Tony Hadley rocks Widus at Clark

MANILA, Philippines - Fans of the New Romantics pop culture movement of the ’80s in Central Luzon had their fill of the genre when former Spandau Ballet vocalist Tony Hadley (photo) performed at the new Widus Convention Center at Clark Freeport recently.

Hadley, the smooth voice behind some of the biggest hit songs of that decade, had the sell-out crowd swooning through the two-hour gig, the latest of the Widus concert series. The hits-packed set list of 18 songs traced the arc of Hadley’s prolific career, from covers of other artists to Spandau Ballet chart toppers to his solo work after the band’s break-up in 1989.

After opening with a cover of Feeling Good by jazz singer Nina Simone, Hadley launched into a run of Spandau’s early hits, including their breakthrough 1981 single To Cut A Long Story Short, Highly Strung and Only When You Leave.

By the time the opening riff of Round and Round was played, the crowd was already pumped up, rocking along to familiar lyrics. Hadley’s rendition of Spandau’s greatest hit, True, turned into a virtual sing-along, the crowd nearly taking over the chorus.

He followed up with the soulful ballad Through the Barricades, an ode to love prevailing over Northern Ireland’s sectarian troubles, which he described as his favorite Spandau song. The encore, Gold, one of Spandau’s iconic hits, closed a night of nostalgia that brought fans back to the halcyon days of the ’80s.

Hadley was the fourth international act to play at the newly built Widus Convention Center, the largest and most modern events facility in Clark, following Rick Smith, The Platters and The New Stylistics.

The center is part of the Widus leisure complex that includes the luxurious Widus Hotel, the only five-star property in Pampanga, and Casino Widus, the newest Las Vegas-style gaming establishment inside Clark.

Said Alfred Reyes, Widus Hotel GM: “Concerts by major artists such as Tony Hadley cement Widus’ place as the premier one-stop leisure destination in Clark. Our guests can look forward to more prestigious international acts performing at Widus.”