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The B-52s Announce Farewell Tour: ‘It’s Time for One Last Blowout’

"It has been a wild ride, that's for sure," said Cindy Wilson of the band's decades-long career.

By Hannah Dailey

Hannah Dailey

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Love shack or no love shack, The B-52s and their fans have just one more chance to get together in a little old place. After 45 years of performing and more than 20 million albums sold, the new-wave genre-defining group is gearing up to hit the road one last time on a farewell tour late this summer.

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Announced Tuesday (April 26), the tour will see the band’s three surviving members performing at least 15 shows across 11 venues in the United States between August and November, with more dates expected to be added in the next few weeks. Tickets for the tour go on pre-sale Wednesday (April 27) and fully on sale Friday (April 29); VIP meet-and-greet packages will be available on The B-52s’ website .

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“No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it’s time for one last blowout with our friends and family … our fans,” said 70-year-old frontman Fred Schneider in a statement.

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Though it’s The B-52s who are stepping away from the limelight, they still plan on sharing the tour with two other groups: KC and The Sunshine Band and The Tubes are set to make individual guest appearances on select dates. “It’s going to be one hell of a farewell party at these concerts,” Schneider added about the special guests.

It’s not listed on the schedule, but technically, the “Love Shack” bandmates are kicking off the tour with a performance on Hollywood Boulevard with a Wednesday (April 27) performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live . Originally made up of four members who historically formed the group after drinks in an Athens, Ga., Chinese restaurant, The B-52s became famous for their party-perfect hits such as “ Rock Lobster” before guitarist Ricky Wilson died from an AIDS-related illness in 1985.

“It has been a wild ride, that’s for sure,” said Cindy Wilson, B-52s co-founder and Wilson’s sister, in a statement. “We feel truly blessed to have had an amazing career encouraging folks to dance, sing along with us and feel they can be whomever they are with our music.”

Also on the docket for the B-52s’ retirement celebration is a documentary created by MRC Films and Fulwell 73, newly announced to be released in early 2023. Directed by Craig Johnson and executive produced by Fred Armisen, the film will examine the band’s journey and influence and will include personal, never-before-seen photos and films.

“Who knew what started as a way to have some fun and play music for our friends’ at house parties in Athens in 1977 would evolve into over 45 years of making music and touring the world,” stated co-founder Kate Pierson. “It’s been cosmic.”

See the dates for The B-52s’ farewell tour below:

THE B-52S 2022 TOUR DATES

August 22 nd Seattle, WA McCaw Hall*

September 29 th Mashantucket, CT Foxwoods Casino**

September 30 th Boston, MA MGM Music Hall**

October 1 st Washington, DC The Anthem**

October 7 th Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre**

October 13 th New York, NY Beacon Theatre**

October 14 th New York, NY Beacon Theatre**

October 15 th Atlantic City, NJ Ovation Hall – Ocean Casino**

October 19 th Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre

October 21 st Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre

October 22 nd Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre

October 28 th San Francisco, CA The Masonic Auditorium*

October 29 th San Francisco, CA The Masonic Auditorium*

November 4 th Los Angeles, CA YouTube Theater**

November 11 th Atlanta, GA The Fox Theatre**

*with Special Guests The Tubes

**with Special Guests KC & The Sunshine Band

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The Superbly Original, Gloriously Weird B-52’s Say Farewell to the Road

Forty-three years after their first album, the band that brought the world “Rock Lobster” and “Love Shack” is starting a tour for the last time.

By Rob Tannenbaum

When the B-52’s played “Rock Lobster” on “Saturday Night Live” in January 1980, a few months after releasing their debut album, it was a lightning-strike moment for a generation of young misfits and oddballs.

The band’s uninhibited dancing, statuesque wigs and absurdist lyrics embraced the ecstatic, and its kinetically rhythmic guitar, precise drumming and bursts of Farfisa organ ensured a good time. Many of their campy, catchy songs celebrated people who seemed to be happily dislocated or disconnected from known dimensions (“Planet Claire,” “Private Idaho”). Several of the band’s members were queer and all five considered themselves “freaks.” Over a period of decades, as they grew from a cult band to one with Top 40 hits — most notably “Love Shack” in 1989 — they discovered how many others identified the same way.

