With the Now Now Festival just weeks away, excitement is building for the arrival of synth-pop innovators Blancmange, set to share a stage with icons The Human League. For frontman Neil Arthur, the idea of performing for South African audiences—many of whom grew up with Living on the Ceiling without ever seeing the band live—is still sinking in.

“It is surreal,” he admits to HOT 1027 Breakfast’s Bunny Majaja, his Lancashire warmth coming through immediately. “I’m really looking forward to giving everybody a blast of our sound.”

Blancmange formed in the late 1970s, blending experimental electronics with unexpected influences—from Asian percussion to post-punk textures. Their early ’80s albums produced global hits and helped define a generation of British electronic music. After a long hiatus, Arthur revived the project in the 2010s, releasing a remarkable run of albums and continuing the band’s legacy after the retirement—and eventual passing—of his longtime collaborator Stephen Luscombe.

“I haven’t really talked about it,” Arthur says quietly. “There’s a lot of emotion tied up in all this. It’s going to be an absolute pleasure to play Blancmange’s music… and honour everything we created.”

Asked what South Africans can expect from the upcoming show, Arthur promises a journey through the hits, along with material from the band’s more recent, prolific output.

“We’ll be playing the hits from the ’80s—and some of the new stuff. It is very, very electronic. That’s the core of our sound,” he says. “We were like magpies in the beginning… picking up influences from everywhere.”

One of those influences was Asian music, thanks to UK radio stations in the ’80s and their rich cross-cultural playlists. This eventually led Blancmange to collaborate with virtuosos such as Pandit Dinesh. “Dinesh had this amazing array of percussive instruments… and an even better talent for playing them,” Arthur laughs. “It all just grew from being curious.”

But for all the innovation, the heart of the band’s success remains in the connection with fans—something Arthur describes with raw humility.

“One of the most humbling things,” he reflects, “is when the audience sings the melody of Living on the Ceiling. I sometimes tear up. I think, How lucky am I? These people are enjoying something I had a part in creating.”

And as for the band name? Arthur settles that debate—deliciously. “I don’t like blancmange!” he declares. “It was just meant to be something completely throwaway… we almost called ourselves A Pint of Curry instead.”

As they prepare to take the stage at Marks Park on 9 May, Arthur says he simply hopes fans walk away feeling joy.“It’s only a bit of music,” he smiles. “But if it’s an escape—even for a moment—that’s great, isn’t it?”

Don’t miss Blancmange and The Human League at Marks Park on 9 May 2026 — secure your spot now via Webtickets.