I can't believe how excited I was getting and then there they were on stage, Cindy wreathed in smiles and barefoot, Kate tossing her red locks, both having activated their shimmy mechanism as soon as they stepped on stage, and Fred and Keith looking impossibly thin in skin-tight trews. The bassist (who's name I missed) fitted right in in her silver lurex mini-frock, plus drummer and keyboard/guitarist. And so the magic began...They opened with 'Pump', the opening track from the new album, 'Funplex', and one of my favourites. Kate pumped her arms up and down, Fred declamed in true fashion and Cindy skipped around the stage (I worried she might step on something without shoes), while Keith was all guitar-hero. Kate didn't stop moving throughout the show, shimmying over to sing beside Cindy and back to her place again, arms up and moving, working the audience and being thoroughly gorgeous. I was delighted to see Cindy get a couple of bongo solos when she wasn't dancing around the stage and singing. They were all so *up* that it was a delight to see them. I was covered in smiles from the start, clapping and drumming along, singing and slipping further into the Funplex with every song. It was one of those gigs that should've just gone on and on.
Their whole career was represented tonight and it was a joy to behold. They're probably got three main periods - the new wave start in the late '70s beginning with 'Rock Lobster', their mainstream days with 'Cosmic Thing' in the late '80s and the present, with the excellent 'Funplex'. They played songs from each of those periods and proudly paraded a few inbetweenies, like 'Mesopotamia' and 'Private Idaho'.
Fred left the stage while the girls sang the new single, 'Juliet Of the Spirits' and (one of my favourites) 'Roam', and I think that's something I really like about the B-52's - they have three lead singers. Each of them can take the lead or they can share it out in almost call-and-response mode, and it all works. And they all have the stage presence to keep your eyes glued to whoever is leading at any particular time. They've been doing this for long enough to know what to do and they gave us the full package, full throttle, tonight. And I am so pleased that they did.
How can I possibly choose any favourites from a nearly perfect gig? Perfection would've required at least another two hours on stage... 'Pump' is a great opener and I like 'Juliet Of The Spirits', 'Hot Corner' (with its chorus that I hear as 'waiting for the bus from London to come'), 'Love In The Year 3000' with Fred's time machine and, after a truly great 'Funplex', Fred advised us not to go shopping at the local mall on pills and booze but I'm not sure anyone was listening to him... Of the oldies I'd pick out 'Roam' and 'Love Shack', both timeless glories. Going further back, I was gobsmacked to see and hear 'Planet Claire' and a euphoric 'Rock Lobster'. I bought the 'Rock Lobster' single back in 1978 (with the black and white plate-spinner picture sleeve) and never expected to see them play it live. But they did. And I saw Fred miming rowing to safety and bashing the lobster over the head so he could escape it's grasp. As I said earlier, mad.This was a marvellous gig. If you missed it, shame on you. It didn't have a flash light-show or special effects but it did have four special people on stage who've written and performed some glorious music over the years. It was a thrill and a privilege to witness them in action tonight. Come back soon and share the madness and euphoric glory. Please?
Let's 'Keep This Party Going' shall we?
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