Kim Wilde, Here Come The Aliens Tour, York Barbican, April 15

ONCE a rocker, always a rocker! Despite being presented as a fully fledged pop star, Kim Wilde always walked the harder rockier road with brother Ricky, taking their early influences from the burgeoning New Wave scene punctuated with glam rock sensibilities.

For although Kim Wilde records bore her name, Ricky was as much part of the Kim Wilde brand, if not even more so. Former teenage idol Rick wrote, produced and masterminded the entire back catalogue which has sold ten million albums and a further 20 million singles.

Ricky also leads Kim’s magnificent seven-piece band, which includes two full drum sets and the hottest guitarists to play York Barbican this season. With such a strong and much-loved repertoire, Ms Wilde obliged audiences with a heady mix of hits: Water On Glass, Another Step (Closer To You), View From A Bridge, the oft-misunderstood Cambodia and the audience-friendly Chequered Love, which bought the audience to its feet.

Tracks from new album Here Come the Aliens complemented the high-octane New Wave Billy Idol-esque set. In particular, Stereo Shot, 1969 and Pop Don’t Stop, resonated with the enthusiastic crowd.

Never really one for ballads, the one nod to an easier life came in the form of a semi-acoustic reading of the Bee Gees' If I Can’t Have You, which sparked an audience singalong with Kim. Mostly, however, the audience were there for the hits, which included the truly glorious You Came, You Keep Me Hanging On and the obvious finale, Kids In America.

Ian Sime