This concert had been very long-awaited with three acts I loved on a single bill. I’d only seen The B-52’s prior in 1989-1990. I had muffed my one chance to have seen both Lene Lovich and DEVO on the occasion that fate had presented to me. And I had been stewing in my juices for decades over my stupidity in not making every effort to see those shows in 1988/1992. As I entered my Golden Years, I was pretty much resigned to my ignominious fate. 

And yet in the dumpster fire that is 2025, we have some solace in that these three bands, all linked by being critical tributaries of the river we call New Wave, were having a jaunt that offered plenty of value. The two headliners finally managing to tour together even after The B-52’s had sworn off long tours and each DEVO tour may be their last hurrah. Then someone had the bright idea to bring Lene Lovich across the big pond for her first major tour in decades.

She famously “un-retired” in 2014 and has been active in the UK and Europe, but apart from an abortive SxSW appearance, had no prohibitively costly American excursions under her belt. Until now! With a big ticket heritage act tour to ride with, this has meant that La Lovich can finally play to her US fans on a wider basis than even the opening act gig.

I have plenty of music by the three acts on the bill. I have several B-52’s albums. The critical first two and a selection of other albums and singles. DEVO is very well represented with every studio album but one [the self-released”Something Else For Everybody”] and a selection of various live albums and singles. As for Lene Lovich, I can be said to have collected her works. I have every album and most singles with a few foreign variations as well. Of the three acts, hers has been the most consistent career with none of the dry patches that had affected the other two; as crucial and influential as they also were. 

Lene Lovich was not the first New Wave act I was exposed to. TVLKING HEVDS and, yes, DEVO might be in that esteemed position. But when I think of the stylistic tropes of New Wave, the first act that immediately comes to mind for me is Lene Lovich. Plainly put, I was most excited to see her open this concert, with DEVO and The B-52’s being the icing on the cake.

I was attending the show with one of my longest term friends from high school, whom I still associate with! He comments here as The RAHB and he was also in disbelief that we would be finally seeing Ms. Lovich perform. We hit Charlotte for some Ethiopian dining at Abugida Cafe at lunchtime, much like our Raleigh jaunt to see Peter Godwin and the Lost 80s Live tour a few months ago. What can I say? Neither of us are game to pass up Ethiopian food!

Having been to the venue last month to see Judas Priest, I knew the ropes for parking, and avoided the costly “deluxe” lots. We then walked to the venue and got in line. The venue opened at 6:00 p.m. so we had almost an hour just waiting in the queue. When admitted to the venue, I made a bee-line for the merch! I had wanted most strongly to get a Lene Lovichi shirt, as I had previously owned a B-52’s tour shirt, and in fact I had geeked out and wore my official “Duty Now For The Future” DEVO shirt that I had picked up in Amoeba Hollywood on my last trip there in 2018. 

In the line I noted someone in the modern blue Aztec Energy Dome with a stuffed lobster affixed to it! They had three Lene Lovich designs. I was most smitten with the shirt that sported her cover shot from her debut Stiff Records single, but I had wondered if the $45 shirts might be cheaper [though not as cheap as me!] at the solo gig I was attending the next week in Florida, where the acts didn’t have to tithe to LiveNation? So I took a calculated risk. I didn’t buy any Lene t-shirts. I also noted that she had a 12” single of “Wonderland” and CDs of her “Shadows And Dust” album on offer. Both longtime residents of my Record Cell.

Instead I turned my attention to the DEVO shirts. There were lots of Aztec Energy Dome designs, and the classic white DEVO on black tee design that they famously wore on their Saturday Night Live appearance. There was also one with a still from the “Whip It” video that was iconic. But my gaze was transfixed by the long sleeved red tee with the circular DEVO logo on one sleeve with the legend “FREEDOM OF CHOICE” in black block letters with smaller letters between saying “FIGHT THE POWER.” That seemed like a message for our times so I paid the $50, which seemed to be a [relatively] great price for a long-sleeved t-shirt. Which I needed because my long-sleeved tees were getting fewer in number over the years as they are rare birds. Later as the show ended and we were leaving the venue, I notice that the “FIGHT THE POWER” lettering on the shirt might have been mixed with Scotchlite® material…and it was!

I was briefly attracted to the classic first album B-52’s shirt, and noted with delight that there was a design that split branding between the two headliners with a shirt sporting DEVO and B-52’s logos and a red lobster made entirely out of Aztec Energy Domes at various sizes! This on a black or royal blue shirt. With dates on the back. A very clever design that showed someone was using their noodle creatively. 

We made our way to the seats I had secured. Row V, not exactly close to the stage, but still under the shed’s roof. As I sat down, I felt a jolt as I recognized the gent I was sitting next to. I would swear that I had worked with him somewhere in the past. I had to ask him, had he ever worked in software development in Central Florida in the 90s? No. But I was certain that I’d worked with this guy! He then asked me if I’d ever worked in Flat Rock, NC and that’s where I’d been employed since 2004. Then it struck me that he had been the accountant at my company for a year or two within the last five years! I’d now remembered that we had lots of musical discussions as our tastes had overlapped.  Quite obviously as this day had proven!

I was having a busy summer concert season this year and $120 tickets felt about right to me. Lene Lovich merited that level of buy-in. Before the show the large screen on the stage was showing New Wave music videos. A really great selection that featured a Rezillos clip that I hadn’t seen before! Later, I saw a video for The Normal’s “Warm Leatherette” that had been previously unknown to me. Someone had taste! 

At the magic hour the show began as Lene’s band strode onstage. I was excited to see that this band of hers was five members strong! When I heard that her regular band were not making the trip over, I had dark visions of backing tapes but this was a full crew who could certainly do justice to her material. The band’s first track was one that she had re-recorded in 2019 with her current band, “Savages II.” I liked the new arrangement and best of all, the 76 year old artiste was clearly capable of singing this material with all of the weird brio that she had always brought to the mic. 

A single from the “No Man’s Land” album followed with the impressive “Blue Hotel” featuring Lene singing the distinctive sampled intro from the studio recording. Her band were really hitting all of the marks and it came across with all of the power and feeling that she was putting into the song vocally. 

Our next selection was probably her US calling card with the “New Toy” single written for her by band member from that era Thomas Dolby. We had a seating dust up at this point as we thought we were sitting in our seats in row V but in fact we were in row W instead as ladies arrived who found us in their seats! I suspect that half of the “W” at the end of the row had broken off the seat endcap and had tricked us! So we shuffled a row ahead during this song. Our attention sadly diverted for about half of it.

We then got the only song from the “Flex” album next with “Joan.” And it was there where we saw Ms. Lovich pick up a tenor sax and play along with the band. She famously played sax from her earliest musical history and I was happy to see that she still had her chops intact!!

The arrival of the four note distinctive vocal hook up front as an intro meant that her signature hit “Lucky Number” was going to follow.  Many in the crowd got on their feet to groove along for this one. And then Lene announced that her final number was here and the the bass and drum call-and-response of the intro to the darkly pungent “Home” would be the appropriate set-closer.

Though the song was slightly extended to give it even more intensity as the set-closer, this had been a well-considered yet succinct, twenty five minute set. Offering three A-sides and three deep cuts. If Lene had been in an 80s retro tour, it would have even been a generous set but here it felt like a tease. I knew now, more than ever, that my decision to travel to Florida for a solo show by Lene the following week had been an excellent decision. 

Next: …We Do All 16 Dances