Spandau Ballet At SXSW

No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you.  Spandau Ballet will play its first date in the U.S. in nearly 30 years when the group performs at .

Photo: Lynn Goldsmith
Memories from 1981.

Did you just flashback to 1983 when Spandau Ballet’s “True” was all over radio and the video received an almost limitless number of airings on MTV?  Or did your mind wander to the 1990 gangster flick “The Krays” where Kemp brothers Martin and Gary played Britain’s notorious Kray twins?  Both Kemps have pursued acting careers since the days Spandau Ballet was in heavy rotation on your local Top 40 station.

And it’s a film that is bringing the band back to the U.S.  The world premiere of a documentary about Spandau Ballet titled “Soul Boys Of the Western World” will be part of the film festival portion of SXSW in Austin, Texas.  Screening March 12 at the Paramount Theatre, the film was directed by George Hencken and contains rare original footage of the band.

Later that night all five original Spandau Ballet members – the Kemp brothers, Tony Hadley, John Keeble and Steve Norman – will perform at the newly reopened Vulcan Gas Company. 

You could say Spandau Ballet and the Vulcan are a perfect match since the band hasn’t played in this country in 28 years and the venue has been closed for 44 years.  For more information click here for Spandau Ballet’s website and here for SXSW.