Heaven 17 perform « Penthouse and Pavement »

On 11 October 2026, Heaven 17 bring Penthouse and Pavement to the stage at De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill. Born in Sheffield from the first Human League split, the group forged a synth-pop language that braided new wave edges with funk-driven basslines and a soul inflection. Led today by Glenn Gregory and Martyn Ware, they revisit their 1981 debut in full, an album built on crisp sequencers, propulsive grooves and lyrics peering at corporate sheen and street realities.

Live, the record’s two-sided DNA comes into focus: the polished, uptown pulse set against rougher, street-level textures. Early statements like Fascist Groove Thang frame the political and social line that runs through the set, while the duo’s interplay keeps the songs taut and melodic. Gregory’s baritone carries the hooks, Ware’s electronics shape the architecture, and the band expands that original studio precision into something physical and immediate. The night traces the arc that began with Penthouse and Pavement and connects it to the sound they continued to refine on later releases, without losing the album’s directness or its dance-floor pull.