Detroit-born legendary post-punk pop singer Lene Lovich (born Lili Marlene Premilovich) hit the top of the UK charts with her single ‘Lucky Number’ in 1979, and was crowned the “Queen of Quirk”, influencing a generation of pop and alternative acts, from Nina Hagen to Boy George, and from Madonna to Dresden Dolls.
A normally reclusive figure, Lovich turned her back on the limelight after her third album ‘No Man’s Land’ was released in 1982 amid disagreements with her record company about her unwillingness to compromise her groundbreaking visual style for the then newly emergent MTV. Subsequently she has recorded only two albums in the last thirty years. Lovich’s unique vocal and visual style, along with her catchy but experimental songwriting, has exerted a huge influence over alternative pop culture and garnered her many plaudits and continued interest.
She has been described as everything from “Kate Bush on acid” to “the New Wave Maria Callas”. Her hits ‘Lucky Number’, ‘Say When’, ‘Bird Song’ and ‘New Toy’ are still regular features in the clubs and radio of Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA.
Lene Lovich was one of the headline acts at this year’s Rebellion Festival in Blackpool and we were there to cover it. Reviewer Mark Kelly reported thus:
LENE LOVICH – Opera House, Rebellion Festival 3.8.24 (9:50pm – 10:45pm):
Next I’m off to the Opera House to see somebody who I’ve wanted to see when I was a teenager: Lene Lovich. I’m quite astonished that she seems to be unchanged from decades ago, but is apparently 75. Most of the songs in the early part of the set I don’t know (or more probably don’t remember!), but that simply encourages me to investigate Lene’s back catalogue. Of course, the highlights of the set are ‘Bird Song’, the utterly ageless ‘Lucky Number’ and set closer ‘Home’. Lene has a top notch band with her, with guitarist Stan Greenwood being particularly impressive. Lene has no UK dates planned at the moment, but when she does, go and see her. You won’t be disappointed!
Lene Lovich setlist:
‘What Will I Do Without You’
‘Blue Hotel’
‘Maria’
‘Joan’
‘New Toy’
‘Monkey Talk’
‘Supernature’ (Cerrone cover)
‘Bird Song’
‘Lucky Number’
‘One In A 1,000,000’
‘Angels’
‘Details’
‘Home’
It has now been announced that Lene and her band, which consists of Lene Lovich (vocals), Val Gwyther (bass, bv’s), Sarah Fisher (keyboards, bv’s), Morgan King (drums, bv’s), Stan Greenwood (guitars, bv’s) and Jon Clay (live sound), will be hitting the road in May 2025.
The announced dates are as follows:
Friday 2nd May – Fulford Arms, York
Saturday 3rd May – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow
Sunday 4th May – La Belle Angele, Edinburgh
Monday 5th May – The Cluny, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Friday 9th May – Rebellion Club, Manchester
Saturday 10th May – The Chapel (Old Angel), Nottingham
Friday 16th May – Queens Hall, Nuneaton
Saturday 17th May – The Forge, London
Friday 23rd May – Esquires, Bedford
Saturday 24th May – The Prince Albert, Brighton
Sunday 25th May – Exchange Bristol, Bristol
The representative tracks that could be heard are: ‘Lucky Number’, ‘Home’, ‘Say When’, ‘Bird Song’, ‘Angels’, ‘New Toy’, ‘Details’, ‘It’s You Only You’, ‘Rocky Road’, ‘Blue Hotel’, ‘Supernature’, ‘Little Rivers’, and ‘Wicked Witch’.
Tickets for the tour are on sale now from HERE and the Brighton concert tickets can be purchased HERE.
