As a courtesy to the artists and for the uninterrupted enjoyment of your fellow patrons, please turn off all cell phones, pagers, beepers and other electronic devices. Please unwrap any lozenges before the performance begins. No portion of this performance may be photographed, recorded, filmed, taped, broadcast or mechanically reproduced without the written consent of the Artist and/or the Presenter. Mayo Performing Arts Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Our MissionMayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey. The 2014-2015 season is made possible, in part, by a grant from the  New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as support received from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, F.M. Kirby Foundation and other numerous foundations, corporations and individuals.

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FM KIRBY FOUNDATION

Replay America: The Ultimate 80s FestivalThe Go-Gos:The Go-Go’s were the most popular all-female band to emerge from the punk/new wave explosion of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, becoming one of the first commercially successful female groups that wasn’t controlled by male producers or managers. While their hit singles -- “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” “Head Over Heels” -- were bright, energetic new wave pop, the group was an integral part of the Californian punk scene. And they did play punk rock, even if many of their rougher edges were ironed out by the time they recorded their first album, 1981’s Beauty and the Beat. Their earliest music -- now collected on Return to the Valley of the Go-Go’s -- was raw and rocking; it may not have directly inspired the female alternative rockers and riot grrrls of the ‘90s, but it certainly foreshadowed it.Martha Davis and The Motels:Led by the charismatic Martha Davis, the Motels were one of the most successful and acclaimed bands to emerge from the fertile Los Angeles new wave scene, reaching the Top Ten in 1982 with their biggest hit, “Only the Lonely.” Davis formed the group in 1972 while living in Berkeley, California, recruiting guitarist Dean Chamberlain and bassist Richard d’Andrea; originally dubbed the Warfield Foxes, they became the Motels upon relocating to L.A., but despite interest from a number of record labels, the group suffered through endless lineup changes, finally disbanding in 1976. Davis soon formed a new Motels roster with guitarist Jeff Jourard, his saxophonist/keyboardist brother Marty, bassist Michael Goodroe, and drummer Brian Glascock; signing to Capitol, in 1979 the group issued its self-titled debut LP, scoring a minor hit with the ballad “Total Control.” Guitarist Tim McGovern, formerly of the Pop, replaced Jeff Jourard prior to the release of the 1980 sophomore effort Careful. After Capitol rejected the Motels’ third album, Apocalypso, McGovern exited, and the group re-recorded the album with

guitarist Guy Perry and assorted session musicians.Patty Smyth and Scandal:Guitarist Zack Smith formed the mainstream pop/rock band Scandal after playing in various groups, including ones that featured Dee Murray and Davey Johnson of the Elton John band. Scandal’s lineup was secured in 1982, with the addition of vocalist Patty Smyth; the rest of the band included bassist Ivan Elias, guitarist Keith Mack, keyboardist Benji King, and drummer Frankie La Rocka. After opening for acts like the Kinks and Hall & Oates, the band released their debut single, “Goodbye to You,” in 1982; their self-titled debut album followed soon afterward. The Warrior was released two years later. The title track was a Top Ten hit and the album went platinum. However, Smyth left for a solo career the following year, causing the band to break up.Naked Eyes:A key presence in the synth pop movement of the early ‘80s, Naked Eyes formed in Britain in 1981. Comprised of former schoolmates Pete Byrne (vocals) and Rob Fisher (keyboards), the duo debuted in March 1983 with the LP Burning Bridges, reissued in the U.S. a month later (minus several tracks) as a self-titled effort. The lead single, a majestic cover of the Burt Bacharach-Hal David perennial “Always Something There to Remind Me,” emerged as a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching the U.S. Top Ten on the strength of its video, which received heavy airplay on the fledgling MTV network. The American follow-up, “Promises, Promises” (not the Bacharach/David composition), was also a major hit, and Naked Eyes’ future looked bright; however, 1984’s Fuel for the Fire fared poorly, its lone single “(What) In the Name of Love” barely scraping into the Top 40. The duo disbanded soon after, and in 1988 Fisher resurfaced as one half of the pop duo Climie Fisher. He died August 25, 1999, of complications following stomach surgery.