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The 2014 Retro Futura Tour at the Pennysaver Amphitheatre at Bald Hill

The 2014 Retro Futura Tour at the Pennysaver Amphitheatre at Bald Hill
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Katrina (ex-Katrina & The Waves), China Crisis, Midge Ure, Howard Jones & Tom Bailey from the Thompson Twins
Pennysaver Amphitheatre at Bald Hill
The 2014 Retro Futura Tour
Farmingville, NY 11738
August 23, 2014

On a pleasant Saturday evening in late August, The Retro Futura Tour, featuring five of the '80s biggest modern rock acts, touched down in Farmingville, NY. The small outdoor Long Island amphitheater sits on the location of the former Bald Hill Ski Bowl and has been compared to New Jersey's PNC Bank Arts Center because of its extensive lawn seating (which can accommodate 4,000 people) right behind the 3,000 seat orchestra/stadium seating sections of the arena.

In past years the tour was called the Regeneration Tour. For its 2014 version, the show has been rebranded as Retro Futura. Though the name and the bands are different the format remains the same. A number of new wave bands tour together with each act performing for 30-45 minutes and the headliner(s) performing for approximately an hour.

As the parking lot began to fill it became apparent that the evening's festivities would be just as much about the performance as it would be a trip down memory lane. Audience members arrived all dressed up in their eighties finery—old WLIR and WDRE t-shirts, concert tees from '80s bands (some long-gone and some still going strong). A number of women were wearing bustier tops that seemed to have been broken-out specifically for the occasion. One fan even managed to straddle both worlds (past and present) by wearing a white "FRANKIE SAYS RELAX" t-shirt under a natty sports coat.

The conversation at the many tailgates in the lot centered around two specific topics—"do you remember when" and "back in the day." Disc jockeys DJ Andre, Rob Krush and Larry The Duck, all from the defunct WLIR 92.7 radio station took turns acting as the masters-of-ceremony, spinning tunes and tales between the sets while keeping the audience engaged and introducing each of the artists.

This year's performers, Katrina Leskanich (who was billed as ex-Katrina & The Waves); China Crisis; Midge Ure (who has had success as a solo artist and as a member of Ultravox, Visage, the Rich Kids and Slik) and co-headliners Howard Jones and Tom Bailey (from The Thompson Twins), helped transform the venue into a latter-day outdoor version of WLIR/WDRE's famous Saturday night dance party. The audience members seemed to sense the vibe in the air and were clearly up for it, as they broke out their best alternative and modern rock dances moves between sets and to the music supplied by each of the '80s icons. The scene was almost surreal; as if time had stood still sometime in the late '80s. The musicians were all in top form, sounding and looking fit, and for the most-part, much as they did during their best-selling and Billboard charting periods.

Katrina (ex-Katrina & the Waves)

For contractual reasons Katrina cannot bill herself and her backing band as Katrina & the Waves. She can, however, still play the band's songs. Bounding out onto the stage following DJ Andre's introduction, Leskanich asked the crowd< "Are you guys gonna show what a real U.S. concert audience is like?" After the initial cheers died down, she continued, "We're gonna start with an old Katrina & the Waves song. This one is called "Rock 'n' Roll Girl.'" Her fiery set included "Red Wine & Whiskey" (which she stated was "banned by Tipper Gore in 1985...she's no fun"), "Going Down To Liverpool (the Bangles had a hit with the song in 1984 and about which Leskanich noted, "We owe out contract to the success they had with the song.") and "Every Step." Leskanich ended her performance with a rousing version of "Walking on Sunshine" that got even the most sedentary of the audience members out of his/her seat, on the floor and moving and grooving to the beat.

China Crisis

Liverpool's China Crisis was the next band up on the stage. The group's short set began with "Arizona Sky" and moved on through "African And White" from Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain (Virgin Records, 1982), "The Highest High" (which vocalist Gary Daly introduced as "a big song about a small place; a song we wrote about our hometown."), "Wishful Thinking," "Black Man Ray," and what is arguably its biggest hit "King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up)."

Midge Ure

Midge Ure has done it all. The Scotsman has recorded numerous gold and platinum albums and singles while achieving worldwide success as a member of Slik, The Rich Kids, Thin Lizzy (for a very short time), Visage, Ultravox and as a solo artist. During his career, he has had many awards and honors bestowed upon him including a Grammy and an OBE (The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire which is often shortened to "Order of the British Empire"). Ure, along Bob Geldorf, wrote "Do The Know Its Christmas?" He also co-organized Live Aid and Live 8.

