Bedford Summer Sessions: The Human League
Bedford Park, Bedford - 10/07/25
Cover Photo: Cuffe & Taylor
Photo Credit: Cuffe & Taylor
Bedford Summer Sessions
Bedford Summer Sessions 2025 are well under way, with a number of memorable nights already having taken place over the last week. Simple Minds kicked off this year's concert series, joined by the timeless Alison Moyet, before Rag'n'Bone man brought his soulful vocals to the park with a headline set the following night. Things then took a classical shift last Sunday for the return of the much-loved Proms in the Park.
The second run of concerts started last night, with a line-up that epitomised the synth and new-wave revolution of the 1980's. Blancmange opened the afternoon with a crowd-pleasing set full of synth-pop brilliance, playing anthemic hits like 'Living on the Ceiling' and 'Don't Tell Me'.
Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey was up next, delivering a feel-good set of classics like 'King for a Day' and 'Doctor! Doctor!', as well as a well-received cover of Talking Heads' 'Psycho Killer'. This set was full of singalongs a plenty, with Bailey and his band ensuring the Bedford Park faithful were well and truly warmed up. It was the Thompson Twins' most popular track 'Hold Me Now' that brought the set to a close, being rounded out by an a cappella singalong in which the crowd proved their voices were more than ready for the main event.
The Human League
By the time the night's headliners were ready, Bedford Park had filled nicely, with concertgoers preparing themselves for a night of musical brilliance by one of the UK's most beloved bands. Musical brilliance is exactly what the crowd received, witnessing a set full of big hits, crowd singalongs and more outfit changes than I could count.
It was The Human Leagues touring band that took to the stage first, with Rob Barton taking to the electronic drum kid, whilst Ben Smith and Nick Banks donned their keytars to kick into an extended introduction of 'The Sound of the Crowd'. The trio of live musicians are backed up by the band's long-term engineer and synth programmer, David Beevers.
Photo Credit: Cuffe & Taylor
With the introduction continuing and the crowd's anticipation building, the three members of The Human League, Phil Oakey, Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley, took to the stage receiving a heroes' welcome. As the trio began singing, it was clear they hadn't lost a step vocally, with all three singers sounding sensational under the hot Bedford sun. Sulley and Catherall had another chance to showcase their vocals during the intro to Mirror Man, before Oakey’s powerful voice kicked in for a chorus that was enthusiastically echoed by the Bedford faithful, who grabbed at every chance they could to singalong. This was reflected further in follow-up performances of 'Heart Like a Wheel' and 'Open Your Heart', the latter of which brought with it the loudest audience response of the night so far.
What impressed me most throughout the early part of the evening's set was the energy and genuine enjoyment the band played with. All three singers gave their all to every note, with Oakey in particular darting across the stage throughout the night, making sure everyone in the crowd had a moment up close.
The backing videos accompanying their timeless classics evoked memories of a recent Kraftwerk show I attended, underscoring The Human League’s equal standing as synth pioneers, enhanced by the even more exhilarating presence of live drums and guitar. Many songs, such as 'The Lebanon', would even see the synths take a real step back, allowing Nick Banks' rip-roaring guitar solos to drive through the track, highlighting the musical diversity of The Human League, which often goes understated.
It was, however, a synth-backed duo of '(Keep Feeling) Fascination' and 'Don't You Want Me' which brought the main set to an end, with everyone jumping at the chance to dance along to these era-defining songs. The increase in audience energy seemed to be matched by those on stage, who kicked into a whole new gear, delivering each track with even greater intensity and joy.
A rapturous applause brought an end to the main set, before Oakey remerged alongside the touring band for a heavier rendition of 'Being Boiled', paired with some of the night's most impressive visuals.
Oakey was then joined again on stage by his bandmates, now dressed in showgirl-style outfits, to deliver one final hit, Oakey's collaboration with Giorgio Moroder, 'Together in Electric Dreams'. Despite not officially being The Human League's song, the presence of Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley during the live performance took it to a whole new level. Even a slight tech issue, which was dealt with extremely professionally by the band, wasn't enough to stop this, providing the perfect ending to a night that will go down as a standout moment in Bedford Summer Sessions history. The Human League's music sounds just as fresh now as it did some 40 years ago, taken to new heights by their well-polished live show.