For ticket details - available also from The Star - see bottom of the story.

VIDE0: Press the play button to listen to our exclusive interview with Heaven 17.

MORE VIDEO: Human League split "manufactured", reveals Heaven 17 star - VIDEO

POP fans of a certain age will recall, like it was only yesterday, dancing to Heaven 17's debut album Penthouse and Pavement.

But if that was you, then you better sit down. You may be in for a shock.

For the ground-breaking album is 30-years-old next year.
And here's another amazing fact – the band have never played it live before in its entirety. Until now.

Heaven 17 frontman vocalist Glenn Gregory and keyboard wizard Martyn Ware – also a Human League founder – will be joined by special guests for a world exclusive homecoming performance.

They say their music was forged in the heartland of the steel industry and inspired by its sounds.

So, aptly, they have chosen the region's former steelworks museum to host the Penthouse and Pavement concert, at Magna Science Adventure Centre, in Templeborough, on March 6. Ticket details below.

Before then they play an invite only concert, the latest in Real Radio and Sheffield City Council's Intimate and Exclusive gig series, at the award-winning Winter Garden, on Thursday, February 11. Win tickets below.

Plans are to take the 30th Anniverary Penthouse and Pavement show on tour, with European dates to follow, after the Magna gig.

It will feature every track from their breakthrough album, including the hit title track, Play To Win, Let's All Make A Bomb and (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang – banned by Radio One DJ Mike Read for being overtly left-wing.

Heaven 17 fans will also get the band's greatest hits, such as Temptation, Crushed By The Wheels of Industry and Come Live With Me, plus covers of BEF (British Electric Foundation) songs, written for the the likes of Tina Turner.

But they says its more future than nostalgia – including a live digital visual show featuring some of the biggest names and talented up-and-coming artists from the worlds of digital and graphic design, fine art and film.

Also sharing the spotlight will be backing vocalist Billie Godfrey, electric guitarist Asa Bennett, Joel Farland on electronic percussion and legendary bass guitarist Randy Hope-Taylor.

In an exclusive chat with The Star – view it all by clicking here – Glenn and Martyn told why they are performing their debut album and not Luxury Gap, which sparked more hits.

Glenn, now aged 51, said: "Penthouse and Pavement is the most important album to us. It was our first. Martyn had just left the Human League. I was living in London at the time, taking photographs. I came up, we went for a drink and he was asking what I was doing.

"He told me he was leaving the Human League and did I fancy coming up and forming another band. I said yes, definitely.

He added: "I can't believe it's 30 years ago. We never, ever performed it live. Not even back in the day, mainly because it was the time of video. MTV had just started and it was forging a new way through music.
"It was also trendy at the time not to play live. We were a studio band. We were also busy doing a follow up album, so we really didn't have the time.''

Martyn, aged 53, who lives near Glenn in London, added: "We could have done a world tour, but that would have meant going away from your loved ones and friends, probably for a year. We didn't want to do that. We had already seen what it was like doing long tours in Europe. But now the time is right for us. That's why it's happening after all this time."

Glenn, who says they have been working on new tunes, said they were both blown away by the Magna venue.

He explained: "My dad worked at Firth Browns – which is five minutes way. That's what he did all his life. I remember as a little lad, going in there and seeing them make steel and being amazed. Coming here and seeing it again has stirred some real emotions.

Martyn added: "Magna is a great place. The sounds of the drop forges, associated with all this, has influenced the sort of music we've done over the years.

"Looking back on it now I think it definitely influenced our love of electronic music. It's become an integral part of why we love our homeland.

"People have done VJ sets, accompanying tracks. But we've got famous digital artists coming up with their interpretation of the tracks. So it's not only a world premier at Magna, but a world first of a kind of gig. A hybrid of an art installation and a gig."

He said during the recording of Penthouse and Pavement they knew they were creating magic the rest of the world would want to listen to.
Martyn said: "I realised as soon as John Wilson played the bass solo in the middle of Fascist Groove Thang. I thought, 'oh my God. I would buy this record'.

Glenn explained how their decision not to play live back in the early days cost him a place on stage at the biggest music event in history.
On the Band Aid single, Do They Know It's Christmas, he sings the line: No rain nor rivers flow.

But he turned down the chance to perform it at Live Aid.
"I didn't perform it because at the time we didn't play live. We were there backstage,'' he revealed.

Heaven 17 team up with breakthrough electro artist La Roux for a live show on BBC 6 Music, Friday, January 28, 2010,at 7pm.

BUY TICKETS:

Tickets to see Heaven 17 at Magna, on Saturday, March 6, 2010, doors 7pm and show from 8pm, are £26.50 and VIP £85, may be subject to a booking fee

VIP includes champagne reception, three course dinner and exclusive access to the VIP Room, plus After Show Party with Guest DJ's, including Martin Ware.

Get your tickets now from from The Star Shop, York Street, Sheffield. Or buy online at arenaticketshop.co.uk, call 0114 2565656, also at visitmagna.co.uk and in person from Magna, Sheffield Road, Templeborough, Rotherham, S60 1DX.

WIN TICKETS TO WINTER GARDEN CONCERT ON FEBRUARY 11, 2010

For your chance to win a pair of tickets, by deadline on Wed Feb 3, 2010, at 10am - CLICK HERE


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