“I guess the 80’s is the best thing around…” Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls, putting things in simple terms before the massive crowd at the joint presentation of Rewind | Lost 80’s Live ’18 concert event at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater on Sunday night. Known for it’s rotating series of artists who made significant marks on the music scene throughout the 80’s, each year the show presents a unique concert going experience. The line-up this time around featured A Flock of Seagulls, Mickey Thomas from Starship, Wang Chung, Dale Bozzio from Missing Persons, Animotion, Farrington and Mann from When In Rome, and Annabella Lwin from Bow Wow Wow. [Read more…]
World One Presents & V101’s “Valentine’s Soul Jam 2018” Featuring Cameo & Club Nouveau
World One Presents & V101 are holding their annual event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort again this year with their “Valentine’s Soul Jam 2018”, with both Cameo and Club Nouveau performing. They will take the stage inside the resort at Pano Hall. You can still get tickets at Ticketmaster. [Read more…]
Oingo Boingo Dance Party at Pano Hall at Thunder Valley | Lincoln, California | 10/27/2017 (Concert Review + Photos)
I think I was too “in the moment” to make note of any particular quote from the band during Oingo Boingo Dance Party’s performance in Pano Hall at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Friday night. Oingo Boingo Dance Party what? Yes, exactly. What the heck is Oingo Boingo Dance Party? In short, it is more or less Oingo Boingo minus original front man Danny Elfman, with a very impressive Brendan McKian (formerly Brendan McCreary) on vocals. It was really a spectacular show and experience for me personally (Oingo Boingo is one of my all-time favorite bands). I never thought I would get such a live experience with all of that brilliant music ever again. So I really can’t recommend enough turning out for one of these shows if Oingo Boingo Dance Party is ever in a town near you. Highest recommendation. [Read more…]
Rewind Fest ’17 Presents Lost 80’s Live at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater | Lincoln, California | 9/3/2017 (Concert Review + Photos)
“Cheers everybody! Good health and be well! Thank you for being lost with us!” Tony Hadley, formerly of Spandau Ballet, in his headlining performance at Rewind Fest ’17’s Lost 80’s Live concert at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater on Sunday night. Filling out the line-up was Wang Chung, Berlin, Missing Persons, Cutting Crew, Naked Eyes, Trans-X, The Flirts, and Pretty Poison. World One Presents continues to bring out the top 80’s era live shows to Thunder Valley every summer, and this one was really great.
Soul Fest ’17 at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater | Lincoln, California | 8/5/2017 (Concert Review + Photos)
“We want to let you know that we really appreciate you… You have supported us – you have shown lots of love and dedication – for the last 58 years… That’s real special. And now it has come time, to show our appreciation. We’ve talked about it, and we agree that this song is the song that says the way we feel. So you sit back and we’re going to tell you a little story, so it’s something like this…” The original remaining two principal members of The O’Jays at a sold out show at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater on Saturday night before singing an incredible rendition of their song “Forever Mine”. Off of their 1979 album, Identify Yourself, the pioneering R&B group had the crowd on their feet throughout much of their headlining performance at World One Presents’ “Soul Fest ’17” concert, which also featured sets by Morris Day and The Time, The S.O.S. Band, and GQ. [Read more…]
Rewind Fest ’16 Presents Lost 80’s Live at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater | Lincoln, California | 9/4/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)
“Are you ready to get your Wang’s Chung’d? We’re going to Chung your ass’s off!” Rewind Fest‘s special edition of Lost 80s Live was a non-stop party featuring some of that decade’s best loved songs and artists, with no less than nine performances, including Wang Chung, tongue firmly planted in cheek. A World One Presents production by way of Rob Juarez’s incredible Boss Booking Agency of over 30 top 80s artists. The crowd was on their feet much of the show, as each of the many artists played very short sets of their top hits, making for almost a live version of listening to 80s radio back in the day. It was a who’s who of New Wave and 80’s music featuring Mike Score from Flock of Seagulls, the aforementioned Wang Chung, Berlin featuring Terri Nunn, Farrington and Mann from The Original When In Rome UK, Martha Davis and The Motels, Nick Van Eede from Cutting Crew, Nu Shooz, Animotion, and Tommy Tutone! Incredible, and an unforgettable evening of nostalgia and real artistry from some of the most innovative artists of the era. [Read more…]
Culture Club at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater | Lincoln, California | 8/19/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)
