Andrew Sherman
Audio By Carbonatix
The I Want My ’80s Tour hit Music Hall at Fair Park on Sunday, July 20, and the crowd was all in on the flashback to big, messy hair and leg warmers.
Rick Springfield led a cavalcade of heartthrobs including John Waite, Wang Chung and Paul Young, all artists who made a name for themselves in this iconic era. John Cafferty was not present on this Dallas stop, but he is expected to appear on select dates.
The spring and summer tour was announced in February. Subsequent stops have been made in Nashville, Atlantic City, Milwaukee, Raleigh and Charlotte before the summer dates are wrapped up in August.
Springfield, a Grammy Award-winning Australian musician, actor and author, is best known for his 1981 hit “Jessie’s Girl.” He also gained fame for his acting roles, most notably General Hospital, but his music career has spanned decades. The ageless Springfield still releases new music, is still adored by fans, and sounds and looks fantastic.
The ageless Rick Springfield thrilled the crowd and has not lost a bit of charm.
Andrew Sherman
Rick Springfield won a Grammy in ’82 for Best Male Rock Performance for “Jessie’s Girl.”
Andrew Sherman
John Waite is an English rock singer whose 1984 solo hit “Missing You” topped the Billboard Hot 100. Waite’s band was on fire and featured Matchbox 20 guitarist Kyle Cook. The band even did a raucous cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” which Waite handled with ease.
“All I really want to do is spend some time alone with you.”
Andrew Sherman
Wang Chung, a British New Wave Band, is best known for their ’80s hits “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” and “Dance Hall Days.” Their catchy sound became a defining part of the era and has been featured in numerous films, TV shows and commercials. Paul Young is a British singer celebrated for his soulful voice and scored hits like “Every Time You Go Away” and “Come Back and Stay.” His blending of pop, rock and blue-eyed soul made him a favorite of the ’80s and the evening.
Bassist Nick Feldman and guitarist Jack Hues founded Wang Chung and still lead the band today.
Andrew Sherman
Paul Young’s cover of “Everytime You Go Away” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in ’84.
Andrew Sherman
The evening was filled with memories and sing-alongs. Most of the songs were the hits this slightly older crowd grew up with. The atmosphere was electric, and these performers were all on point. Even though some of these songs have been heard thousands of times, seeing the artists bring them to life live was pure magic. And yes, everyone did have fun tonight.
On a night of ’80s favorites, Rick Springfield was definitely the main draw.
Andrew Sherman
You could feel the love as strong as ever for the charismatic Rick Springfield.
Andrew Sherman
Rick Springfield played Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital, which kicked off a long and successful acting career.
Andrew Sherman
“When I See You Smile,” was a huge hit for his band Bad English.
Andrew Sherman
Kyle Cook from the band Matchbox 20 helped take John Waite’s set to another level.
Andrew Sherman
Wang Chung is derived from a Chinese phrase meaning “Yellow Bell,” which is the first note in the traditional Chinese scale.
Andrew Sherman
Besides their global anthem “Everybody Have Fun Tongight,” Wang Chung had songs in iconic ’80s films The Breakfast Club and To Live and Die in L.A.
Andrew Sherman
Paul Young kept the covers coming all night long.
Andrew Sherman