Manning the middle slot on the tour, Ure delivered the strongest most rocking set of the evening. Following his introduction by the 6-fott-plus DJ Andre, the diminutive musician adjusted his microphone and deadpanned, "What is it with all these tall people." With a quick laugh he launched into "Hymn" from Ultravox' 1982 album Quartet. The plaintive "Dear God" from his second solo album Answers To Nothing (Chrysalis, 1988) was introduced with "Here's something I Did a few years ago. I hope you know this . You might know this." From the crowd's reaction and the number of audience members standing and singing along they did. Continuing on with material from all phases of his career Ure offered up "Fade To Grey" about which he said, "Many years ago, I put a band together with all my favorite musicians. The band was called Visage and this is one of their songs." After the last note of the song faded into the ether, Ure pointed to a group of fans who had congregated in front of the stage and said, "Good dancing." Next up was the title track from the Ultravox album Vienna (Chrysalis, 1980). The song drew a standing ovation. Ure, however was far from finished. His final two songs were the #1 U.K. hit "If I Was" (from his 1985 Chrysalis solo release, The Gift) and a soaring "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" from Ultravox' Lament album (Chrysalis, 1984).

Though short, Ure's performance was nothing less than incredible. Folklore has it that P.T. Barnum said that they key to success was to "always leave them wanting more." If that is the case Midge Ure's retro Futura performance was a rousing success.

Howard Jones

The first co-headliner to perform on this evening was Howard Jones. Dressed resplendently in a bright orange suit with a keytar strapped over his shoulder much like a guitar. With a funky electronic light show and video projected on the screen behind him, Jones proved why some consider him the bridge between synth pop and EDM disc jockeys. The similarities are quite obvious. A one man operation who pushes the boundaries of pop music by using state of the art technology. Much like today's EDM artists, Jones classic catalogue was created using what was at the time cutting edge tools and equipment to craft pop songs with music that was ahead of its time in that it was electronically-based and not created with traditional instrumentation.

While Howard Jones circa 2014 does not sport the spiky hair that he did during the 1980s, he continues to make fashion statements with his hair. Currently it is the slight white beard sitting at the edge of his chin. Jones, his beard, his keytar and his collaborators (Jonathan Atkinson on electronic drums/percussion and Robbie Bronnimann manning the electronic kiosk for sequencing and additional keyboards) opened with "The Human Touch" from C3LEBRATI0N (howardjones.com, 2013). The three musicians then ran through a tight set performing Jones' most-well known songs to a very appreciative and engaged audience. The crowd danced and sang along to "Like To Get To Know You Well," "No One is To Blame," "What is Love?," "The Prisoner" (flavored with a little EDM) and a tour-de-force performance of "Things Can Only Get Better" complete with a funky techno coda.

Jones is a charming and engaging performer. He connects with his audience on many levels. Speaking to the crowd much like a friend would over a beer, Jones asked, if "anybody saw Breaking Bad? HOJO in Breaking Bad—unbelievable!" He then played "New Song" which was featured on the AMC TV series.

As he waved to the crowd while walking off the stage it was apparent that another of the evening's performers had left the audience wanting more.

Tom Bailey of The Thompson Twins

As it drew later in the evening the temperature at the Pennysaver Amphitheatre at Bald Hill had dropped a bit. Although it had become a tad chilly, Tom Bailey kept the audience warm with his hot set of Thompson Twins hits. The Thompson Twins had played their final show in August of 1987, but based on Bailey's performance one would never have guessed. His vocals sounded as though time had stood still; hitting all the notes with ease without any rust.

The stage was bathed in blue and billowing with smoke while and instrumental version of "We Are Detective" played when Bailey appeared. The singer appeared to be as thrilled to be on the stage as the fans were to see him perform. Getting right to it, Bailey announced that it was "really good to see you guys again" and his band roared into "In The Name of Love," "Lies," "Sister Of Mercy" and "You Take Me Up." Bailey was in quite the playful mood. When a huge blue beachball made its way onto the stage during "You Take Me Up" Bailey pounced on it grabbed it and swung it around like a toy while stalking his way across the stage with it. Calling it "the balloon that just won't pop," Bailey finally batted it out into the audience.

The performance continued with "If You Were Here," "Love On Your Side," "Doctor, Doctor and "Hold Me Now." Bailey has kept a low profile since the Thompson Twins broke up. Many in the crowd had no idea what to expect. On this evening he proved that not only can he still hit all the notes but that he WAS the Thompson Twins. At the end of the set, he took a deep bow and left the stage as the audience went wild. Bailey's performance was a revelation and a very loud statement declaring, "I'm back!"

The four hour evening served as a time machine for both the musicians and the audience. All aboard! Next stop 1985...and for at least a short time all of the issues and problems of the present day were forgotten and that simpler time allowed the crowd members to relax, bask in the nostalgia, enjoy the music and reminisce.

Photo Credit: Christine Connallon (view more concert photos)
[Additional article contributions by Christine Connallon].

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