Trevor Horn Band – O2 Ritz, Manchester: Live Review

By Mike Ainscoe on 21st December 2025 • ( Leave a comment )

Trevor Horn Band, Martin McAloon – The O2 Ritz, Manchester: Live Review – Friday 19th December 2025

“You must be what they call a niche audience, coming out to see two bass players from Durham.”

TREVOR HORN BAND

Having spent some fine nights (twice) in recent years at Cropredy with the Trevor Horn Band, we know pretty much what to expect. The added treat is that we’re in the more intimate confines of the O2 Ritz in the season of goodwill and not without an expectancy of a tasty bit of nostalgia.

The short run of dates billed with the Video Killed The Radio Star titling, has us mulling over the thought of video killing the radio star in the age of AI. The lyric that has music “rewritten by machine on new technology” takes on another meaning. It’s the second song in after the mighty thunder Two Tribes , introduced with the, familiar to repeat offenders, Boris Johnson story. maybe something to do with the “I met your children” line). It has Trevor signing off with “that’s the hit done!” Of course he’s joshing, there’s a shedload in waiting.

WE’RE NOT WORTHY

Ahead of the entrance of the main man, the nine piece outfit take to the stage with the house lights up. An announcement and on creeps Trevor amidst much hilarity to huge applause and ‘we’re not worthy’ bows from the band. Like Nile Rodgers he has a pocketful of stores and associations that make up the cream of hitsville and there’s no expense spared in reproducing the Trevor Horn jukebox.

The line up at some points sees four guitars in action. One of them in the hands of Lol Creme who seems to be Trevor’s right hand man and verbal sparring partner these days. He’s on home turf for the first time in a long time and as he mentions the last gig being at the Free Trade Hall – now a swanky hotel – it confirms how long that actually is. His family is in and it adds to the feel of bonhomie.

ANY MARILLION FANS IN?

At least one Marillion shirt is spotted in the crowd as Steve Hogarth is a regular in the band, coming along to sing Life On Mars and It’s Different For Girls amongst others. Maybe hopeful he’s going to put in a shift as he’s in Liverpool for a solo gig the following night. Trev’s other flank sees the presence of Jakko Jakszyk; a seasoned Eighties man what with his stints an a huge variety of bands (check out his excellent Who’s The Boy With The Lovely Hair? memoir). Tonight wielding a nice PRS guitar, but not the one with the famous Crimson King wrapping.

So yeah, a set that includes the three Frankie biggies, the Buggles hits, a nod or two to 10cc plus work he’s done with Grace Jones, t.A.T.u and Seal. The Tom Waits (in the style of Rod Stewart) via whoever steps up to sing it, Downtown Train has earned the place of honour as set closer. Perhaps not an obvious choice – Relax is saved for the encores, but possibly the most interesting as the arrangements takes the ‘not everyone’s cup of tea’ Waits version to a more accessible level.

All in all, it’s a night that sees Trev leading from the front; having great fun with the massed ranks and vocalists who swing between a backing vox line up to covering every inch of the stage to take lead parts and work the Ritz punters. Shrewdly leading a terrific band who share an irrepressible energy to seal he deal on a fine pre-Christmas treat.

MARTIN MCALOON

Martin McAloon has been featured on the pages recently with our tour report from the Artisan Tap and has kindly given his time for an interview. In fact tonight Matthew, he’s in the same gig gear as Stoke – the Sid T shirt, cascading white locks and a nice selection of guitars which don’t go to waste, switching through all during his set.

We’ll just confirm what we’ve already said elsewhere. Martin’s an affable and amenable character and plays through much of the Steve McQueen album he’s been taking out of late. “I’ve seen the setlist; it’s packed with hits,” he tells us. “Here’s the first one...” he deadpans as he rattles through the guitar changes. We’re even treated to a ragged take on Keith Richards and a guitar solo in the jazzy When Love Breaks Down.

He promises to leave us all singing as The King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll is surely one of the Eighties staples. We do the “Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque” while he sings Get It On and maybe a little bit of The Reflex. It’s a bit ragged – nothing of the period sheen – but it’s great fun and most enter the spirit. There’s a mutual warmth that radiates to and from the stage and the vibe of what we’re about to receive from the Horn band is nicely set.