B-52s belt out classics at a fashion-forward Chicago dance party
May 1, 2008, at House of Blues
By Amy Formanski
Published: May 3rd, 2008 | 9:05pm
Despite the 16-year gap between albums, the B-52s have maintained their stage presence by consistently touring throughout the past decade. At House of Blues, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson belted out high-register harmonies that put today's tween stars to shame, while Fred Schneider tirelessly kicked up his heels, and guitarist Keith Strickland serenely bopped along.
But first, during Eagle Seagull's opening set, the diverse crowd — a mix of beer-slugging middle-aged couples, sandal-clad hippies, and young girls sporting retro dresses — stood still wearing blasé expressions. The
Once B-52s hit the stage, I remembered why I envied Wilson and Pierson's vibrant wardrobes when I was 13. Pierson's hair glowed candy-apple red in low lighting and then fuchsia under bright stage lights. Her lacy red-and-black dress mixed Victorian and dominatrix styles and a glittery red peace sign necklace dangled past her waist.
Schneider wore a humorous red T-shirt that showed a horse with an upside-down ice cream cone on its forehead that looked like a unicorn horn. Donning sunglasses and black and white striped pants, he clowned around on stage doing The Pony. Strickland strummed his guitar off to the left of the stage, looking trim and hip in a button-down black shirt and tuxedo pants. The audience participated in the balls-out fashion show with mod mini-dresses, gogo boots, and not one, but two sky-high beehives.
Everyone was decked out for a dance party and the B-52s got the crowd moving with new tunes and old hits. After playing “Pump” from their new album Funplex (Astralwerks), the crowd cheered and grooved to 1980's “Private Idaho." Continuing with the old faves, Pierson and Wilson sang “Roam” side by side and flawlessly hit all the high notes. Before he sang "Channel Z," Schneider commented that when they wrote the "political tirade" 20 years ago the government was total mess, and now it's even worse.
But it’s more than social commentary has kept the band relevant. New songs like "Hot Corner" boast more electronic elements than their older tracks, but retain the band's signature surf-rock sound and silly lyrics. The most enchanting new song, "Juliet of the Spirits," features Pierson and
Issue #35
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