Boney M, Mark Williams @ The Gov, Adelaide 24/6/2024
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing…
Boney M are one of those bands that you would be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t know who they were. When it was announced that they were coming back to town it was definitely on my list of shows not to miss. Like many people of, “ahem”, my generation, we grew up on Boney M. Going through my parents vinyl collection to find a number of classic Boney M seven inch singles was part of the pre-gig lead up. These timeless disco classics and catchy tunes definitely do take you back to a particular point time when you heard it either on the radio or in a night club.
So disco superstars Boney M featuring Maizie Williams returned to Adelaide for the second sold out and final show at The Gov as part of their Farewell Tour. The demand for this tour was unprecedented selling out well in advance and with the demand so strong that if they added another show or two they would have been sold out as well.
It was a wintry, rainy, cold Monday night but that didn’t stop a big crowd assembling to enjoy these disco classics one last time. Opening act Mark Williams well and truly warmed the stage playing the songs of Hot Chocolate as well as a few of his own. He was fantastic, getting hips shaking and feet shuffling. What time is it? It was “Disco Time”! The set was loaded with bangers starting with So You Win Again then Heaven Is The Back Seat Of My Cadillac. Williams took a look at “the beautiful faces” saying “its pissing down, it’s a Monday night, what the fuck?” referring to the sold out Adelaide on a school night. The good times continued with Girl Crazy, It Started With A Kiss then one of his own in Gimme Little Sign.
From here things went in to overdrive with Hot Chocolate classic Everyone’s A Winner followed by Mark’s big hit single Show No Mercy leaving the stage with You Sexy Thing and the statement “my name is Mark Williams don’t you forget it. The atmosphere and vibe in The Gov felt like a Friday night.
Boney M need no introduction! With the band taking the stage and the crowd hyped up it was ninety minutes of disco bangers to come starting with Let It All Be Music. If I had half the energy of Maizie Williams at seventy three years young I reckon I would be doing alright. Absolute professional who looks fantastic and sounds great. With an abundance of riches to draw on it was Sunny, Daddy Cool and Hooray! Hooray! It’s a Holi-Holiday. The crowd were up and about, singing and dancing… it was awesome to watch.
Belfast and Ma Baker were excellent before slowing it down with a love song Malaika Nakupenda then getting the crowd involved on Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry. With a costume change and band introductions there was short teaser of Queen’s We Will Rock You. The second part of the main set was classic Boney M all the way with the likes of Baby Do You Wanna Bump, Brown Girl in the Ring and Bahama Mama. Maizie said anytime was Boney M time and there was an overwhelming sense of gratitude from her to the fans that have been a part of the journey. Whilst this was a celebration there is a tinge of sadness to that this is the last time. Fingers crossed there is a change of heart with the fiftieth anniversary next year.
What a way to finish the main set with Rasputin and their biggest number one Rivers of Babylon. Having left the stage the crowd were wanting more and with the final thank you’s done it was Gotta Go Home that brought the Adelaide leg of the tour to a close. This show was the perfect way to remember Boney M featuring Maizie Williams.
Live Review Rob Lyon