Heaven 17

Sheffield’s Heaven 17 play Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, on 16 October 2026. Born from the first Human League split, the group shaped a synthpop that folds new wave, funk and a soul touch into sharp songwriting. Early on came the bite of (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, then the sleek drive of Penthouse and Pavement, followed by The Luxury Gap with Temptation (with Carol Kenyon), Come Live with Me and Crushed by the Wheels of Industry. On stage, Glenn Gregory’s baritone and Martyn Ware’s electronics lead a set built on sequenced basslines, drum machines and vocal harmonies, giving these tracks a fresh snap without losing their hooks. The current lineup centres on the Gregory/Ware duo, revisiting the catalogue alongside cuts from How Men Are, Pleasure One and later albums like Bigger Than America and Before After. Expect taut grooves, punchy synths and sing-along choruses from a band that knows how to make these songs land live.