Vince Clarke has it easy. Not like that Andy Bell character. Indeed, all Clarke needs to do is show up, stand there, and press some buttons. Somewhere along the way, he might even strum a few chords on the guitar -- play a little keyboard, perhaps.

But that's it. He just keeps to the one spot; occasionally smiling at his bandmate -- a sweaty and, at times, worn out Bell (the energetic one).

And that's how British synthpop duo Erasure has always worked. Clarke brings the beats, Bell sings the tunes. Simple as. They've done their time; penned the hits, lived the dream, etc. All that's left now is to provide their fans with a trip down memory lane. And that's exactly what Erasure (with more than a little help from their audience) have to offer in 2011 -- a loud, rapturous, and energetic throwback to days gone by.

Which is all well and good, but there's a fine line between a rollicking party and a spectacular live show.

Certainly, Bell is quite the attention seeker. Sparkling red jacket; a T-shirt held together with safety pins -- he's also a colourful dresser. But it takes an awful lot more than silly dance routines and a vibrant wardrobe to make a great front man.

Not that the fans seem to mind. True, the atmosphere remains electric throughout, but there's so much more that could have been done here.

For example, why go to the bother of assembling such a large stage set-up if you're not going to make use of it? Oh, and is it just me, or do all of Erasure's songs sound the same?

The hits keep coming (Chains of Love, Always, Love to Hate You) but there's only one that stands out from the rest, and that's 1988's wonderfully infectious A Little Respect.

Of course, there's a new album on the way, which means the band are currently road-testing a track called Save Me. But the audience don't care -- they're just here for the oldies.

And that's how the rest of the evening pans out. It's a quick one, too - 90 minutes in total. The fans look pleased with themselves as they leave the venue, but I can't help but feel as though it was all just a little too ... predictable. And mediocre.

Indeed, this was quite the shindig -- that much, I'll admit. But a truly memorable performance? Please.

HHIII

- Chris Wasser