Library Rock's Backpages

Roxy Music: Live at Wembley Arena, London

Chris Roberts, Uncut, September 2001

BRYAN FERRY, surrounded by a dozen boa-trembling dancing girls on day release from Moulin Rouge, has sweaty armpits. This just doesn't happen! Or, at least, hasn't for 18 years. Roxy Music's live comeback is a lot of fun for both band and audience, unless you're hoping to hear "the hits". While, admittedly, the set changed every night on tour, the first Wembley show has no 'Avalon', no 'Dance Away' – put it this way, of the first eight tracks on the new Best Of, only three feature. Basically, Roxy do everything sniping critics thought they wouldn't. Far from being tainted, my lifelong fandom is now seasoned by added respect. The body of work they draw from tonight is as good as it ever got.

Total word count of piece: 401

Subscribe

Becoming a member is easy. Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library.

Click here to go to Subscribe page.

Click here for academic and other group subscriptions.