B52s - Roundhouse, London, 24/7/2008

by Anthony Strutt

published: 22 / 8 / 2008

The B-52s' latest European tour was their first in ten years. Anthony Strutt finds the ageless avant garde, wacky Athen, Georgia rockers to have, however, lost none of their ability for fun at a gig at the KOKO in London

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Athens, Georgia's first famous band the B-52's returned to London for the first time in a year to perform an all too rare gig. They did all do a DJ set at 'Punk' back in April and they played the Lovebox Weekender last year, but this show was part of their first European tour in ten years. They came on at 9 p.m. sharp and showed the London crowd how avant garde party pop is played best. Fred Schneider,Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson all sang lead vocals, but really it was the girls that stole the show. For two numbers, Fred wasn't in fat on stage. Keith Strickland, the original guitar player, was also there, but everyone else on stage was a session player. Everything they, however, played was right on cue. The gig was an almighty plug for their first album in 16 years, 'Funplex', but that was fine, as it is a decent, solid album. All the band, who are now in their late 50's with some hitting their early 60's, looked great and much younger than their age. They played a short main set. It lasted a mere 60 minutes but in that time they knocked out a stunning 'Roam' and 'Private Idaho' and then finished the set with an extended 'Love Shack'. They then returned to the stage for the Sci Fi madness of 'Channel Z', the greatest song to come to come out of Athens pre- REM ; 'Rock Lobster', which had lost none of its wackiness, and closed the show with 'Planet Claire', which is classic wacky pop as it should be done. A perfect summer night.