Live Review: Simple Minds, The B-52's

There are still empty seats galore as The B-52's hit the stage. What's wrong with people? The band open with Cosmic Thing and we can't believe how consistent Fred Schneider's trademark speak-singing is; we'd recognise it anywhere.

With the colourful scene before us — Cindy Wilson's blue beehive wig makes her resemble Marge Simpson in a similar hued muumuu, and flame-haired Kate Pierson sports a gold ensemble with flared sleeves that looks super fun for go-go dancing — latecomers could be forgiven for thinking, "What's going on?" Mesopotamia's lyrics are suitably mystical, "I'll meet you at the third pyramid". The B-52's close out one song with a nod to Prince (RIP) via Raspberry Beret. There's a lot of love being danced out into the world during Lava, but a couple of onstage moments lean toward cruise-ship entertainment territory. The B-52's carry on in character during between-song banter as well, asking us if we've ever been abducted by aliens. Is That You Mo-Dean? (with repeated lyrical mentions of an "astral projector") makes us feel as if we're currently being abducted by aliens. Schneider is hilarious. After demanding that we "Woo!" to demonstrate enthusiasm, he turns to his bandmates and quips, "They don't sell ready". Private Idaho gets a great response from the crowd and Roam takes us there while Sterling Campbell adds crisp beats from behind the drum kit. "Can you name all 52?" Pierson inquires leading into 52 Girls. Love Shack is off-tap and all eagerly participate in the "knock a little louder"/"BANG! BANG!" section. The B-52's leave the stage, but we holler for their return since we've not yet heard Rock Lobster!

They return for an encore and we're transported to Planet Claire, which is so far-out it's out of bounds and completely elevates in this live manifestation. We're all flailing limbs, mimicking each other's crazy retro dance moves. But it really is all about Rock Lobster. There's nothing quite so funny as hearing The B-52's replicating those sea-creature noises ("Here comes a stingray!"). What a terrific finish! "Tell your friends about us!" Schneider enthuses, which makes us a little bit sad.

Before Simple Minds even hit the stage, all are upstanding and dancing to the intro (their own majestic synth anthem Theme For Great Cities). Then on bounds lead singer Jim Kerr wearing a tasteful tartan scarf to represent his homeland and jeans with seams that must be made of steel, which he tests out with a variety of almost-side splits posturing ("Don't try this at home," he warns during one such stretch). Waterfront detonates and we immediately know we're in for a ripper show. The synth parts in Love Song positively shimmer and this song wouldn't sound out of place on any dancefloor right now it's so ahead of its time. Blindfolded, from the band's 16th studio album (Big Music) keeps us in da club.  

In the front row, bang-smack centre, a fanboi — with arms reaching stageward — hollers each lyric back at Kerr. Kerr notices him and we're reminded of Mark Wahlberg's character in Rock Star. Guitarist Charlie Burchill beams up there and stunning Welsh multi-instrumentalist Catherine AD calls to mind fictional supervillainess Poison Ivy. Kerr must do yoga; he drops to his haunches and bends right back to the stage with ease.       

Molly Meldrum is escorted into the photography pit and to a seat right in front of aforementioned super-fan. Kerr acknowledges, "Good golly, miss Molly!" A killer double-header of Promised You A Miracle followed by Glittering Prize sees us dusting off the '80s dance moves. At the tail end of crowd favourite Don't You (Forget About Me), Kerr dishes some quality banter. Requesting that we sing along with the "la-la-la-la" part, but in French(?), he then labels us "Bi [pause] lingual". And even Meldrum is up on his feet and dancing come main set closer Sanctify Yourself. Meldrum is handed the mic (oh, no!) and expresses his love for this band before sharing a story that he once told Kerr he couldn't understand a word Burchill said (Burchill tells that this was mutual since he couldn't understand a word Meldrum said, either).

A three-song encore culminates in Alive & Kicking and the interstellar, cowbell-heavy New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84). As the outro tape of David Bowie's The Jean Genie plays, we're as excited as we were when we first discovered Simple Minds in our early teens.