“This eccentric, downright lovable quintet,” John Rockwell of The New York Times wrote in 1978, “provides about the most amusing, danceable experience in town.” The B-52’s sustained that vigor through seven studio albums and an EP, as well as the 1985 death of Ricky Wilson, one of rock’s most inventive guitarists. Their spirit can be heard in the work of a wide range of artists who followed, including Deee-Lite, Le Tigre, LCD Soundsystem and Dua Lipa.

Culture made by and for misfits and oddballs is now a billion-dollar industry, but it wasn’t when the B-52’s played their first gig in 1977, in their Athens, Ga., hometown. Maybe that’s why, 45 years after they first played for a small number of friends, they’ve announced a farewell tour , which starts Aug. 20 in Vancouver and wraps with a three-night stand in Atlanta in November. It took a while, but the weirdos have won.

In late July, the singers Fred Schneider, 70; Kate Pierson, 74; and Cindy Wilson, 65, gathered in a SoHo hotel suite for an 80-minute free-for-all punctuated by raucous laughter, as well as somber reflections. Schneider dispensed deadpan punch lines, Pierson spoke with hippie beneficence and Wilson talked movingly about the death of her brother, Ricky. Keith Strickland, 68, a drummer and guitarist who stopped touring with the band in 2012, added his thoughts in a phone interview later.

“I call this our Cher-well tour,” Pierson said, a reference to the singer Cher, who has staged one “farewell” tour after another. “Never say never,” she added and shrugged.

To her right, Schneider looked aghast and resolutely whispered a single word: “ Never. ”

These are edited excerpts from the conversations.

Why did the band decide to quit touring?

PIERSON We’re not quitting — we’re just moving on to the new phase of our lives, which is a documentary. We’ve worked hard on uncovering archival material, like Super 8 footage and photographs.

SCHNEIDER We’ll still do shows, but no more touring. I love being onstage, but I got tired of people with cellphones not paying attention and blocking everyone behind them.

PIERSON All in all, the digital thing was good for us. Having videos on YouTube exposed us to a new audience of young people. On “Rock Lobster,” they go nuts, freak-flag flying, crazy dancing, tearing off their clothes.

SCHNEIDER I don’t know if I want them to tear off their clothes. Maybe just the younger ones.

PIERSON The old ones too! Let’s see it all.

If I told you in 1977, right before you played your first show, that in 45 years you’d be doing a farewell tour, would you have believed me?

WILSON I know. That’s insane.

STRICKLAND A band was just something to do, because in Athens, there was nothing else to do.

SCHNEIDER It was a hobby. We’d jammed once or twice. We didn’t even have the money to buy guitar strings.

PIERSON The miracle, to me, is that no one ever said, “Let’s start a band.” We just hung out with a group of friends who were —

SCHNEIDER Freaks!

PIERSON We’d go to a local disco, dress up and drive everyone else off the dance floors, flailing around and just being punks. People would clear away from us.

SCHNEIDER After our first show, friends started asking us to play at their house. Finally, we played at Max’s Kansas City in New York. I guess anyone can play on a Monday night in December. [Laughter] We got $17.

PIERSON Danny Beard, who put out our first 45, came to New York with us. He said, “Did you ask if they want us back?” So we ran upstairs and asked the booker, Deer France. She said, “Hell yeah.”

SCHNEIDER Because we were like nothing they’d ever seen.

PIERSON In the beginning, we were terrified. We looked fierce because we were so scared. We were each responsible for setting up onstage. I did the patch cords between the guitars and amps.

SCHNEIDER I plugged everything in. [Laughter]

PIERSON Fred would stand there and say, “Where’s the outlet?” until someone came and helped him.

Soon after you started, a bunch of other great bands came out of Athens: R.E.M., Pylon, Love Tractor. Was it the cheap rents that allowed lots of Bohemians to flourish, as they did in New York?

PIERSON Living in Athens was free and easy. We had jobs, sort of. I lived out in the country and had goats.

SCHNEIDER I was meal delivery coordinator for the Council on Aging. You could rent an apartment in Athens for $60 a month. I think Kate paid $15 a month.

PIERSON I was a paste-up artist on the local newspaper, and Cindy worked at the Whirly Q luncheonette counter. We started getting written up in all the magazines — New York Rocker, Interview — and we couldn’t afford to buy the magazines. We’d buy one copy and share it.

At what point did you start to think, “Maybe this band is more than just a hobby”?

PIERSON I knew something was happening when we played Hurrah in New York [in March 1979]. Ricky looked out the window and said, “Why is there such a long line outside?” They said, “That line is for y’all’s show.” What?

