Indeed, it is very possible that Starlight Theatre‘s best lineup of ’80s artists is upon us this summer. From synthpop to classic rock to country music, this season is jam packed with names that etched the decade in stone. Week after week throughout Fall, the venue delivered jaw-dropping announcements of must-see concerts. Kicking off four months of pure exhilaration in prime fashion were the openers of last night’s “Last Summer on Earth” tour. This year on the Barenaked Ladies’ annual excursion were two British electro-legends, Howard Jones and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
Howard Jones opened the evening by serving up those quintessential synth-heavy sounds of the decade that only he could ever create. Fans scurried to their seats as he hit the stage right on time with his 3-man group consisting of an electronic drummer and second synthesizer. Producer’s Circle was loaded with die-hards who purchased a ticket for the opening act, but even the headliner’s loyal fans were totally engrossed by the end of his set. With a wide array of hits, including “What Is Love” (1983), “Things Can Only Get Better” (1985) and “Everlasting Love” (1989), Jones got the crowd invigorated in a hurry. It was an absolute rare and truly nostalgic occasion to catch this iconic artist in our area. Although he has had some dates on the coasts and performed as a part of some of the ’80s reunion tours traveling across North America, it was his first time in Kansas City in 30 years—a circumstance which prompted him in playing “New Song” (1983), his very first single and instant international hit.
After a short intermission and chance for the techs to reset, OMD entered the amphitheater with a bang by playing its influential anti-war song “Enola Gaye” (1980), the hit which garnered the group its first bit of popularity. Although personnel has changed a tad throughout the years since 1978, it still consists of its two key founding members, Andy McCluskey (vocals and bass) and Paul Humphrey (keyboards and vocals). However, Martin Cooper (keyboards and saxophone), who later rejoined in 2005, spent the entire decade of the ’80s with the band. McCluskey danced the night away with his English swagger and kept the crowd on its feet for the group’s entire set as it reveled in and relived those synth hits like “Joan of Arc” (1981), “Locomotion” (1984) and “So In Love” (1985). And—tugging at the heart strings of everyone in attendance—OMD even shared its taste of Hollywood and biggest U.S. hit of all, that “Pretty in Pink” featured soundtrack tune that perfectly symbolizes the era, “If You Leave” (1986). Seeing the group live was yet another extraordinary opportunity and nostalgic thrill.
One last break in the music before the headlining Barenaked Ladies were on. The stage was setup with a short backdrop hiding the electronic and percussion instruments as the crew launched with a four-song acoustic set to ease the crowd in for the onslaught of high-energy entertainment about to commence. Although the band gained success during the ’90s, it formed in 1988 and is still fronted by founder Ed Robertson (vocals and guitar). It has still maintained a classic lineup, however, with Jim Creeggan (bass and vocals) and Tyler Stewart (drums and vocals) joining in 1990 and Kevin Heart (keyboard, guitar and vocals) in 1995. The group became popular in its native country upon the release of its self-titled debut cassette in 1990, which was the first gold-certified independent release in Canada.
A show with Barenaked Ladies is truly so much more than just a concert. It’s live music juxtaposed with interactive stand-up comedy and dancing. A concoction of genres with the inclusion of some hysterical improvisational rap. Some directly contrived on the spot just for us Kansas Citians with featured topics like burnt end “meat sweats” and “them there seals” at our beloved zoo. The crowd never sat as it was captivated by the variety and those hit tunes, including “If I Had $1000000” (1992), “Brian Wilson” (1993), “The Old Apartment” (1996), “It’s All Been Done” (1998) and its U.S. chart-topper “One Week” (1998). To the adulation of all, Howard Jones returned to the stage as well for a joint performance of “No One Is to Blame” (1985). Capping it off was a compilation of cover songs featuring “Lean On Me” dedicated to Muhammad Ali and “I Would Die 4 U” for Prince plus an hugely popular encore with drummer Tyler Stewart on the mic. Oh, and Darth Vader even showed up too. Class acts, all of them, very obviously just loving every moment they are on stage together.
Although our planet is most likely to live and see another summer, if this had to be the last, then all three acts are sure making certain that it goes out in perfect style. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the “Last Summer on Earth” tour hits Starlight Theatre again next year and that we have another chance in the future to catch Howard Jones and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in Kansas City. In the mean time, check out these newly released titles from the artists—Jones’ “Engage” (2015) project on CD and DVD, OMD’s “Junk Culture” (1984) now available as a double-disc deluxe edition with original recordings remastered and Barenaked Ladies’ live album “BNL Rocks Red Rocks” (2015).
