OMD issue warning to Liverpool crowd as they prove they still have it

Clad in black appearing against a backdrop of visual psychedelic beauty, OMD took to the stage with an eruption of applause and cheers at the M&S Bank Arena last night.

Looking out at a sea of adoring fans it was visible in the faces of OMD frontmen Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreysthat this was to be a memorable hometown show for their Bauhaus Staircase tour.

It had been six years since OMD released their previous album, The Punishment of Luxury. So understandably there was a buzz in the arena as excitement to hear new songs live for the first time grew. And this anticipation didn’t linger for long as the pioneering synth band opened their set with the pre recorded Evolution of Species playing to the audience. This unique opening was complimented by an energetic performance of Anthropocene from the new Bauhaus Staircase album.

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A silhouette moving across the stage in a frenetic manner with arms flailing aimlessly could only cut that of Andy McCluskey. With contagious energy connecting instantly with the onlooking audience, the new material was treated with no indifference to that of OMD’s greatest hits.

But it wasn’t long before the Wirral performers returned to the Kraftwerk-esque music which helped them on their way to becoming one of the most influential synth-pop acts in history. The second song performed was Messages, a song I had expected to hear later on in the evening but the distinct melody was an instant boost for the audience who were already running high on adrenaline from the opening song and undoubtedly McCluskey's famed moves.

The contrast between