John Foxx and The Maths @ The Arches, 23 October

As the frontman for Ultravox until 1979, John Foxx was central to the development of synthpop, a genre which has branched off in myriad unforeseen directions since. Tonight’s support act Tara Busch explores its more theatrical possibilities, with a set that revels in the organic, teeming qualities of analogue synths. Chord sequences are overlaid with scuttling beats, recalling Björk’s more grandiose moments; Busch is able to both coax new qualities from vintage equipment, and to marry these with contemporary ideas.

From the outset, Foxx and his current band the Maths make intelligent use of strobes and smoke machines to conjure an authentically early-80s atmosphere. As well as deploying an array of synths and electronic percussion, the band embellishes the songs with live violin and bass; it's a setup that works particularly well for the songs taken from this year’s album Interplay.

That new material demonstrates subtle advances on the blueprint established early in Foxx’s career, but tonight is ultimately a demonstration of the enduring appeal of the classic synthpop sound. Perhaps inevitably, the set closes with Underpass, still sounding as fresh as it did in 1980; evidence that, for all of the movements this genre has inspired, it retains a compelling simplicity three decades on.