The B-52s are moseying through my town in a few weeks. While I have been aware of them since the 90s, lately I have been digging them a lot. I’ve probably listened to “Cosmic Thing” a dozen times in the last couple months–so many fun songs, like deadbeat club and topaz.
The problem is the tickets are over $40 each. Has anyone seen the B-52s in the last 5 or 10 years? Were they good? Would you pay $40? (If it was $20 or $25 I wouldn’t hesitate, but at this point, two tickets and a drink each for my SO and myself is going to be a C-spot, which ain’t exactly cheap.)
I saw them in the summer of '08 when they were promoting a new record. The one with “Funplex” on it. They. Were. Awful. I can’t even find words to describe how awful they were. The performance was flat, their voices were off-key and the new songs, especially “Funplex,” were terrible.
I’ve been (a remain) a big fan of theirs over the years and saw them a couple of times back in the late '80s/early '90s, so I know they have it in them to put on a good show. And my views may have been colored by the fact that I hadn’t heard the new album. Also, I think they may have just started touring again that year after a long absence, so they may have been rusty. But I’d rank the '08 show up there as one of the worst I’ve ever seen from anybody.
I saw them about 10 years ago. They were old, but still mostly fun. But they came off as an oldies act. I saw them with the Pretenders who still sounded like a real band.
I haven’t seen them in three years or so but here’s a video my brother took at their Mission Viejo concert over Labor Day. He said they were slammin’ and he’s not even as big a fan as I.
I’m always tempted to see some of those “old” bands from the 70s-80s that are still touring. Blondie, B52s, Devo, BeachBoys, etc. However I immediately change my mind most of the time when I check out youtube videos of recent performances. Most are really awful.
I know some will disagree but I saw a recent concert on TV a year or so ago with The Who performing. Absolutely god-awful.
I saw them in… mmmm… 90? And this (with the exception of the “Funplex” part) is exactly what I would’ve written. They were in a venue that was MADE for them, the crowd was a great and enthusiastic mix of folks, they should have completely rocked the house, and they… didn’t. I was extremely disappointed, and quite glad I’d gotten the tickets for free.
I saw them in '97-‘98. They weren’t in peak form by any means, but were a lot of fun and they shared a bill with the Pretenders and the Royal Crown Revue (a loungecore band sort of in the same vein as the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies). If you’re looking for vocal virtuosity, skip 'em, but if you’re looking for a fun time and a chance to let your freak flag fly, go ahead!
A woman brought her tiny (8 yrs old?) daughter to the show and they both sported B-52 hairdos. The little girl kept shaking her head until it unraveled. Cute! You don’t see that at a Smash Mouth concert,
