Post-Punk Monk

[…continued from last post]

The Ska leanings of “Joan” from “Flex” were up next in the set. It was another chance for Lene to grab her saxophone since the bouncy number was literally built on the sax riff hook that was as bold as [literal] brass in the tune. Then the intensity of the set ticked upward as the band goosed the tempos to play the rousing single “Say When.”

It had been so long since I’d see the video for the track that I had forgotten how the band had a hands-to-shoulders pantomime they performed during the song’s climax. And that movement was helpfully included on the back cover of the “Say When” single sleeve as well!

Lene’s signature hit, “Lucky Number” followed in the set as the audience rose to their feet for this New Wave classic. It was impossible not to bounce along to the ebullient number so we just did it. Hearing her canon of tunes was nothing I ever imagined would happen, so this second, longer concert just five nights after the first one was a real gift that I never imagined I’d receive.

Ms. Lovich kept the energy levels up for the third song in a row as “One In A 1,000,000” cheerfully bopped along. Just when she needed to pull back a little, we had the single “Angels” from “Flex” with its strident organ leads echoing the leaps that Lene was making vocally. It was energetic, albeit of a darker stripe musically than the previous trio had been.

And with that, the main set was over, and the fervent crowd laid into the cheers and applause until the band returned to the stage a minute or two later. Biting into the strident “Flex” single “What Will I Do Without You” before arriving at the traditional Lene Lovich show closer, the song with the gut-punch intro, “Home.” By the time the band got to the “la-la-la” refrains in the song’s climax, I had begun to get a little misty eyed knowing that the end was near. But not before Lene Lovich introduced her musicians as the song vamped on for a little whole longer than I was used to.

By the time that it in fact ended, my heard was whirling with what I’d just experienced. Against staggering odds, Lene Lovich and Morgan King flew over to North America, had former music director Jude Rawlins build them a new American band who then performed a huge North American tour, anchored by a dozen dates opening for The B-52’s and DEVO, but venturing into lots of nooks and crannies of the continent to reach pockets of fans in the least likely places.

And I had seen both their opening set as well as a headlining show! And obviously Lene Lovich was up there with Russell Mael as being an idiosyncratic vocalist in their seventies who still had chops-a-plenty to spare with their performance. Both full of the same power and drive they were known for. And Lene still played the sax, to boot!

The audience dispersed as the lights came up and went to the merch table in the foyer and it didn’t take long for Lene [in comfier shoes] and Jude to arrive and meet any and all comers. I was astonished to hear Jude say that the notion was to bring back Lene for a larger tour in the next year! He also seemed to be in discussion with some superfans who may have been following the whole tour.

Lene was happy to meet anyone and a young boy of about seven who had been at the show went up to her to meet her himself. I said to my friend Mr. Ware, “I envy that kid,” as I snapped a photo of him meeting the unique star who had attained wise crone status and was still releasing her unique magic into the world. I had brought along something for an autograph; the “Shadows + Dust” CD with its O-card made for a perfect autograph receptor.

Lene was happy to meet anyone and a young boy of about seven who had been at the show went up to her to meet her himself. I said to my friend Mr. Ware, “I envy that kid,” as I snapped a photo of him meeting the unique star who had attained wise crone status and was still releasing her unique magic into the world. I cannot fathom what it would have been like to meet such an artist as a child. When I was growing up, this simply didn’t happen.

I had brought along something for an autograph; the “Shadows + Dust” CD with its O-card made for a perfect autograph receptor beyond its status as an excellent album that I had waited long years for. When offering it to her for signing, I mentioned that with Halloween nigh, “The Wicked Witch” would have been a timely tune to select for the set. “Well, you can’t do them all,” she responded. And then she posed for a few snaps that my friend Sandra graciously took. We then ambled out of the hall, feet not quite touching the ground as this most potent artist had finally intersected with my life. As I looked back she was still posing for snaps with a line of fans, with my friends Suzy and Roger at the front of the line. I captured the scene above to remind me of this very special evening of classic New Wave. Against all odds, after 46 years of fandom, I had finally seen Lene Lovich perform. Twice in one week, but this second show was the really amazing one. Here’s hoping a tour next year might even come into Asheville!

-30-

[…continued from last post]

The opener was a DJ set by Paul Vaine; another familiar face this night as he was the DJ at Visage’s Old Wave nights in the 80s and 90s when my Wednesday nights were all locked up with that entry point to nightclubbing for me. Ironically, he never played the group Visage in the club that took their name from them, but I’ll give him credit. The only time I ever heard Billy MacKenzie in a club was the night that he spun Billy’s gorgeous cover of “Heart Of Glass” at the time of release. As I had not heard Associates yet [I know, I know!] I was stuck by the elegant cover but never knew who it was until I got the “Popera” CD two years later. At eight o’clock the lights and music dimmed as the pre show tape of the “Say When” 12″ only B-side, “Big Bird,” hit the speakers as the Lene Lovich Band walked onstage.

