The Canyon (Agoura Hills, CA)
The B-52s' blend of irresistible pop hooks and campy style made them one of the 1980s' top bands; their hits include "Love Shack," "Roam" and "Rock Lobster." They released their latest album Funplex to critical and popular acclaim in 2008.
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The last date listed for The B-52s was Sunday October 11, 2009 / 6:00pm (Doors Open). (view all dates)
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Robert Schimmel's big break came when Rodney Dangerfield spotted him and invited him to appear on HBO's Young Comedians Special. Since then he has gone on to appear on Conan O'Brien, The Simpsons, Comic Strip Live, Joan Rivers, and Oprah. Known for his uncensored material, he was named one of the 100 Greatest Standups of All Time by Comedy Central. Learn More
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We expect to have reviews on Monday October 12, 2009.
Come down on Thursday nights and enjoy some of the best 80s dance music and fun with the Spazmatics. DJ & Dancing every Fri & Sat after the concert.
For dinner & table reservations please call (818) 879-5016 http://www.canyonclub.net
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Welcome to Funplex, the first record of the 21st century from the B-52s. "It's loud, sexy rock and roll, with the beat pumped up to hot pink," says guitarist Keith Strickland. Eleven fresh new songs, crafted by the groundbreaking band that put Athens, GA on the musical map in the late '70s, and conquered the world with its savvy hooks, unconventional approach to music-making and original style. "Funplex sounds like us, updated," adds Fred Schneider. "It's the B-52s now - or fifteen years from now."
From the opening burst of "Pump," with Keith's garage-rock guitar and Kate, Fred and Cindy's one-of-a-kind vocal interplay, Funplex is instantly recognizable as prime, yet contemporary, B-52s. Vibrant selections including "Keep This Party Going," "Ultraviolet," and "Hot Corner" reaffirm the quartet's status as "the world's greatest party band." Yet they continue taking risks, too, yielding future favorites such as the transcendental "Juliet of the Spirits" and "Love in the Year 3000," where atmospheric introductions unfold into multi-layered harmonies and burbling beats.
On the propulsive title track and first single, the three vocalists adopt distinct characters, running amok on diet pills and slinging tacos in a sprawling shopping center. "It's the seedy underbelly of the mall," chortles Fred.
The creative odyssey of Funplex began with Keith Strickland, who composes the music for the group. "I had been listening to a lot of electronic dance music and early rock and roll. I was inspired to use these two aesthetics together with our own sound to write some shameless dance-floor party music." At home in Key West, FL, he commenced crafting new tracks that retained iconic features of the band's sound - such as their primal guitar hooks - while also emphasizing grooves. What emerged were originals like "Eyes Wide Open," with its throbbing low-end and oddball percussion, and the chugging, unvarnished "Too Much to Think About." Songs that can stand (or shimmy) shoulder-to-shoulder with the best work by newer contemporaries like LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture and the Killers.
"I'm trying to convey a feeling when I write," Keith explains. "I like to think of my instrumentals as landscapes. The chord changes, rhythms and sound quality of the instruments are all aspects of a sonic space, which is designed for Cindy, Fred and Kate to step into. I want them to feel inspired by the music and expand on that feeling with their melodies and lyrics ... little did I know that with our new songs ... they were going to get all sexy."
The other members of the band were busy incubating new songs, too. "I'm always writing lyrics," says Fred, "I have notebooks full of ideas, not just for songs, but cartoons, films, everything." The band began meeting regularly at Nickel & Dime Studios in Atlanta, GA for Stage Two of the writing process. Working with Keith's foundations, Kate, Fred and Cindy commenced with their trademark "jamming," creating melody lines, lyrics, and vocal harmonies, turning over myriad ideas until they hit upon the ones that served each song best.
You'll find glimpses of the band's Athens, GA roots in the lyrics of "Hot Corner," too. "That was a real corner by our old studio, in the Morton Building, where a lot of hot action took place," Kate recalls. "Like 'Love Shack,' the song is a mix of all things Athens: the bus station where Keith and Ricky worked, the dance parties we crashed, the crazy outfits we wore."
The B-52s have come a long way since their revolutionary 1979 self-titled debut, featuring the evergreen "Rock Lobster." Following the loss of founding member Ricky Wilson in 1985, the group rebounded with their triumphant 1989 smash Cosmic Thing, which spawned the Top 10 hits "Love Shack" and "Roam." Although their last recordings to be made commercially available were the songs "Debbie" and "Hallucinating Pluto" for the 1998 anthology Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation, the band has remained a popular and active live touring act.
Looking back at band's pioneering fusions of punk, new wave, and vintage rock, it would be tough to imagine the contemporary musical landscape existing without having encountered the intersected spirits of Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, and Cindy Wilson. "We all cross-pollinate, and create a wonderfully crazy blossom," explains Fred. Botanists don't need a name for this stunning specimen, though. It already has one, known around the world: the B-52s.
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