“So, basically Culture Club makes happy sad music. If you’re a Gemini, you don’t need that explained. If you’re a Libra, I can’t help you. Hands up for the Geminis! You’ve got to use two hands if you’re a Gemini, because there’s always two of you. What’s that saying? ‘Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m schizophrenic, and so am I.’ That’s the Gemini mantra. So we do these happy sad songs. Dancy rhythms, melancholy sounds, mixed together…” Boy George explaining Culture Club in a way that only he could… an interesting insight into the band and the man who proudly stood out in front of it (as well standing for many other things) throughout the first half of the 1980s. All in preface to the song, “Move Away”, which was the lead single to their fourth album, From Luxury To Heartache, an album title which nicely dovetails into what he was explaining, as well as illustrative of that early trajectory of the band in it’s first life… It all ended far too early when they broke up in 1986 following the release of that album and that lead single, which would be their final entry into the U.S. Top 40 charts. The light that burns twice as bright last half the time and all that… But life is a funny thing. Fast forward thirty years (!), and there on that stage at Thunder Valley’s Outdoor Amphitheater in front of thousands of jubilant fans on Friday night was Boy George and the original members of Culture Club – Roy Hay, Mikey Craig and Jon Moss – and I can’t imagine them being any more happy or in sync with one another musically and with their live performance. And, it would seem, the impossible journey each took to get them there made it all the more sublime. Joyfully playing those now classic songs of happy sad music. A potent chemical reaction of letting soul and reggae out to play with all manner of other music genres, bending and twisting and dancing with new wave, country, pop, funk, rock, R&B, and even church music, to create something altogether unique but unified in that wicked sort of Gemini manner… The genius of Boy George, and his bravery in always being uniquely himself and forging new paths for others to follow. Definitely one of the best tours of 2016, one of the most important New Wave bands (who helped push those loose boundaries within that broad musical movement), and a band fronted by one of the most interesting figures in pop culture in modern times. [Read more…]
The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards at Thunder Valley Casino Resort | Lincoln, California | 2/13/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)
“Ladies and gentlemen, let me take you back…” Dennis Edwards, as original lead singer of legendary Motown band The Temptations from 1968-1976, 1980-1984 and 1987- 1989, he truly did take the sold out crowd at Thunder Valley back to a different era on Saturday night, leading his Temptations Review band through hit after hit. But it wasn’t just the music, but the performance and delivery, the costumes, the charm… it all worked together beautifully in recreating a show that is how I might imagine it might have been way back when. World One Presents’ “Valentine’s Soul Jam” for 2016 included hours of top notch entertainment, with leading performances by Dr. Funk’s Mind, Body and Soul Band as well as R&B, soul, and funk icon Carl Carlton, best known for his cover of “Everlasting Love” and early 80s hit, “She’s A Bad Mama Jama”. A celebration of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and beyond, all three artists brought a ton of energy to the stage and engaged the audience throughout the show. [Read more…]
Heart at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater | Lincoln, California | 9/18/2015 (Concert Review + Photos)
“She looked out her window one day, and saw a dog chasing a butterfly…” An intro to the song, “Dog & Butterfly”, the title track of Ann and Nancy Wilson’s 1978 album, and one of those songs that they don’t play every show. Heart’s show at Thunder Valley on Friday night was my second in as many months, and as I mentioned in my review of that concert at Mountain Winery, they do change things up from show to show. It’s also a reminder of just how many decades that they’ve been recording and touring hit music – they’ve actually been active as Heart since the year I was born, 1973. With the other show so fresh in my mind, for me personally, it was all about comparing and contrasting the two shows. Crowds create context, and Mountain Winery vs Thunder Valley is kind of like the wine-drinking city crowd vs the beer-drinking crowd from relatively more rural areas. Different energy and momentum, I’d say the smaller stage and softer environment of the winery venue made for a more intimate show while the bigger, tall stage and spotlights at this show was more rocking. As with each time I’ve seen them, the show was amazing and each member of the band had moments to showcase their special gifts and talents. They are one of my favorite bands to see live, and growing up with their music, they have the ability to tilt that adrenaline in my spine with those special moments in those songs I carry with me, that take me back to touch points in my life and feelings of nostalgia as they transport me back in time.
Huey Lewis and The News with Eddie Money at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater | Lincoln, California | 7/31/2015 (Concert Review + Photos)
“I love you too, sir!” Huey Lewis of Huey Lewis and The News literally giving some love to one member of the sold out crow at Thunder Valley’s Outdoor Amphitheater on Friday night. “We first worked together about 40 years ago…” Huey Lewis, talking about Eddie Money who played the supporting set, giving a sense of how long the two have been making hit music, both with new albums in the works today. Of course, Huey Lewis and The News came armed with more hits than they had time to play, but they did manage to squeeze in a few new songs as well, introducing one by saying, “a brand new song for you… now feel free to imagine yourself owning this song on a CD sometime next year – it’s called, ‘Her Love Is Killing Me'”. Having taken their “Sports 30th Anniversary Tour” around the U.S. in 2013, they have always been a band to look both backwards and forwards, and the timelessness style of their music makes it easy for fans to embrace this approach. Shows by Huey Lewis and The News always seem to have an authentic vibe to them, as Huey reminisces about their roots in the area, even when playing to a long sold out crowd of 5,000+ fans.