Giorgio Moroder

4th April 2019

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

I was a touch unsure exactly what to expect with this one.  For whilst there is no doubt Giorgio Moroder was a towering figure in the development of electronic dance music – indeed, one could argue the whole rave culture evolved from his work – he was also (at least partly) responsible for some of the most anodyne tosh which ever found its way onto both vinyl and celluloid during the 1980s.  Step forward for sentencing the likes of Never Ending Story, Take My Breath Away, Time of My Life and What a Feeling.

In the event, the evening turned out to be a (mostly) engaging mishmash of songs, either produced, written or co-written by the 78-year old Italian during his lengthy career.  We did have to sit through some bland mush, but the evening was certainly made worthwhile by some lengthy chunks of sensually throbbing disco-pop.  The Chase, I Feel Love and, the old codger's recent(ish) collaboration with Daft Punk, Giorgio by Moroder were worth the £60 ticket price alone, and I could have listened to that sort of stuff all evening.  Well, maybe.    

Although, I have to say, Moroder's actual contribution to the music performed this evening appeared limited to clapping, pointing, a bit of vocoder jiggery-pokery.....and giving a fair old blow on a whistle.  But his between-songs nattering was never less than entertaining, even if each tale did briefly kill the party atmosphere

The chap, perhaps inevitably, did feel the need to touch as many populist bases as possible.  Which was fine, I suppose, but with so many vocal performances by such diverse artistes as Phil Oakey, Debbie Harry, Irene Cara and particularly Donna Summer to attempt to replicate, there were inevitably compromises made.  With the result few, if any of the vocal performances came close to touching the originals, and proceedings at times felt a bit like a Britain's Got Talent winners' karaoke night out.  

Thankfully during Cat People, Moroder wisely kept his singers well away from the lead vocal, and the song was performed using a recording of David Bowie's original rendition.

I was a bit disappointed we didn't get Son of My Father; which would have been, for many of us of a certain age, our first exposure to Mr. M.'s unique musical vision.

Set list – I may have a few of the tunes in the middle of the set out of order.

Instrumental (band only)
Love to Love You Baby
Never Ending Story
Bad Girls
On the Radio
The Chase
Together in Electric Dreams
From Here to Eternity
Flashdance...What a Feeling
Take My Breath Away
Giorgio by Moroder
The Time of My Life
Danger Zone
I Feel Love
Cat People
MacArthur Park
Last Dance

Encore
Hot Stuff
Call Me