The original lineup of Bananarama, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward, never toured together during their biggest hitmaking years from 1981 to 1988. There were television shows but never a live tour before Fahey left the group and was replaced by Jacquie O’Sullivan.
Then, two years ago, the three got together for a barbecue with the talk eventually turning to touring and, after some convincing, Fahey agreed to give it a shot.
The group played a couple of summer festivals and one-offs but, last Thursday night (November 9), they officially opened their The Original Line Up Tour at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Island.
The set was mainly a compendium of hits and a few album tracks from the trio’s four albums together along with a hit that they did with Fun Boy Three for their album of the same name.
Mid-set, they took the time for two songs from outside their heyday. First up was “Stay”, a song that Fahey had recorded with her post-Bananarama group Shakespears Sister for their album Hormonally Yours. They followed with “Preacher Man” from the album Pop Life which was recorded with Sullivan.
The tour continues through early December followed by dates in the U.S. and Canada in February.
The set list:
Main Set
Nathan Jones (from Wow!, 1987)
Robert De Niro’s Waiting (from Bananarama, 1984)
Rough Justice (from Bananarama, 1984)
Aie a Mwana (from Deep Sea Skyiving, 1983)
Cruel Summer (from Bananarama, 1984)
Trick of the Night (from True Confessions, 1986)
Shy Boy/Boy Trouble (from Deep Sea Skyiving, 1983)
Dream Baby (from Bananarama, 1984)
Really Sayin’ Somethin’ (from Deep Sea Skyiving, 1983)
Cheers Then (from Deep Sea Skyiving, 1983)
Stay (from Shakespears Sisters’ Hormonally Yours, 1992)
Preacher Man (from Pop Life, 1991)
I Heard a Rumour (from Wow!, 1987)
More Than Physical (from True Confessions, 1986)
I Can’t Help It (from Wow!, 1987)
I Want You Back (from Wow!, 1987)
Venus (from True Confessions, 1986)
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye (from Deep Sea Skyiving, 1983)
Encore
It Ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It) (from the Fun Boy Three album Fun Boy Three, 1982)
Love in the First Degree (from Wow!, 1987)
