I recently saw The B-52's live at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht. When I heard they were coming, I instantly knew it would be an unmissable occasion. I couldn't remember the band ever performing anywhere near me, and there was good reason for that: this was only their third performance in the Netherlands in the past 45 years. As for Athens, Greece, where I lived until 2009, these Athenians from Georgia never set foot in their Old World namesake—at least not to perform. The show was a resounding success. Any concerns that age might have slowed them down disappeared immediately. From the opening notes of Planet Claire to the raucous closing Rock Lobster, it was an exuberant, high-energy performance full of infectious party spirit and the wonderfully offbeat humour that has always set them apart.
To prepare for the concert, I had put on this DVD I had laying around the house. It is actually a DVD/CD box set - I've certainly listened to the CD a few times in the last decade, but this may well have been the first time I watched the rhe entire concert. Apart from the inclusion of several songs from their then-new Funplex album (2008), it came remarkably close to the show I experienced myself. True, these songs have been dropped from the setlist in the meantime, but they don't weigh down the performance at all. "Pump"'s infectious riff, for once, makes for an excellent concert opener - it's no "Planet Claire" but it comes close. The rest ("Ultraviolet", "Funplex", "Love In The Year 3000", "Hot Corner") are all highly energetic dance-oriented tunes featuring zany lyrics, Fred's manic shouted declarations, and the glorious harmonies of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. At their weakest they may remind you of The Spice Girls, but at their best they're like Martha and the Vandellas fronting Talking Heads. Still, the newer material is really the potatoes here; the meat is the run of classics from the late '70s and early '80s, particularly their self-titled debut (1979) and Wild Planet (1980). Every one of them is performed superbly. The live band trades the angular post-punk edge of the early records for a fuller, warmer, and more organic sound. Purists may find the arrangements a little too polished, and some will inevitably miss Ricky Wilson's singular guitar playing. Yet Keith Strickland, who took over guitar duties following Ricky's tragic AIDS-related death in 1985, proves himself a more conventional but by no means inferior guitarist. He nails the surf-inspired riffs while adding tasteful fills that flesh out the band's sound. "Mesopotamia" (orig. 1982) is reminiscent of The Talking Heads' funky new wave, while the songs from Cosmic Thing (1989) are best suited to the band's live configuration: warmer and sunnier, with the ladies' soulful vocals gaining the upper hand from Fred's more abrasive half-singing half-talking style. "Roam" is one of the highlights, but the band keep the best for last: perfect party tune "Love Shack" is delivered with irresistible gusto, driven by an irresistibly funky bass groove. For years I couldn't make out what the response was to Fred's immortal question "Your... what??" Now I know, and so does everyone in the audience who shout out in unison "Tin! Roof! Rusted!". The concert climaxes with two of the band's earliest, best, and weirdest, tunes: "Planet Claire" and "Rock Lobster". Can't think of a better ending, really. A 76-minute (90 minutes for the DVD, which includes 3 more tracks) relentless non-stop party; if there's any downside, it's the lack of any significant variation in tempo - basically, the band hits top gear from the get go, and never ease up. The DVD itself is just a professionally shot straightforward document of the performance. It's enjoyable to watch the band playing to an adoring hometown audience, some sporting very eccentric costumes. The surround sound is clean and immersive, although not especially revelatory, while the stereo mix is equally effective at conveying the atmosphere of a live concert.Despite the polished arrangements, enough rough edges remain to preserve the feel of a genuine live performance rather than a studio reconstruction of the event. The result is both an excellent introduction for newcomers and a rewarding live document for longtime fans. More than anything, it captures the B52's in their natural element, proving they remain one of rock's greatest party bands.
***** for Planet Claire, Rock Lobster
**** for Pump, Private Idaho, Mesopotamia, Give Me Back My Man, Roam, 52 Girls, Party Out Of Bounds, Cosmic Thing, Love Shack
*** for Ultraviolet, Funplex, Whammy Kiss, Love In The Year 3000, Hot Corner, Wig
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