The B-52’s Celebrate Their 40th Anniversary! – By Michelle S.
Did the cosmos have anything to do with this band coming together from different places to Athens Georgia? Maybe? Either way, the stars aligned the day the B-52’s came together in 1976 and created something spectacular that forty years later, they’re still going strong.
Their Farewell Tour
The B-52’s have announced a world tour to celebrate their 40th anniversary. After a handful of U.S. shows in May, they head to Europe in June and July. The B-52’s return to North America in August for a long string of shows through the end of September. They’ll be joined on the tour by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Berlin. This will be their farewell tour! So, see them live while you can!
“Who knew that when we played our first house dance party in Athens, Georgia in 1976 that we would be still be rocking the house in 2019,” – Kate Pierson
The B-52’s are one of the first new wave acts to break into mainstream America. They’re also one of the biggest success stories to emerge from the underground music scene in the late ‘70s.
Their Taste in Music?
Ask them what their taste is in music and you’ll get a wide variety of avenues to choose from. You’ll get Fellini soundtracks, Captain Beefheart, Velvet Underground, James Brown, Motown, Perez Prado, Junior Walker & the All Stars’, Yma Sumac, Yoko Ono and some Aka pygmies to throw things off kilter just for fun. It’s kitschy music at its best!
The energy from their live shows is addictive
The outcome of all these musical interests becomes dance music that has elements of surf music, vintage soul, sci-fi sounds, with sounds of sixties pop mixed with vocals laid over the top. When you them live, you’ll end up being one of the many dancing fools going to your wonderful place called happy! The energy from their live shows is addictive and what makes this band “The World’s Best Party Band!
“Woo-hoo! Europe and then all over North America! Dust off those go-go boots and shine your dancing shoes because the B-52s are coming,” – Fred Schneider.
Their self titled album is jam-packed with hit singles from, “Rock Lobster,” “Planet Claire,” and “Dance this Mess Around.” The new wave album became certified platinum and reached No. 59 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
The band is obviously doing something right!
Earlier this month the dance-rock band released their latest studio album, Live at Rock ‘N Rockets 1998. The album includes the bands greatest hits from, “Strobe,” to “Hallucinating Pluto,” performed live. Fans can relive the ’90’s when they purchase this limited jam-packed album accompany with 12 sensational tracks that marked a whole generation. The band is obviously doing something right!
A new documentary!
Along with the tour announcement, the band has revealed that Da Capo Press/Hachette Books will publish an authorized history of the band in 2020. A new documentary directed by Craig Johnson and executive produced by Fred Armisen is also in the works. Enjoy!