What makes a man a man

Marc Almond @ Shepherds Bush Empire 9 July 2007

Many years ago, one of my relatives has expressed her deepest concern for my appreciation of men who wear make-up or men who were very camp. This was the comment after she watched the MV A Lover Spurned of Marc Almond and i said how a fan i was. Of course she knew my appreciation of bowie, robert smith, moz and brett anderson, all were not very normal in the eyes of the locals. My taste has not changed much but I did not keep loyalty to Mr Almond for all these years. Mother Fist was excellent but later Fantastic Star - not like it, Tenement Symphony - a bit overrated, Open All Night and Stranger Things - even haven't got them (i know i should). My favourites remain to the age-old The Star We Are and Absinthe. The new album Stardom Road - very 70's and 80's cabaret-feel, old-fashioned and camp, no surprise Mr Almond wins my heart again.

The very night was Mr Almond's 50th birthday so the atmosphere was a bit sentimental, flowers and birthday song from the crowd, all made our lady shed a few tears, he even went to cry when talked about gene pitney. Heavy make-up with a tiny belly, he was right, he 'give you all a boy could give you' - how time flies, how cruel time is. Opened by Stardom Road, we then also went through each period of the stardom road of Mr Almond, Tears Run Rings, Jackie, The Days Of Pearly Spencer, What Makes A Man A Man, Heart On Snow and ended with the karaoke of Tainted Love and Say Hello And Wave Goodbye. A glorious return.


things became sentimental