Review: 10cc takes Hawke’s Bay up to 11 with a bizarre musical masterclass

10cc performed a weird and wonderful set to an ecstatic Hawke's Bay crowd on Sunday night. Photo / Mitchell Hageman

A “normal” gig is never on the cards when a band like 10cc rolls into town, especially on the last night of their Greatest Hits tour.

Bizarre lyrics, jarring soundscapes, quirky asides and even over-enthusiastic attendees were just some of things that made Sunday’s concert a night to remember.

The beautiful Hastings Opera House found it hard to contain the Stockport-formed sensations as they masterfully delivered their unique blend of ultra-weird progressive rock and pop to a clearly eager Hawke’s Bay audience.

The 2023 iteration of the band features long-term members Graham Gouldman, Paul Burgess, Rick Fenn and Keith Hayman. They’re joined by relative newcomer Iain Hornal, who takes most of the vocal load.

One thing apparent right off the bat was that the band clearly understood and respected one another.

No matter what stage of the 10cc journey they had been a part of, they understood their roots and the legacy of their music.

While the bulk of their biggest hits were written in the 70s, that didn’t stop crowds of all ages turning up to Toitoi.

Many, including myself, spent their childhoods voicing their love for cricket, reggae and Jamaica, as well as trying to figure out the things we would do for love.

We got those hits and plenty of others.

The night started off with a special appearance from some Kiwi icons, whose sound and lyrics were also just as weird and wonderful.

Hello Sailor bought to the stage their classic South Pacific rock‘n’roll sound and received rapturous applause from the crowd.

The 2023 members are dedicated to keeping the music and memory of Dave McArtney and Graham Brazier alive, and they still delivered hits like Gutter Black and Never Fade Away with the gusto and dedication of the original recordings.

When the headliners arrived, it was all systems go.

The Second Sitting for the Last Supper had the band channel their inner Dire Straits, with soaring guitar solos and a bassline that never missed a beat.

One minute, we were treated to the bluesy funk of Good Morning Judge, the next we were caught up in a psychedelic mind trip trying to decipher what on earth these talented musicians were saying with their song Feel the Benefit.

The night wasn’t without its imperfections.

Both bands struggled with imbalanced sound, and Hornal visibly struggled in some way with his guitars at one point.

There was also a notably rowdy group on the balcony. They weren’t causing harm, and even added to the atmosphere in a way, but there were clearly some audience members upset at their loud talking when they couldn’t hear the band explain their songs.

Again, that’s what makes a concert experience special right? Humans making mistakes, learning, and enjoying the weird wonders of life seems to be what’s at the very heart of the 10cc discography.

“Kevin [original 10cc member and songwriter Kevin Godley] is notorious for writing wacky lyrics,” Goulbourn rightly highlighted before launching into Clockwork Creep.

Ending their set on a high, Dreadlock Holiday obviously brought the house down. Even those sitting for the entire time started to join the rowdy rabble in the middle.

“I don’t like Hastings, I love it,” the band cheekily proclaimed.

Fans that stuck around for the encore were treated to a special acapella version of their hit song Donna, as well as an extended version of their hit Rubber Bullets.

Some may have left disappointed by the behaviour of some of the audience, and others confused about what they had just experienced.

I, for one, found it a treat. 10cc well and truly took Hawke’s Bay to 11.