Soft Cell to perform final ever show

21 February 2018

Synth pop pioneers Soft Cell have reunited for a "final show".

Soft Cell

Marc Almond and David Ball are getting back together for a last celebration of their career with their fans at The O2 arena in London.

Singer Almond, 60, announced the curtain call for Soft Cell on Wednesday (21.02.18) and admitted it was the perfect time to give the fans what they want as it is the "40th year" of the group.

He said: "We're doing it because it's our 40th year. It's a one off. The final thing, [for] one night only ... With Soft Cell I always felt something was unfinished. This last ever final show will be the best ever ending. It will be a real statement and send off, and thank you to every fan. 'Neither of us want to do a tour, but we do want to say goodbye to the fans."

Ball added "We live in very interesting times, and 2018 promises to be a very special year."

Almond and multi-instrumentalist Ball, 58, are famous for numerous hits in the 1980s, including 'Say Hello, Wave Goodbye' - famously re-imagined by David Gray - 'Torch' and their cover of Gloria Jones' Northern Soul classic 'Tainted Love'.

Soft Cell are considered to be one of the most influential groups to emerge from the electronic music scene in the UK in the 1980s.

They released five albums, book-ended by their debut; 1981's 'Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret', and 2002's 'Cruelty Without Beauty'.

The pair originally split in 1984, before well-received reunions between 2001 and 2005.

Almond also had a number of solo hits, with 'Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart', his duet with the late Gene Pitney, becoming a global number one.

Almond's contribution to music was recognised in 2013 when he was presented with the prestigious Ivor Novello Inspiration Award, and he was honoured with an OBE in this year's New Year's Honours List. Ball went on to form The Grid, peaking with million-selling international hit 'Swamp Thing', as well as working as a producer and writer for the likes of Kylie Minogue and remixer for David Bowie, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, Yello and The B-52's.

Soft Cell will perform their 'Say Hello, Wave Goodbye' final ever concert at The O2 on Sunday September 30, 2018.

Tickets and information for the show will be available from Softcell.co.uk and Ticketmaster.