80s synth-pop icon Howard Jones will play Porthcawl’s Grand Pavilion on March 9 as part of an intimate tour focussing on his 30-year music career.
Howard burst upon the contemporary music scene in 1983 following years of performing his songs with two synthesizers around pubs and clubs in London. “it gradually built and finally I got signed,” he tells Andy Howells, “I had no visible success before I got signed to Warner Brothers.”
Setting out his manifesto with his very first single New Song, Howard’s lyrics called on the listener to challenge their preconceived ideas, to see both sides and ‘throw off your mental chains’. The single went top five and Howard swiftly followed up with further hits including What Is Love? and Things Can Only Get Better as well as two million selling albums Human’s Lib and Dream into Action.
With the release of Dream into Action, Howard’s career subsequently took off in the United States and his popularity has continued to endure both there and Japan where he has recently toured.
Its therefore a rare opportunity to see the Southampton-based pop icon back on UK ground. His current acoustic tour takes him to Porthcawl for his only Welsh show next week.” I’m looking forward to Porthcawl,” he continues, “my Welsh fans always complain if I don’t get to Wales.”
Howard will perform many of his best-known songs as they were originally composed, on the piano. He continues “What I’ve done this time is I’ve put the word out that I want people to send me an email which gig they are going to, what song they would like me to play and what that song means to them. I’ll have a hat or vessel by the piano and pull out an email and read it out, hopefully the person will be in the audience to respond to it. I’m just finding ways to connect even more with my amazing fans who have stuck with me all this time.”
In the words of one of his biggest hits Like to Get to Know You Well, connecting with his strong fan-base is something he greatly enjoys. “it gives me a great encouragement to keep going, and that the work has made a difference to people, that’s all you can ask for as an artist, that’s your legacy.”
- Howard will play The Grand Pavillion on March 9 and will be supported by Rachael Sage. Call 01656 815995 or visit grandpavilion.ticketsolve.com for details. For further details on Howard Jones visit howardjones.com