Deacon Blue’s Soulful Journey Through Time at Shepherd’s Bush Empire"
- Alan Bryce
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
Shepherds's Bush Empire London April 4th 2025
WORDS AND IMAGES ALAN BRYCE
Formed in 1985, Deacon Blue exploded onto the music scene with their seminal debut album ‘Raintown’. Full of hits and singles, it made a huge impact in the late 80's charts. Songs like Dignity, Chocolate Girl, and Loaded became anthems for a generation. In 1989, they followed up with the chart-topping album ‘When the World Knows Your Name’, featuring hits like ‘Real Gone Kid’ and ‘Wages Day’. The band released two further albums before splitting in 1994.
In 1999, the band reformed part-time, releasing ‘Walking Back Home’, followed by ‘Homesick’ in 2001, which was the last album to feature guitarist Graeme Kelling before his passing in 2004. Despite working part-time, Deacon Blue continued performing, playing numerous headline shows leading up to their 2012 album ‘The Hipsters’, which was released after signing to new management and a new record deal.
Throughout the 2010s, the band released two more albums, before releasing ‘City of Love’ in 2020. During the Covid period, Deacon Blue recorded their 11th album, ‘Riding on the Tide of Love’, and promoted it with a post-Covid tour. In 2023, they released ‘The Old 45's’, a compilation album of their hits, which was also supported by a UK tour.
Now, in 2025, 40 years after their formation, Deacon Blue release their 12th studio album ‘The Great Western Road’, with the first single ‘Late 88’ released in November of last year. The album features stunning pop and rock songs with great sing-along tunes. The release was supported by a mini-UK tour, culminating at London's Shepherds Bush Empire, and a 15-date arena tour is scheduled for later in the year, starting in Liverpool on 19th September.
Opening the set with two new tracks from the album, the slower, more contemplative ‘Great Western Road’ and the energetic, instantly catchy ‘Turn Up Your Radio!’, Ricky and Lorraine’s distinctive vocals sounded as amazing as ever—powerful, emotive, and effortlessly harmonious. Their voices, so familiar to longtime fans, carried a warmth and clarity that filled the venue, echoing off the walls of Shepherd’s Bush Empire with the confidence of seasoned performers.
The set was a well-crafted blend of fresh material and nostalgic classics, featuring a mix of new and old songs that showcased the breadth of Deacon Blue’s catalogue. Nine tracks from the new album were interspersed with beloved hits and fan favourites, creating a journey through time that celebrated both the band’s legacy and their present-day artistry. Midway through the performance, the crowd was treated to a one-two punch of emotion and energy as ‘Loaded’ led straight into ‘Wages Day’—both songs met with enthusiastic recognition and sung back perfectly by an audience who clearly knew every word by heart.
As the night drew to a close, the band saved one of their most iconic tracks for the finale. The timeless anthem ‘Dignity’ was played to rapturous applause, the entire room joining in for a heartfelt sing-along that felt more like a shared memory than a performance. But the evening didn’t end there. The encore featured ‘People Come First’, a moving number from the new album that resonated deeply, and a stunning rendition of Bob Dylan’s ‘Forever Young’, delivered with sincerity and grace that left a lasting impression.
What stood out to me throughout the show was Deacon Blue’s enduring popularity and the unshakable bond they’ve built with their audience over the past four decades. The sold-out show at one of London’s premier venues had a diverse and multi-generational crowd, with long-time fans who’ve followed the band since the beginning standing side by side with younger listeners who were just discovering the magic of Deacon Blue. It was heartwarming to see how the band’s music continues to touch lives, bridging age gaps and uniting people through song after all these years.
As a fan, I remember being completely blown away by ‘Raintown’ when I first heard it, and witnessing the band perform live again with such energy and heart was an absolute delight. Their continued relevance and the passion they bring to the stage are nothing short of inspiring. I’m already looking forward to their upcoming arena tour—it promises to be another memorable chapter in an already extraordinary story. If you haven’t seen Deacon Blue live, you absolutely should—they will not disappoint. The new album is well worth a listen, and the old 45’s still deserve to be spun loud and proud. This band truly has hits for days.
SET LIST
1/ The Great Western Road
2/ Turn Up Your Radio!
3/ Queen of the New Year
4/ Fergus Sings the Blues
5/ Up Hope
6/ Closing Time
7/ Underneath the Stars
8/ A Brighter Star Than You Will Shine
9/ Loaded
10/ Wages Day
11/ Ashore
12/ The Hipsters
13/ Twist & Shout
14/ Not Gonna Be That Girl
15/ How We Remember It
16/ Bethlehem's Gate
17/ When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)
18/ Mid Century Modern
19/ Late '88
20/ Real Gone Kid
21/ He Looks Like Spencer Tracy Now
22/ Dignity
23/ People Come First
24/ Forever Young
(Bob Dylan cover)
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