What was so different about you?

SCHNEIDER Everyone in New York was standing against the wall in their leather jackets, smoking cigarettes. We were a blast of color. No one would dance. We wanted to entertain people, and we kept it positive and fun.

PIERSON People thought Cindy and I might be drag queens.

SCHNEIDER When we played Max’s, someone yelled, “Is this a queen band?” I misheard, and I said, “Yes, we’re a clean band.” I guess nobody wore wigs in New York.

PIERSON They thought we were from England, because they couldn’t imagine a band coming from Athens. But this was happening all over the country, in little towns. “Let’s start a band,” even if — well, we could play our instruments. People have a misconception that we couldn’t. I played keyboard and bass, and played guitar on two songs.

SCHNEIDER I played keyboard bass on two songs. But I didn’t know which keys I was supposed to hit, so they put black tape on the keys. [Laughter]

When most people start out singing, they imitate someone. I don’t think you guys did.

WILSON I was trying to be Patti Smith.

SCHNEIDER I wish I could sound like Wilson Pickett. But mostly, I was reciting. I talk-sang.

PIERSON None of us were self-conscious.

WILSON Because we were doing it for fun. It was kind of half-joking.

PIERSON And Cindy and I just locked into our harmonies. We never said, “Oh, let’s try this interval.”

STRICKLAND Cindy’s voice can be beautiful, but it has a primal quality at the same time. I used to tell Ricky she reminds me of John Lennon.

Ricky told Keith he had AIDS, and asked him not to tell anyone else. Cindy, did you have any anger toward Keith for not telling you?

WILSON Not at all. Both Keith and Ricky were in this horrible hell, you know? Ricky and I were living together, and he was away a lot. I thought, oh, he’s sick of living with his sister.

STRICKLAND Hearing that breaks my heart.

WILSON A hideous thing happened a day or two before Ricky passed. I got a phone call from a nurse in his doctor’s office. She was smacking gum, and said, “Did you know you’re living with a man that has AIDS?” It was the first time someone had said those words to me.

STRICKLAND It was very difficult. I kept telling him, “You’ve got to tell Cindy.” He was a very private person, and I don’t think he knew how to deal with it. He’d gone into a coma in the hospital, and Cindy confronted me. I knew I couldn’t hide it anymore.

WILSON After he died, I had a nervous breakdown. Keith moved up to Woodstock and became a hermit.

STRICKLAND Ricky was my best friend — we were like brothers. I thought the band was finished, but writing music was a way to console myself. I wrote on the guitar, and I imagined Ricky sitting across from me. One of the first pieces I wrote became “Deadbeat Club,” and there are two guitar parts; I played the chords, and in my head, I imagined Ricky playing the other part.

PIERSON I lived in a house across the pond from Keith, and I’d canoe over to his house. He played me a couple of things, and then we all got together. We said, this is for us, for our healing, and this is for Ricky. It was kind of miraculous that we came back together.

The first album you did after Ricky died, “Cosmic Thing,” had your first hit singles, “Love Shack,” “Roam” and “Deadbeat Club.” Why was that the breakthrough album?

PIERSON When we wrote “Cosmic,” it turned out to be an autobiographical album.

WILSON But how could it not, you know? And we didn’t write the album to be a hit.

PIERSON Yeah, and the songs just came together in a sort of story. It came really directly from the collective heart of the band. And it just poured out, all this stuff about the innocence we had in Athens.

SCHNEIDER We had to beg radio stations to play “Love Shack” because it was unlike anything. Once it went to No. 1 on college and alternative radio, that’s when mainstream radio picked it up. And once that happened, it’s like, oh, my God.

You also used two of the best producers around, Don Was and Nile Rodgers. How did you pick them?

PIERSON We interviewed Todd Rundgren, who said, “I have a mandate. I’m going to tell you what to do, and you’re going to do what I say.” He didn’t say it in that way, but he used the word “mandate,” and we were like, no . [Laughter]

SCHNEIDER We go on man dates, but we don’t put up with one.

PIERSON A friend’s mother, who’s a psychic and doesn’t know anything about music, went through the list of producers and said, “The spirit guides love Nile Rodgers and Don Was too.” She had no idea who they were.

Why has the band recorded only one studio album in the last 30 years?

