Adam Ant at the Hard Rock Live on the Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada
Adam Ant at the Hard Rock Live on the Strip, Las Vegas | by Karen Mandall
Adam Ant, a Grammy nominated pop icon who has sold over 40 million records, just completed his his largest North American tour in 18 years to support his new album, Adam Ant is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter. Between July 17, 2013, and September 20, the tour visited more than 40 cities and I caught up with Adam Ant in Las Vegas, performing at the Hard Rock Live on the Strip.
Adam Ant took a break from music, going so far as to move to small town Dayton, Tennessee in the USA. It was during this time that the new album came to life with the debut single Cool Zombie being inspired by this aspect of his life. He says he took a break and began to miss the music and the creativity began to flow. The first part of the album’s enigmatic title is a nod to Adam’s iconic “Kings of the Wild Frontier” character who wore the trademark white stripe. Adam now refers to the character as The Blueblack Hussar, a fictional reference to a European cavalry hussar officer of the 19th Century. The second half of the title, “Marrying The Gunner’s Daughter”, is the name given to a form of 18th Century naval punishment chosen to reflect some of his experiences in the music business. It’s no secret the music business can be brutal and Adam Ant is clearly inspired by his experiences.
Adam Ant with his band, The Good, The Mad and The Lovely, took the stage in Las Vegas to Kings of the Wild Frontier and from the start, the crowd was eating it up. This was no icon of the past phoning in a backing tracked performance for a paycheck. Adam Ant and his band have fresh material, that the crowd loved I might add, and they rocked everything from the hits of the past to several tracks off the new album. This was a performance that was straight out Rock ‘n Roll, with a so hard hitting the band has two drummers. I loved the show, Adam Ant still has it!
Adam Ant at the Hard Rock Live on the Strip, Las Vegas | by Karen Mandall
Set List:
- Kings of the Wild Frontier
- Wonderful
- Whip in My Valise
- Vince Taylor
- Stay in the Game
- Cool Zombie
- Strip
- Desperate But Not Serious
- Cleopatra
- Never Trust a Man (With Egg on His Face)
- Zerox
- Vive Le Rock
- “Antmusic”
- Goody Two Shoes
- Car Trouble Pt 2
- Prince Charming
- Lady / Fall In
- Red Scab
- Bang a Gong (Get It On)
- (T. Rex cover)
- Physical (You’re So)
