This year marks the 40th anniversary of some truly amazing albums for the children of the first era of MTV. And with those 40th anniversaries come the joy of revisiting that colorful and remarkable time in music through celebratory tours.
For me, this is an exciting time as many of the artists of the Second British Invasion, given music chart celebrity by MTV, have returned to touring the USA. And this has provided a platform for some who have been away for a very long time to reclaim their music for an American audience.
Enter Belouis Some, born Neville Keighley, an excellent musician who crafted introspective dance tunes that thoughtfully examine the bonds between human beings generally and romantic partners specifically. Neville recently returned to US stages for the first time since 1988 with an initial show at City Winery Philadelphia to resource his outstanding 1985 album, Some People.
Opening for Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel on the Hit and Run Tour at City Winery Philadelphia on April 8, Belouis Some performed 11 songs actually lifted from his first two records — Some People (1985) and Belouis Some (1987) — as well as his soundtrack hit, “Round, Round,” from Pretty in Pink.
Belouis Some first prepared to embark on a tour as opener for The Alarm, but that effort was scuttled when The Alarm frontman Mike Peters was diagnosed with a resurgence of cancer. (He’s in recovery now.) To get ready for that tour, Neville recruited a band of American musicians and spun his songs up for American performances.
“We’ve been rehearsing this for two years! So, it’s a very special night for us,” Neville said to applause.
The songs are true gems, and Beloius Some’s work to shine them really paid off. While I have long truly enjoyed the songs from Some People — “Walk Away,” the title track, “Imagination” (a song that still opens doors for Neville), and others — I was not as closely familiar with the also great songs from the self-titled sophomore album — “Let It Be With You,” “My Body,” “Animal Magic,” and others. The first album songs tend to be more groovy dance hits while the second album songs take a more relaxed approach as they seep into you. Belouis Some smartly paced between the albums to massage the music and its messages into our ears.
Watch the official music video for “Animal Magic” by Belouis Some on YouTube:
Neville’s voice was clear and full of character. There was no doubt he could still sing well; he took these tunes onto the festival circuit in England for several years before bringing them back to America. But to hear him live in person was very stirring. In my home and in local clubs still, I hear “Imagination” and “Some People” on a regular basis. And so to hear Neville sing them live with the wisdom of his years and place them in perspective with friendly commentary was quite fulfilling.
And it was positively exhilarating to watch Belouis Some restore to life “Round, Round,” a song he recorded for the Pretty in Pink soundtrack by request of the late John Hughes. As Neville explained when introducing the song, he found writing it to be a tricky process. Hughes shared the scene that it would track, and Neville did not find it easy to “work to order.” At the time, Neville was not fully satisfied with the result, but he gave it some love when preparing to tour it, which led him to truly embrace the craft and care that he had put into it. For those of us who consider those Hughes movies an intrinsic part of coming of age, it was very satisfying to witness Belouis Some breathe new life into the number.
Watch a fan-made video for “Round, Round” by Belouis Some on YouTube:
The return of Belouis Some was very welcome indeed! He charmed the audience not only with his new wave eagworms but also his genuinely friendly British mannerisms at City Winery Philadelphia.
Setlist:
1. Let It Be With You
2. Walk Away
3. My Body
4. Some Girls
5. Animal Magic
6. Jerusalem
7. Some People
8. Stand Down
9. Round, Round
10. Imagination
11. Target Practice
The Hit and Run USA tour still has quite a few dates remaining but then Belouis Some returns over the summer for the annual Lost ’80s Live touring festival. For Lost ’80s Live, he’s paired with some likeminded English musicians — including A Flock of Seagulls, Peter Godwin, China Crisis, and others — that make for a very fine bill. Original MTV kids, do yourself a favor and catch Belouis Some for the 40th anniversary of Some People this year.
Here are some photos of Belouis Some performing at City Winery Philadelphia on April 8, 2025. All pictures by Mickey McCarter.