SCHNEIDER We wanted to wait until people finally stopped buying albums and CDs. [Laughter]

STRICKLAND The way we write is complex and time-consuming, because it’s so collaborative. And it would get contentious at times — you edit out a part and someone says, “That’s my favorite part.” We’ve never been a band that just pumps it out.

Do you think the B-52’s contributed a lot to what people call the queering of American culture?

PIERSON We queered it. We done queered it.

SCHNEIDER Unintentionally, to a degree. A lot of people said seeing us on “Saturday Night Live,” they felt comfortable with themselves, finally, even though they might live in some Podunk town where tolerance is, forget it. We hear those stories all the time. Back then, it was a stigma to even say you were gay, so I would say, “I’m a try-sexual. I’ll try anything.”

PIERSON We not only had a gay sensibility, we also embodied it. We look different, our songs are different, so people identified us from the beginning as different.

SCHNEIDER Everybody’s invited to our party. We always made that one of our premises. Bring your mom. Bring grandma.

Bonus Track: Keith Strickland on Ricky Wilson

“When Ricky played guitar, he sounded like two people,” Cindy Wilson said. Guitar World named Wilson, who often removed one and sometimes two strings from his guitar, one of its 25 All-Time Weirdest Guitarists . In a phone call, Keith Strickland, the B-52’s drummer who took over guitar duties after Wilson died, explained Ricky’s unique style. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

STRICKLAND Ricky and I met in high school at 16 and bonded over music. He was writing songs on guitar, very much influenced by Donovan. He was quite skilled in fingerpicking, which he learned by watching the show “Folk Guitar With Laura Weber” on PBS. The first time all five of the B-52’s jammed, I played guitar and Ricky played congas. But he was a better guitarist and I was a better drummer, so we switched.

On some songs, like “Rock Lobster” and “Private Idaho,” Ricky played alternating parts. He’d play the rhythm on his lower strings, and a counterpoint lead line on the higher strings. It sounds like two guitars. For me, that’s the genius of Ricky’s playing. And he used real heavy-gauge strings, because he kept breaking the thinner ones and we didn’t have guitar techs to change them. [Laughs]

He removed the G string from his guitar, which eliminates some of the midrange frequencies, and he played with only five strings. That happened by accident. When I played the guitar, if I broke a string, I wouldn’t change it — I’d just retune the other strings to an open tuning. I liked how it sounded.

One day, Ricky was annoyed because I hadn’t changed a broken string on the guitar. I said, “You should play it like that.” He scoffed it off. But the next time I went to his house, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, playing and laughing. He said, “I’ve just written the most stupid guitar riff you’ve ever heard.” And it was the “Rock Lobster” riff, played on five strings in an open tuning.

He and I were aware of open tunings because we were both big fans of Joni Mitchell, who used them a lot. People always say, “ Really ? You like Joni?” because our music is nothing like hers. Some of the chords she used were so beautiful, and they sound unresolved. Open tunings offer different color palettes or voicings that might be physically impossible to play in standard tuning.

After Ricky died, it seemed impossible to me to find someone else that could play in open tuning. So I said, “I’ll be the guitarist.” It was pragmatic, but I also knew that if we brought somebody else in, I’d hover over them and say, “You’re not doing that right.” [Laughs] I had to learn Ricky’s parts, but I never wanted to imitate him, because I knew I couldn’t. It was a good 10 years before I was comfortable playing guitar onstage. The whole Cosmic Thing Tour, I was hanging by a thread.

Around 1983, Ricky bought one of the first Macintosh home computers, and he loved it. When I’m writing music at my computer now, using Logic Pro software, I always say, “Gosh, Ricky would’ve loved this.” I often think about Ricky.

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B-52s Announce Farewell Tour Dates

By Jem Aswad

Executive Editor, Music

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Some 45 years after their first performance, new wave icons the B-52s have announced a farewell tour that kicks off this summer.

The jaunt — billed as “Their final tour ever of planet Earth” — will hit 11 cities across the U.S., launching August 22 in Seattle and running through November 11, where it will finish at Atlanta’s legendary Fox Theatre, not far from their home base of Athens, Georgia. More shows will be added in the coming weeks; see current routing below.

The pre-sale begins tomorrow, April 27, at 12 p.m. ET. KC and the Sunshine Band and the Tubes are set to make special guest appearances on select dates.

To kick off the tour, the B-52s will perform on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” tomorrow (April 27) as well.