Jude Rawlins had been Lene Lovich’s guitarist and music director from 2012 when she renewed her performing career, until 2019, when he moved to Iowa to make a film. As such, when Lene was prepping for a big North American tour, Mr. Rawlins was in a great position to build a band ready to tour in America. Bypassing the work visa issues that were an impediment to the UK band crossing the Atlantic. The only current member of the Lene Lovich Band who was able to travel here was drummer Morgan King, though he would be singing and playing percussion. Otherwise we had Diana Weishaar on synths and BVs, Beth Spaniel on bass, and Celestino Ramirez on drums. Having been in Des Moines, Iowa for several years, Jude had no problem finding the right talent in the region to fill the roles. They all brought their top game to the task as I’d seen clearly in Charlotte the previous week, though I’d see them from a much better perspective in the third row this evening!

As with the last show, the opener was “Savages II” as Ms. Lovich joined her band onstage for the rousing new arrangement of the classic tune. Her stage garb was every inch the mysterioso Roccoco image that is hers alone. With her head still wrapped she sang the first number looking like a desert dweller and still singing with the lively verve and spark which were her marks of distinction then and now. Being very close to the action, I could appreciate that all of the music we heard was alive. Ms. Weisharr had Roland Juno DS along with a Sequential Take 5, giving her good flexibility for her rack.

Being this close to the stage, I could better appreciate all of the intention of movement and gestures that Ms. Lovich puts into her singing. Quite frankly, she’s like a New Wave Kabuki artist! She’s definitely the most expressive singer I’ve ever seen, investing every song with as much meaning as she can deliver. As with the short set, “Blue Hotel” her magical single from her 1982 opus, “No Man’s Land.” It was a thrill hearing her sing the deep vocal hook in the song’s intro. Any other artist of the time would have used samples for that vibe but that’s not how Lene rocks. She didn’t stretch her range for nothing. Ms. Weishaar played the majestic synths on this track supremely well as they rose into the stratosphere.

Another song from “No Man’s Land” followed in the jaunty “Maria,” which had been a single in Australia, Spain, and Italy. Watching Lene throw herself into the song with gestures as broad as she could make them really transferred the energy to the audience. Making all of the other singers in the world seem penurious in comparison. For the next song, Lene stepped up to the mic and teased the audience with the distinctive simian chatterings of what could only be “Monkey Talk;” a deep cut from my favorite of her albums, “Flex.” Then Ms. Spaniel took center stage with the bass line as Ms. Weishaar leaned into the organ patch for the almost ska-like number. The thrill of hearing Lene articulate every trill and screech was a reminder of her unique place in the firmament of singers. She was someone who never shied away from eccentricity if it could heighten the impact of the song. And Morgan King’s cowbell helped to corral the song into its actually-pure-ska climax.

Then her biggest American hit was on offer as “New Toy” delivered its Pop payload. I can remember buying the import 7″ single in the summer of 1981 and now it was being performed live in front of me and close enough to touch. Once can never discount the small miracles that fate serves us. Next a slow, descending pick scrape from Mr. Rawlins led us into the sonic cul-de-sac that was the smoky, noir environs of “Writing On The Wall,” from the classic “Stateless” album. The minor key organ and slinky hi-hats set the stage for Lene to pick up her saxophone and add the mystery sauce that made this song into the cinematic tour-de-force that it’s always been. Mr. King’s deep backing vocals capably took the song over the top. I was deep in the zone with a foundational artist and then it happened.

For the next song, the eBow intro from Jude alerted me that against all expectations my absolute favorite Lene Lovich song was next as the guitar’s drone became the miasma of dread that heralded the exquisite “Bird Song” in the performance. Every hair on my neck and arms stood up in anticipation and as Lene began her still high pitched trilling I couldn’t help weeping at the beauty of the emotions on display. It was awe inspiring as the entire band added their backing vocals to the mix. One could almost miss the subtle Reggae feel that Mr. Ramirez was injecting into the rhythms in the verses. Lene capped off the song with a real sense of hysteria that left the album version in the shade.

Next: …We Get Lucky

Rare is the artist to get me to double dip on a tour. Acts I’ve seen more than once on the same tour can almost be counted on the fingers of one hand. Off the top of my head, there’s Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music, Icehouse, Crowded House, Duran Duran, The B-52’s, Midge Ure, and OMD. And most of those happened in my first decade of concert going; 1983-1993. In 1993, I told Bryan Ferry that I’d waited 20 years to see him perform. A span that felt immeasurable at the time, and yet this year marked the first time I’d ever seen longtime favorite Lene Lovich following an agonizingly long 46 year Lovich-free period! And I’ve seen her twice in a single week.

And this was a pair of concerts that involved buying airline tickets, so this was serious. When Lene Lovich announced her 2025 US tour, built on a sturdy backbone of a dozen dates as the [ideal] opening act on the B-52’s/DEVO co-headlining “Cosmic De-Evolution Tour,” I was thrilled to see the big event hitting Charlotte, North Carolina. Merely two hours from where I live, s attending that was a must with my friends, with The RAHB! ultimately joining me there.

But I was even more thrilled to see that she was adding many more dates around those dozen to cover a lot more territory. Including dates in Central Florida. Where I’d flown to visit twice already this year; once for an art show and also for my good friend Mr. Ware’s big event birthday. The cost of flying into Central Florida is only a fraction larger than the cost of gasoline to drive the eight hours each way. So the date in Mount Dora and St. Petersburg were also calling out to me.

