Once again, Scarborough Open Air Theatre has programmed a stellar season of live shows that will draw music fans from all over the country to the North Yorkshire coastal town. In the coming weeks, the likes of The Hollywood Vampires, The Cult and Britpop legends Pulp will perform at the high-profile venue.
But the legends don’t stop there, as Blondie recently kick-started the venue’s summer schedule. Blondie’s eagerly anticipated show in Scarborough was a pre-cursor to their Glastonbury appearance at the weekend. But for the capacity crowd in attendance at the OAT, they got a taste of what was in store at Worthy Farm ahead of time.
Arriving on stage in a fetching green outfit, shades and leopard print thigh-high boots, Debbie Harry is the epitome of rock and roll cool. Of course, the artist has been in the music business for many years, but she prowled the stage throughout the evening like the icon that she is. Featured onstage alongside Debbie was Sex Pistols bass player Glen Matlock and legendary Blondie drummer Clem Burke.
The show got underway to the unmistakable sounds of One Way or Another, Call Me and Hanging On A Telephone. With many bands, you would wait all evening to hear songs of that calibre, but with Blondie, the setlist was packed full of timeless anthems from the off.
Blondie delivered a show which featured songs that soundtracked our lives since the seventies. Performances of Atomic and Rapture were a testament to the strength of the Blondie songbook. Each of these crowd-pleasing numbers still sounds as fresh today as they did upon their release.
Drummer Clem Burke sported a black CBGB’s t-shirt, giving a nod to the legendary New York venue where the band cut their teeth.
Fade Away and Radiate slowed down the proceedings momentarily, but not for long. Of course, the calypso rhythms of the Tide Is High felt perfectly apt for a summer evening on the North Yorkshire coast. The conclusion of the number allowed for a brief drum solo from Clem Burke.
With so many hits so early in the set – where could you go from here, one pondered. But with a songbook so rich, the classics continued to come in thick and fast, with both Heart of Glass and Maria featuring in the latter stages of the show.
The word legend is often overused, but in the case of Debbie Harry, it is entirely warranted. Blondie has produced more hits than a boxer’s punching bag. As the band concluded their main set, a few bars of the Sex Pistols classic God Save The Queen closed the set. Not only was this a nod to Glen Matlock’s past with the punk rock legends, but also a fitting homage to the Queen of rock and roll herself, Debbie Harry.
It may have been Blondie’s first-ever appearance at Scarborough Open Air Theatre, but hopefully, it won’t be their last. Just like the last song of the evening, Scarborough’s Blondie fans will be Dreaming of a return visit.
For further details about Scarborough Open Air Theatre’s summer season please visit: https://scarboroughopenairtheatre.com/whats-on/
Words and Photos by Adam Kennedy
