by John Johnson , Photos by Chaz Dykes of Chaz D Photography
The “I Want My 80’s” concert tour kicked off its nostalgic run on May 28 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, bringing together four diverse acts from the 1980s for a night of retro magic. Headlined by Rick Springfield with John Waite, Wang Chung and John Cafferty, the show delivered a high-energy celebration of one of music’s most colorful decades. Each act brought its own flavor to the evening, giving fans a dynamic and varied experience that paid homage to the era’s iconic sound and style.
Opening the festivities was John Cafferty, whose gritty vocals and classic rock energy set the tone. Backed by a tight four piece group, Cafferty delivered spirited renditions of “On the Dark Side” and “Hearts on Fire,” reminding the crowd why he was such a standout in the ‘80s soundtrack scene. He gave a special shoutout to our hometown favorites Stormbringer, having played with them numerous times. Cafferty, with sky blue Gibson in tow, hasn’t lost that gritty Northeast blue-collar tone in his voice. Though his set was the shortest, he filled every song with sincere gratitude and quite a lot of energy.
Next up was Wang Chung, whose blend of new wave and synth-pop injected a playful vibe into the venue. How can you not be playful with a name like Wang Chung, which featured four players, including founding members Jack Hues and Nick Feldman. With tight instrumentation and infectious energy, the duo delivered fan favorites like “Dance Hall Days” and their signature hit, and show closer, “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”.
However, bassist Feldman spoke proudly about their work on the soundtrack to “Live and Die in LA”, saying that “it was one of the best things we’ve ever been involved in.” Their performance brought a modern edge to their retro catalog, and the crowd responded with enthusiastic singalongs and dancing at their seats. Of course the mostly middle-aged audience needed a little prodding from Feldman as he commanded “Don’t sit down for fuck sake!” The British duo were in prime shape, and singer guitarist Hues’ vocals were as crisp as I remember.
My friends in Walk the Chalk opened for them 40 plus years ago at The London Victory Club and I had the pleasure of meeting them. During intermission, the pair were greeting fans and taking pictures. And although I felt the urge to remind them of our meeting in the LVC kitchen decades passed, I opted not to embark down that path, being a story for a different time.
Next up in the tour’s first show, that is scheduled to run through October, was a personal favorite, John Waite. The dashing and charismatic Brit, decked in black suit and ornate dress shirt, hasn’t lost a step. Kicking off the show with solo hit “Change” and song from his original group The Baby’s, “Midnight Rendezvous”. The cadence on the latter wasn’t as recognizable as memory served, but his voice still sounds incredible for a man of 72, so he definitely gets a pass. His four piece band, also in all black ensembles, stepped aside for a moment to showcase Waite’s aforementioned vocal ability as he began “When I See You Smile”, acapela. Asking the congregation if they “Remember the Baby’s”, of course I responded with glee, he tore into “Isn’t it Time” and “Head First”. Interjecting before the latter to advise the attendees that it was in fact a “song about a blow job”. Waite’s stage presence was confident and engaging, and his set offered a range of memorable original material, that he finished off with a hard hitting Zeppelin tune.
Closing out the night was Rick Springfield, who proved why he remains a top draw decades after his heyday. Opening his set with a video collage, the mostly female audience cheered and gasped with delight for this trip down memory lane. With an extensive catalog, four songs in, Springfield offered a truncated medley of hits that included “Living in Oz”, “Bop til You Drop”, “Rock of Life” and a slice of Eddie Money’s signature ditty “Two Tickets to Paradise”. Charismatic and full of vitality, Springfield who is in incredible shape for 55 (especially when you realize that he’s actually 75), covered the stage throughout his performance.
When not high fiving audience members, or jumping up and down with his bassist, he strummed his guitar vigorously with the many dozens of roses that were laid on the stage by the previously mentioned throngs of females. Introducing a brand new song to the mostly hit filled set, Springfield offered only partially in jest, that “now would be a good time to go to the bathroom.” A notably somber moment during his performance was when he delivered the “only PSA of the evening” and spoke with great emotion of his battle with depression, and reminded all in attendance to reach out when they find themselves in a “dark place.”
Conversely, a humorous audience participation moment came when he separated the crowd into to the “below 55” section and the “56 and above” section, to see which group could sing the chorus of “Don’t Talk to Strangers” the loudest. It wasn’t even a competition, as approximately 75% of the crowd is into their 60’s, present company included. Before embarking on a walk about into the audience, the Australian asked anyone with a cold to “not touch” him, he ironically broke into an energized version of “Human Touch”.
He left the stage momentarily while the big screen played clips of different snippets from the last 40 years where his biggest hit “Jessies Girl” was either played, mentioned or even comedically mocked. The nearly packed house on their feet, Springfield returned to the stage, shirtless, to perform said hit. His rapport with the audience was effortless, and his performance was the perfect climax to an evening that celebrated the enduring appeal of ‘80s music. The “I Want My 80’s” tour started strong in Clearwater, delivering a show that felt, diverse, timeless and electric.
Now, go out and See, Hear and Feel live music.
