reCAP :: Turn Back The Cap: 1980s :: 2013.12.13
How fitting it was that The Capitol Theatre chose Friday the 13th as the night to unleash its “Turn Back the Cap: 1980s” show. All night long, music from that beloved Jason Voorhees decade flowed like teen blood at Camp Crystal Lake courtesy of killer cover band Jessie’s Girl, who rocked our socks (and proverbial leg warmers) off the minute they took the stage in their traditional ‘80s spandex. The New York City-based tribute band got audiences singing along and shaking their moneymakers to killer covers from a wide range of artists including Cyndi Lauper, Rick Springfield, and Whitesnake.
While their talents evoked the best (and delicious worst) of that decade, the show really took off when the band brought out icons from the Reagan Era to perform their own classics. Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls may not have his trademark hair anymore (or any hair for that matter), but his voice and synth abilities are still very much alive and well. He killed "I Ran," in particular.
Rob Base, sporting a Phillies cap and a grin (even after Halladay's retirement), was easily one of the biggest highlights of the show, blasting off on his hits “Joy and Pain” and “It Takes Two." He does, indeed, still love the Whopper. One wonders if he'd update the lyrics and challenge Panera and Atlanta Bread Company to a taste test.
Martin Fry of ABC and Tiffany also performed, with the latter mall hopper, in particular, getting the crowd going with “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Could’ve Been.” She also handled vocals quite well on Guns N Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” in which she was joined with guest star Constantine Maroulis of Broadway’s Rock of Age and American Idol fame. Following Jessie's Girl, DJ Paul Spirit, filling in for Questlove, spun more hits making Turn Back the Cap that much more tubular. Altogether, it was a solid night of pop nostalgia that quite easily made you long for the days of Trapper Keepers and Electric Dreams. But, certainly, not the outfits.