Gig Review: A night at the Roundhouse: Adam Ant’s “ANTMUSIC 2025” tour
On 2 November 2025, at the iconic Roundhouse in Chalk Farm, London, I found myself immersed in a crowd of loyal Ant‑warriors and first-time converts, drawn by a one-night-only performance from Adam Ant on his UK “ANTMUSIC 2025” tour.
The audience was a striking mix of my generation and older, male and female fans in almost equal measure. It felt like stepping into a time capsule of the early 1980s post‑punk/new wave era — veterans of the dance-floor movement and younger fans sharing in the nostalgia. Of particular note: many men aged 50-plus had clearly overdressed for the occasion — military-style cropped jackets, a dab of mascara around the eyes, and the obligatory white stripe of face‑paint across the nose.
Chalk Farm was buzzing, full of conversation and laughter, with fans swapping memories of their first encounter with Adam and the Ants — references to the punk film Jubilee, the legendary Live Aid performance, and other iconic moments of music history.
Before Ant took the stage, support came from Toyah, whose warm-up set was polished and energising — a perfect prelude to the main event. Toyah can still pack a punch. The setting itself was impressive: two drum kits were positioned high and prominently on stage, a visual and sonic reminder of the dual-drummer setup that defined the Ants’ sound. It was ideal for the opener “Dog Eat Dog”, a song very much driven by percussion. A few bars in, Adam joined the band to a hero’s welcome, decked in a familiar Hussar outfit, and looking fantastic for a man now in his early 70s.
His silent stare alone commanded attention — no words were necessary; every glance, tilt of the head, and pause was theatre, engaging every person in the audience simultaneously. Adam’s movements throughout the night were a study in controlled energy. He strode across the stage with the confidence of a performer at his peak, one hand occasionally brushing the microphone stand, the other gesturing with deliberate flair. When he paused, it was never idle; even a still moment radiated intensity, inviting the crowd to lean in, to absorb the presence of a true icon.
On songs like “Car Trouble” and “Young Parisians”, his body flowed with the rhythm, punctuating the dual-drummer beats with sharp, military-inspired steps and fluid arm movements. By the time “Desperate But Not Serious” played, he was at the edge of the stage, leaning into fans, making eye contact, and drawing them into every lyric.
Audience reactions were electric. Cheers erupted not only at the first notes of each song but at Adam’s slightest gesture — a long stare, or a tilt of his chin. There was a sense of collective memory being awakened; conversations between strangers, spontaneous sing-alongs, and nods of recognition filled the air.
Did I get jostled by the odd energetic 50-year-old in full face-paint and Ants regalia?
Yes — but it only added to the shared joy and original punk roots.
Did I sing out the words to every song?
Absolutely — I did!
For a few hours, we were all participants in a living, breathing celebration of post-punk theatre. The setlist moved seamlessly from early Ants material to solo hits. The dual drummers pounded out interlocking rhythms, creating that stomping, danceable groove that defined the Ants’ classic sound.
“Goody Two Shoes” ended the main set to thunderous applause, but everyone knew he would return for the encore. When he reappeared to perform “Stand & Deliver”, the energy in the Roundhouse reached a fever pitch. The audience sang every word, arms raised, voices echoing off the walls.
It was both a personal and collective moment — fans reliving memories, celebrating the theatricality, and sharing in the joy of a performer who remains timeless. The only minor blemish of the evening was the exit.
Knees creaking, we shuffled slowly down the steps, leaving the intensity of the performance behind. Yet even that short walk back to the train station was filled with conversation, laughter, and the lingering sense of awe.
This tour is more than nostalgia: it’s a reaffirmation that Adam Ant’s contribution to British pop and post-punk culture remains pronounced.
His career began in the late 1970s with the band Adam and the Ants, gained chart-topping force with albums like Kings of the Wild Frontier (1980) and Prince Charming (1981), and then transitioned into a solo career with Friend or Foe (1982) and hits like “Goody Two Shoes”.
Song by song, the night at the Roundhouse reinforced how Ant’s music combined swagger, drama, theatricality, and sheer danceable groove. When “Stand & Deliver” exploded through the speakers, the crowd leapt in unison, voices raised, faces beaming. The dual-drummer setup, powerful and rhythmic, amplified every stomp and flourish, cementing that visceral connection between performer and audience.
Beyond the setlist, the audience itself formed part of the show — a community of shared memory, half-expectation, and full delight. Seeing 50-plus men in cropped jackets and makeup, women in vintage tee-shirts, and younger fans standing shoulder-to-shoulder, it was clear that Adam Ant’s art still resonates across generations.
If you missed this show, you missed more than just a two-hour concert: you missed a night of collective cultural release, a pop icon revisiting his peak with fire still lit, and an audience that carried the torch. The only regret I have is that the exit couldn’t be as swift as the entrance.
The real “after-party” was the ride home, still humming the tunes, still feeling the echoes. Did I feel like the ten-year-old running around the playgroup with my mum’s silk scarf tucked into my trousers and white chalk smeared across my face?
Absolutely — and that feeling stayed with me long after the lights went down.
The UK tour runs until 25 November, hitting cities including Brighton, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, and Sheffield. If you haven’t seen him yet, grab a ticket — this is as close as you’ll get to witnessing the original post-punk swagger live.
Written by Sacha Purmessur
Opinion
