Midge Ure Rocks Phoenix

by Kevin Wierzbicki

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Midge Ure - September 2, 2024 - Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix

Midge Ure could not have chosen a more dramatic way to begin his concert in the music theater at the Music Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix. The former frontman for the beloved synth pop band Ultravox started his show with "Dear God," a cut from his 1988 solo album Answers to Nothing. The song presents an emotional plea to the heavens for worldwide peace and sanity that comes from a man who's not quite sure there's anyone listening. The Almighty might not have heard Ure on this particular evening but the packed house sure did and they responded with the first of many bursts of thunderous applause that Ure would elicit throughout the show.

Ure is currently on his Band in a Box tour, the name being a reference to the fact that only Ure on guitar and keyboards and Charlie Round-Turner on keyboards and programming make all the great music, with the "box" being a laptop that Round-Turner manipulates to keep the beats going. Ure jokingly (or not so jokingly!) added that the stripped down format keeps him from "having to pay a drummer." Ure's commentary throughout the show was often of a humorous nature that was made all the more charming by his Scottish accent. Early in the show Ure mused about the name of the venue, saying "l thought it was odd when my agent called and said a museum wants to book you. I thought it was quite derogatory!" Shows at MIM do not take place in the actual museum, but in its adjacent music theater which is one of the most desirable live music venues in Phoenix.

After playing another track from Answers to Nothing, the title track, Midge and Charlie performed the Ultravox cut "I Remember (Death in the Afternoon)" and "Fade to Grey," a song from Ure's time with the studio aggregation Visage. After an enthralling take on David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" Ure quipped, "It begs the question...is David Bowie in heaven covering one of my songs?" after which he shook his head no. A big run of Ultravox hits and deep cuts followed, including "Sleepwalk," the guitar-rocking "We Stand Alone," "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" that came complete with a bluesy guitar intro, and the instrumental "Astradyne." The crowd was appreciative all night but especially so when Ure launched into the yearning "Vienna," generally thought of as Ultravox's biggest hit, at least outside of the U.S. The best-known Ultravox song in the U.S. is "Reap the Wild Wind," and after the song was finished Ure told how the hit was produced by famed Beatles producer George Martin and how during the recording session for the song Martin whipped out a microphone that previously belonged to John Lennon to get just the right sound. The show finished strong with the sublime, Celtic-inspired "Lament," the slightly punk-tinged "All Stood Still" and a three-song encore featuring the raucous "Hymn," "Fragile" that came complete with synthesized flute and closing number "If I Was." It was a very satisfying evening of excellent musicianship and a rare opportunity to get a glimpse into the wit and wisdom of Ure and his lengthy career.

Ure remains on tour in the U.S. through September before playing a one-off show in the Cayman Islands and then touring in Europe through at least March 2025. Follow Midge Ure and find all upcoming tour dates here.

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