After a huge week of live music in the city — with unforgettable shows from Oasis, Alanis Morissette and Slayer — The Human League had the final word, closing out the week at Cardiff Castle with a night of pure synth-pop magic.
The tone was set early by support act Blancmange, who took us back in time with their offbeat melodies and unmistakable 80s sound. It was one of those sets that made you wish you’d discovered them sooner — a perfect opener for what was to come.
Next up was Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins, who stepped out with his all-female band dressed head-to-toe in white. Kicking off with Love on Your Side, it didn’t take long for the crowd to find their voice. Hit after hit followed — We Are Detective, Doctor Doctor, and even a Talking Heads cover (Psycho Killer) — before closing on Hold Me Now, which turned the castle into a full-blown singalong.
Then it was time. The Human League took to the stage looking sharp, in black suits, dark shades, and a massive drum kit standing tall at the back. Joanne Catherall, Susan Ann Sulley, Ian Burden and finally Philip Oakey entered to huge cheers. Oakey, in all black to start and mirrored sunglasses, ran to the mic like a man half his age, kicking off with Mirror Man and setting the pace for the night.
The band were electric — Oakey darting from one side of the stage to the other, while Joanne and Susan kept the harmonies tight and the energy high. They powered through All I Ever Wanted, The Lebanon, and of course Don’t You Want Me, which brought the biggest cheer of the night before they briefly left the stage.
The encore featured Being Boiled and closed on Together in Electric Dreams, with thousands singing every word.
Their sound is still sharp, their stage presence effortless, and their songs? Timeless. The Human League reminded us why their futuristic pop still resonates today — a perfect end to one of Cardiff’s biggest weeks in live music.
