconvening as 10cc featuring Graham Gouldman and friends in 1999, and then as Graham Gouldman celebrates 30 years of 10cc in 2002, before Gouldman wholly claimed the mantle for tours billed simply as 10cc gives rise to the age old discussion: when is a band THE band.
Gouldman may be the only remaining member of the original quartet, but Paul Burgess on drums and Rick Fenn on guitar have been long-standing sidemen and played on original recordings done with the latter duo after Godley and Creme opted out of the album-tour cycle in 1976.
Completing the current line-up is Keith Hayman on keyboards and newest recruit Andy Park doing some heavy lifting, significantly handling a portion of lead vocals as well as guitar, percussion and mandolin.
The original 10cc were like actors playing roles, in that it was difficult to define who they really were due to the variety of their somewhat satirical output encompassing doo wop, prog bubblegum pop, music hall tradition and all of that is represented tonight in a set that takes from the band's first five albums released between 1972 to 1978; with the inclusion of the anomalous, anachronistic 'Floating In Heaven', a Gouldman solo collaboration in recent years with 10cc contemporaries Queen's Brian May.
The set begins appropriately with an intro recording of 'Son Of Man', played in entirety, a collaboration between Gouldman with former 10cc bandmate Kevin Godley (GG/06) that serves as an abstract primer for their pre-history and early days in the band.
'The Second Sitting For The Last Supper' sets the template for what is to follow with tight playing by the group, playful guitar soloing by Fenn and lead vocals by the versatile Park.
Fenn provides an epic Pink Floyd-like guitar intro that leads into the punchy 'Art For Art's Sake', Gouldman informing us afterwards: "My dad used to say that to me, so thanks for the title dad."
The '50s pastiche bubblegum of 'Life Is A Minestrone' prepares the audience for a song later, after Gouldman and Fenn's duelling guitars on 'Good Morning Judge', 'The Dean And I', a teenage symphony firmly planted in the realm of musical theatre.
It is clear the band are enjoying themselves as much as the audience, and the performances are in service of the songs, the introductions acknowledging and paying tribute to former bandmates and musical collaborators, Fenn commenting on the "brilliant but wacky lyrics of Godley and Creme," before 'Clockwork Creep' within a selection of their songs following the harmonies and almost prog theatre of 'Old Wild Men'.
The expansive, multi-part 'Feel The Benefit' is a centrepiece of the set with Fenn and Gouldman sparring on guitar and bass respectively. 'The Wall Street Shuffle' contains moments as close to classic rock as the band get albeit with their trademark pivots into bubblegum pop.
A moment of respite is the aforementioned 'Floating In Heaven', Fenn capably subbing for an understandably absent Brian May. At this point, Gouldman abandons his up to now contextualising preambles by announcing: "This next song needs no introduction," before 'The Things We Do For Love', the first of several 'big' songs held back for the second half.
Following on from Andy 'conducting' the band on 'Silly Love' is the beautiful MOR of 'I'm Mandy Fly Me'. To close out the set first is a song I am sure everyone was waiting a long time for, the subversive 'love' song 'I'm Not In Love' before the faux reggae 'Dreadlock Holiday' with the locally tailored lyric: "I don't like Adelaide. . . I love it."
The encore begins with their debut single 'Donna' rendered as barbershop quartet a capella around a single microphone, drummer Paul Burgess conspicuously absent until he appears and makes a closing vocal cameo. While the contrasting extended 'Rubber Bullets' is saved until last, performed as a rousing, dynamic set closer that leaves the audience wanting more.
In the 100 minutes they were onstage there was no let down, even the break before the encore was short in service of a cohesive performance during which the band filled their remit by performing the ultimate greatest hits.
