I would like to complain about a review in the Croydon Guardian on November 22 of the Midge Ure concert at Fairfield Halls.

Your reviewer states that the "audience doesn't do itself any favours", claiming all the Midge Ure fans are balding (although sensibly dressed), dragging their wives or other halves along because they had nothing better to do.

For your information my friend who came with me, and myself both have a full head of hair and left our respective ladies at home. And what has any of this got to do with Midge Ure's performance anyway!

This brings into question your reporters' understanding of music and its audience.

He seems to think that we the audience only wanted to hear Ultravox songs and other 1980s nostalgia, which couldn't be further from the truth.

I was looking forward to hearing some of Midge's new material. A live performance is the only way I will get to hear anything new as radio stations have the same narrow-minded view as your reporter and only play past songs.

This is not a comeback tour. No one complained when Madonna didn't play her 80s hits on her last tour. It's accepted because she's moved on musically.

So has Midge Ure and he still played a varied mixture of songs which was great to hear.

Please ask your reviewers to have an open mind when writing future reviews and not make up their minds before they have even entered the auditorium. And stick to reviewing the artist, not the audience.

Andrew Haylett

Broadcoombe

Selsdon

December 5, 2001 17:30