MRC Films and Fulwell 73 have announced that the film documentary on the band will be released in early 2023. Directed by Craig Johnson (Skeleton Twins; Wilson; Alex Strangelove) and executive-produced by Fred Armisen, the film will trace the history and influence of the band. The film has also been given generous support of all band members including many personal archival photos and films that have never been released.

Says co-founder Kate Pierson, “Who knew what started as a way to have some fun and play music for our friends’ at house parties in Athens in 1977 would evolve into over 45 years of making music and touring the world. It’s been cosmic.”

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Cindy Wilson, who also co-founded the band with her beloved late brother, Ricky, adds, “It has been a wild ride, that’s for sure. We feel truly blessed to have had an amazing career encouraging folks to dance, sing along with us and feel they can be whomever they are with our music.”

Fred Schneider, co-founder and perhaps the most unique front man in rock, sums up the band’s decision to retire from the road, “No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it’s time for one last blow-out with our friends and family…our fans. And with KC & The Sunshine Band and The Tubes on board, it’s going to be one hell of a farewell party at these concerts.”

THE B-52S 2022 TOUR DATES

August 22 nd Seattle, WA McCaw Hall*

September 29 th Mashantucket, CT Foxwoods Casino**

September 30 th Boston, MA MGM Music Hall**

October 1 st Washington, DC The Anthem**

October 7 th Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre**

October 13 th New York, NY Beacon Theatre**

October 14 th New York, NY Beacon Theatre**

October 15 th Atlantic City, NJ Ovation Hall – Ocean Casino**

October 19 th Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre

October 21 st Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre

October 22 nd Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre

October 28 th San Francisco, CA The Masonic Auditorium*

October 29 th San Francisco, CA The Masonic Auditorium*

November 4 th Los Angeles, CA YouTube Theater**

November 11 th Atlanta, GA The Fox Theatre**

*with Special Guests The Tubes

**with Special Guests KC & The Sunshine Band

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The B-52s Will Board Up the Love Shack After Farewell Tour This Year

By Jon Blistein

Jon Blistein

After 45 years, the B-52s, one of the most reliable purveyors of rock & roll party music, will call it quits with a farewell tour this year.

The band announced an initial run of 11 dates across the U.S., though more shows are expected to be added in the coming weeks. The band currently has one show scheduled for Aug. 22 in Seattle, Washington, though they’re scheduled to kick off a proper run Sept. 29 in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The run will wrap with a final blowout at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, just outside the B-52s’ hometown of Athens, Georgia.

On select dates, the B-52s will receive support from KC and the Sunshine Band and the Tubes.

Tickets for the B-52s’ farewell tour will go on sale April 29 at 12 p.m. ET. A pre-sale will begin tomorrow, April 27, at 12 p.m. ET. Full information is available on the band’s website .

Of the farewell tour, Fred Schneider said, “No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it’s time for one last blow-out with our friends and family… our fans. And with KC & The Sunshine Band and The Tubes on board, it’s going to be one hell of a farewell party at these concerts.”

Kate Pierson added, “Who knew what started as a way to have some fun and play music for our friends’ at house parties in Athens in 1977 would evolve into over 45 years of making music and touring the world. It’s been cosmic.”

Along with announcing their farewell tour, the B-52s also confirmed that a long-in-the-works documentary about the band will finally be released in early 2023. The as-yet-untitled film was directed by Craig Johnson, executive produced by Fred Armisen, and will feature an array of previously unreleased archival photos and videos.

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The B-52s are also set to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week, taking the stage tomorrow, April 27.

“It has been a wild ride, that’s for sure,” said Cindy Wilson. “We feel truly blessed to have had an amazing career encouraging folks to dance, sing along with us and feel they can be whomever they are with our music.”

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The B-52s Farewell Tour Dates

August 22 – Seattle, WA @ McCaw Hall (with the Tubes) September 29 – Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Casino (with KC and the Sunshine Band) September 30 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall (with KC and the Sunshine Band) October 1 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem (with KC and the Sunshine Band) October 7 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre (with KC and the Sunshine Band) October 13 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre (with KC and the Sunshine Band) October 14 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre (with KC and the Sunshine Band) October 15 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Ovation Hall – Ocean Casino (with KC and the Sunshine Band) October 19 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre October 21 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre October 22 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre October 28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic Auditorium (with the Tubes) October 29 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic Auditorium (with the Tubes) November 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ YouTube Theater (with KC and the Sunshine Band) November 11 – Atlanta, GA @ The Fox Theatre (with KC and the Sunshine Band)

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The B-52’s Announce Farewell Tour

By Allison Hussey

The B-52’s have announced a farewell tour, which begins in Seattle on August 22. It wraps up in mid-November in Atlanta, with the Tubes and KC & The Sunshine Band taking support slots along the way. See the full schedule below.