After hearing that her St. Pete date [Ferg’s] was actually in Florida’s biggest sports bar it’s on the grounds of Tampa Stadium], I demurred on the notion of attending that show as well. Besides, I’d need to rent a car to drive the 120 miles from Orlando to St. Pete. I couldn’t see making such an effort for such a setting. So I bought my ticket for the Mount Dora show and co-ordinated a visit with the ever-sturdy Mr. Ware and family. Mr. Ware, a virtual Lene Lovich newbie, would be getting a ticket as well.

When they first wen on sale, there was a VIP ticket on the venue ticket site and I felt that I had to get this, but by the time I looked a few weeks later to actually buy the tickets, this was no longer there. So I opted for dead center, row D, which was actually the third row for some unexplained reason. Not only would I be seeing the show with Mr. Ware, but my friend Sandra would also be attending.

I’d already just seen Pulp and Sparks with her in Atlanta the month prior, so I was flashing back to the 90s and seeing lots of shows with Sandra this fall for the first time in the nearly quarter century since we left Orlando. And better yet, Sandra told me that Lene Lovich herself eighty sixed the notion of VIP that the promoter had mooted. Preferring to meet her fans the old fashioned way…without payment. I understand the need for VIP to goose the bottom line of expensive tours, and have done it twice before, but this was way better. And by the time I was with Mr. Ware, he told me that Sandra, who was taking a train back from her 30th anniversary celebration in Ft. Lauderdale the day of the concert, would be riding with us to the show. It sounded like a good plan.

As it turned out, I was extremely happy that the show had not been cancelled since a freak flooding event had hit Mount Dora hard with over 19″ of rain the three nights before the show. Roads in the area were closed and sinkholes were plentiful. The city was under a boil water alert, so our plan of eating in Mount Dora before the show was spiked. In light of the dampening effect of the flooding on the late ticket sales in the face of the uncancelled show, the promoter had emailed me saying that I could have another ticket, so it was a foursome, including Ms. Ware, who hit the road the night of the 29th to see Lene Lovich Band in their inaugural Central Florida appearance.

When we arrived at the municipal concert hall downtown, parking was simpler than we could have imagined. As we walked to the entrance, Sandra pointed out that our rocking friends Suzy and Roger were there for the show and we were happy to see them for the first time in ages. Suzy had drummed in the 90s in many bands we always caught live in the clubs we frequented: Psycho From Texas, The Vodkats, Nutrajet. Roger played bass in November Charlie. They were a couple during our last few years in Orlando and they’re still together.

I was astounded to see Roger rocking a Midge Ure t-shirt! He had seen the show last year at the same venue in Mount Dora! I knew him to be a Punk Rock fan from his playing in November Charlie, and I had known The Stranglers were a huge band for him too, but this Ultravox fandom was a new wrinkle for me. Shows what I missed by leaving Orlando just at the time I had barely met the gent. So we chatted with Suzy and Roger; spilling the beans about my huge Ultravox fandom, and the weird experience of first seeing Midge in a tiny dive bar in Atlanta in 2016 playing four feet in front of me.

I was amazed to find that Roger was strictly a Midge Ure era Ultravox fan, but I sort of get it. “Vienna” was the first time I’d heard them as well, and the impression it made then was immense. Memo to self; I need to have some music talk Suzy and Roger sometime soon since we’re all carrying phones now. I then entered the venue to find that while I was talking with them, The Wares and Sandra had entered. I had the tickets on my phone but apparently, they had given my name to the usher who checked us off of a paper list and we were good to go, 1980’s style!

I made a bee-line for the merch table and found that my suspicion had been entirely correct! The T-shirts were only $35 at this gig instead of the $45 charged in Charlotte. I had been entirely correct to vote with my cash for DEVO the week prior and wait on the Lene Lovich shirts, which were actually my top priority! I mentioned my reticence to buy in Charlotte to the merch table lady [the drummer’s spouse, I later found out] and she confirmed that in Live Nation venues, they tell you how much you will sell the merch for! Since I was saving nearly 20% I ended up buying twice as much booty! I got the Lene Lovich 2025 black shirt with the tour dates on the back, and the white “I Think We’re Alone Now” cover photo with red lettering that was my top pick in Charlotte. For good measure I also bought each of the four pinback badge designs!

Then the next thing I knew was that Nadeem Khan and his whole family were there for the show as well! I’d not seen the four of them since Nadeem’s band The Delusionaires, had played a private club in Asheville at least a decade back! The Delusionaires were Orlando’s 200 Proof strip club band; oblivious to the reality that any stripper in the last 50 years had used canned music to fuel their routines. We busted our heads trying in vain to recall the name of the club they had played [note: it was The Lazy Diamond] before moving on to more productive topics. Eventually, we all drifted to our seats and prepared for the reason why we were here, but I appreciated seeing so many friends and acquaintances had also heard the siren call of Lene Lovich and had responded in the only way that made sense.

Next: …Lene Trills + Thrills