The hair is greying, grey or gone. Not all the original bandmembers remain road warriors. Subs included able musicians half their age.
The six-pack of acts that hit the pop charts in the 1980s delivered a spunky and economical performance on the Lost 80s Live tour’s Aug. 26 stop at the Pacific National Exhibition Fair’s amphitheatre. Sets were heavy on the hits and B-sides kept to a minimum. The odd cover song thrown-in for good measure. They all lived up to a primary rule of showbiz: leave them wanting more.
The tour returns to the Pacific Northwest on Sept. 3 at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, which features Naked Eyes instead of Men Without Hats. It wraps up Sept. 30 in North Carolina. –Bob Mackin
The only touring member of the original A Flock of Seagulls, singer/keyboardist Mike Score, ended Lost 80s Live at the PNE Fair with “I Ran.” (Mackin)
Men Without Hats’ Ivan Doroschuk opened with “Safety Dance.” The leader of the Montreal band now lives in Victoria and his guitarist is DOA collaborator Sho Murray. (Mackin)
Wang Chung’s Nick Feldman (left) and Cutting Crew’s Gareth Moulton played the band’s hits “Let’s Go,” “Dance Hall Days,” and Everybody Have Fun Tonight” that originally featured Jack Hues. (Mackin)
Valerie White and John Smith of Portland “I Can’t Wait” hitmaker Nu Shooz kicked-off Lost 80s Live at the PNE Fair. They played in Vancouver for the first time since 1986. (Mackin)
Clive Farrington (left) and Andrew Mann from When In Rome U.K. fulfilled their promise at Lost 80s Live. (Mackin)
Animotion’s Astrid Plane and former Vancouverite Bill Wadhams. (Mackin)
