July 14, 2010 – The crowd is dancing and the sound of sonar is in the air. It can only mean one thing – The B-52s are in concert. But what else if not fun beats and strange sounds would be expected from the infamous party band. At Vienna, Virginia’s Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts, the group arrived with their signature hits and some new material, along with plenty of animation.
Opening act Supercluster may share the same hometown as the headliner, but they don’t share much talent; the set was a disappointment. But fortunately the B-52s were standing by to set things straight, and soon went about their duties with catchy riffs reminiscent of a more fun, zany time. “Wig” and “Mesopotamia” set a danceable tone for the rest of the show as both the band and the crowd were on their feet and moving to the music.
Free spirited singer Kate Pierson is a blast to watch and hear on stage as she shakes, shimmies, and lets her voice soar. That bright red hair is now a band trademark, and the show just wouldn’t have been the same without it. Often at her side, Cindy Wilson was in fine voice as she traded between dancing and bongo tapping.
As for the males in the band, Fred Schneider’s behavior on stage hasn’t changed much in the group’s history. Tossing his hands in the air and giving a very familiar monotone performance, it felt like the same old concert that could have seen decades ago. Keith Strickland by far maintained the most restrained demeanor, but that didn’t stop him from ripping it up on the guitar from time to time.
Together, the constant switch between female and male vocalists provided the unique sound that made the band famous, and stayed remarkably true to the original recordings.
The four didn’t have too much to say while sharing the stage, but a glitch during “Love in the Year 3000” did bring out some spontaneity. “I think the phasers wiped out our backing tracks,” quipped Fred Schneider after the song came to a sudden halt just one minute in.
Glitches behind them, the rest of the show was smooth sailing, and great listening. The band tested out a few selections from their newest work, Funplex. The title track was a success, but the crowd was less receptive to “Hot Corner“. Still, the new songs sound so similar to the old classics that none of them could ever disappoint.
But the clock was turned back to the ‘70s for fun favorites like “Planet Claire”. Pierson and Schneider took turns wandering around the stage in a faux trance during the song’s haunting rhythms, and the crowd ate it up. There was even additional space age beeping in the form of a flashing gadget waved around by Schneider. And the song’s impossibly high notes were handled by Pierson with ease.
There’s nothing serious about a B-52s concert, except some serious dancing of course. That’s one reason why the fans are still showing up in droves. And the other? Who would pass up the opportunity to hear “Love Shack” live.
Awesome article and pictures! Wish I could have been there.