If anyone harboured doubts about whether Torbay could still party like it’s 1985, those doubts were spectacularly blown away on Saturday night.

The English Riviera welcomed music royalty as Spandau Ballet bassist-turned-DJ Martin Kemp brought his legendary Back to the 80s show to a packed-out Arena Torquay, delivering a night of high-octane nostalgia, neon, and non-stop hits.

Setting the Stage

The atmosphere was electric from the moment doors opened at 6:00 PM. Local revellers took the assignment seriously: the crowd was a glorious sea of neon leg warmers, oversized shoulder pads, and enough glitter to be seen from space. Warm-up duties fell to special guest DJ Chris Gregg, who brilliantly set the mood, spinning an infectious mix of 80s pop classics that had the early-birds dancing before the sun had even fully set outside.

The Main Event: True Class

By the time 9:30 PM rolled around, Arena Torquay was at fever pitch. When Martin Kemp finally bounded onto the stage, the roar from the crowd was deafening. Looking effortlessly cool, Kemp immediately proved that his charisma hasn’t aged a day since his Top of the Pops prime.

Far from just standing behind a deck pressing “play,” Kemp was a consummate showman. He was on his feet, singing along, pointing into the crowd, and orchestrating massive room-wide singalongs.

“Torbay, you are beautiful! Let’s go back to the best decade ever!” Kemp shouted over the opening bars of Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” sending the room into absolute meltdown.

Arena Torquay proved to be the perfect host for an event of this scale. The sound was punchy, the light show was suitably retro, and the staff handled the packed house with ease.

When the final notes of the encore faded at 10:30 PM, the exhausted but ecstatic crowd spilled out onto the Torquay harbour front, still humming the chorus to “Gold.” Martin Kemp promised a night to remember, and he delivered in spades. For one night only, Torbay didn’t just revisit the 80s—they lived them all over again.