In the fall of 2019, band member Fred Schneider told Billboard that the B-52’s wouldn’t embark on any more tours, but that they’d still make occasional festival appearances. The band’s most recent album is 2008’s Funplex , which arrived 16 years after its predecessor, 1992’s Good Stuff .

Read the Sunday Review of the B-52s’ 1979 self-titled debut and revisit Pitchfork’s feature “ The B-52s’ Kate Pierson on the Music That Made Her .”

All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The B-52’s:

08-22 Seattle, WA - McCaw Hall * 09-29 Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino $ 09-30 Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall $ 10-01 Washington, D.C. - The Anthem $ 10-07 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre $ 10-13 New York, NY - Beacon Theatre $ 10-14 New York, NY - Beacon Theatre $ 10-15 Atlantic City, NJ - Ovation Hall - Ocean Casino $ 10-19 Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian Theatre 10-21 Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian Theatre 10-22 Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian Theatre 10-28 San Francisco, CA - The Masonic Auditorium * 10-29 San Francisco, CA - The Masonic Auditorium * 11-04 Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater $ 11-11 Atlanta, GA - The Fox Theatre $

* with The Tubes $ with KC & The Sunshine Band

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B-52s announce farewell tour, Atlantic City show. Here are the band's Jersey roots

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One more trip to the “Love Shack” for fans of the B-52s.

The quirky hitmakers, whose new wave classics include “Rock Lobster,” “Roam,” “Private Idaho,” “Good Stuff” and “Love Shack,” are saying goodbye and have announced their “Final Tour Ever of Planet Earth.”

Upcoming area shows include Oct. 15 at Ovation Hall inside the Ocean Casino in Atlantic City, and Oct. 13 and 14 at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

KC & The Sunshine Band are the openers for the area shows. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday, April 29, via www.theb52s.com/tour . The band will appear on the Wednesday, April 27, episode of ABC's “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

“No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it's time for one last blow-out with our friends and family … our fans,” said frontman Fred Schneider in a statement. “And with KC & The Sunshine Band and The Tubes on board, it's going to be one hell of a farewell party at these concerts.”

The group was founded in 1976 in Athens, Ga., but there are Jersey roots. Schneider grew up in Oceanport and went to Shore Regional High School. Kate Pierson was born in Weehawken and grew up in Rutherford.

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“I had a typical childhood growing up, I built forts in the woods and I played in the neighborhood,” said Schneider previously to the Asbury Park Press.

Schneider headed south to attend forestry school at the University of Georgia in Athens.

“I wanted to be a conservationist,” Schneider said. “I wanted to save animals who were in danger of becoming extinct.”

Instead, he discovered another type of wildlife in the artist community of Athens. Schneider met up with drummer Keith Strickland and guitarist Ricky Wilson, and was eventually joined by Wilson's kid sister, Cindy, and Kate Pierson, all of whom formed the B-52s.

The first show was in 1977. By 1978, the band had recorded its signature tune “Rock Lobster.” Mixing Duane Eddy guitars with beehive hairdos, blippy new-wave sounds, art-school camp and a touch of Cold War anxiety, the B-52s carved themselves out a singular and immediately identifiable niche in rock 'n' roll.

By the way, “B-52” refers to a type of bouffant hairdo, not the bomber.

The final tour begins Aug. 22 in Seattle.

B-52s Farewell Tour dates

Aug. 22 at Seattle, McCaw Hall

Sept. 29 at Mashantucket, Conn., Foxwoods Casino

Sept. 30 at Boston, MGM Music Hall

Oct. 1 at Washington, D.C., The Anthem

Oct. 7 at Chicago, Chicago Theatre

Oct. 13 at New York, Beacon Theatre

Oct. 14 at New York, Beacon Theatre

Oct. 15 at Atlantic City, Ovation Hall, Ocean Casino

Oct. 19 at Las Vegas, The Venetian Theatre

Oct. 21 at Las Vegas, The Venetian Theatre

Oct. 22 at Las Vegas, The Venetian Theatre

Oct. 28 at San Francisco, The Masonic Auditorium

Oct. 29 at San Francisco, The Masonic Auditorium

Nov. 4 at Los Angeles, YouTube Theater

Nov. 11 at Atlanta, The Fox Theatre

Subscribe to app.com for the latest on the New Jersey music scene.

Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: B-52s farewell tour includes Atlantic City NJ show

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Published: 2022/04/26

The B-52’s Announce Farewell Tour

Photo via The B-52’s official Facebook

The B-52’s have announced that after 45 years as a touring ensemble they will embark on their final trek this summer. The band’s farewell tour will commence on Aug. 22 at McCraw Hall in Seattle. The 11-stop tour will hit select U.S. cities before wrapping in mid-November.

Following a Pacific Northwest tour opener, the band will head cross-country for a gig on Sept. 29 at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., where they’ll be joined by special guests KC & The Sunshine Band. The following night, the band will pop up at Boston’s MGM Music Hall before heading to Washington D.C. for a show at The Anthem.

From there, The B-52’s will make their way to Chicago for an Oct. 7 performance at the Chicago Theatre. Then, they will play a two-night stand at New York’s Beacon Theatre on Oct. 13 and 14 before making their way to Ocean Casino in Atlantic City on Oct. 15.

Then, the band will perform for three nights at The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas before heading to San Francisco for a two-night feature at The Masonic Auditorium, where special guests, The Tubes, join them.

The final two performances will see the band perform at Los Angeles’ YouTube Theater on Nov. 4 and The Fox Theatre in Atlanta on Nov. 11. The B-52’s co-founder, Kate Pierson, shared, “Who knew what started as a way to have some fun and play music for our friends’ at house parties in Athens in 1977 would evolve into over 45 years of making music and touring the world. It’s been cosmic.”

Fellow B-52’s co-founder Fred Schneider shared some words on the band’s decision to retire. He stated, “No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it’s time for one last blow-out with our friends and family…our fans. And with KC & The Sunshine Band and The Tubes on board, it’s going to be one hell of a farewell party at these concerts.”

Pre-sale for The B-52’s Farewell Tour begins on April 27 at 12 p.m. ET.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on April 29 at 12 p.m. E.T.

The B-52s Farewell Tour Dates:

Aug. 22 – McCraw Hall – Seattle *

Sept. 29 – Foxwoods Casino – Mashantucket, Conn. **

Sept. 30 – MGM Music Hall – Boston **

Oct. 1 – The Anthem – Washington, D.C. **

Oct. 7 – Chicago Theatre – Chicago **

Oct. 13 – Beacon Theatre – New York **

Oct. 14 – Beacon Theatre – New York **

Oct. 15 – Ocean Casino – Atlantic City, N.J. **

Oct. 19 – The Venetian Theatre – Las Vegas, Nev.

Oct. 21 – The Venetian Theatre – Las Vegas, Nev.

Oct. 22 – The Venetian Theatre – Las Vegas, Nev.

Oct. 28 – The Masonic Auditorium – San Francisco *

Oct. 29 – The Masonic Auditorium – San Francisco *

Nov. 4 – YouTube Theater – Los Angeles **

Nov. 11 – The Fox Theatre – Atlanta **

* With special guests The Tubes

** With special guests KC & The Sunshine Band

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Encore: New wave icons The B-52s are on the road for their last tour

Everyone knows that "love rules at the love shack." From October, NPR's Scott Simon speaks to The B-52s, the new wave icons out of Athens, Ga., about being on the road for their farewell tour.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Here's When The B-52s Farewell Tour Lands in Southern California

The b-52s are taking their show on the road for one last tour with a november date in inglewood., published april 26, 2022 • updated on april 26, 2022 at 10:45 am.

The B-52s are going to roam from coast to coast one last time.

The quirky dance-pop outfit kick off a final tour this summer with 10 stops, including the YouTube Theater in Inglewood . That show is scheduled for Nov. 4 and follows two shows in San Francisco after three nights in Las Vegas.

“No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it’s time for one last blow-out,” said Fred Schneider, co-founder and singer for the Athens, Georgia-based band, in a statement.

The band burst onto the New Wave scene in 1979 with songs like “Rock Lobster” and cracked the pop charts in the late ’80s with the party classics “Love Shack” and “Roam.”

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Their North American farewell tour starts Aug. 22 in Seattle and ends Nov. 11 in Atlanta. Other stops include Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington D.C. Supporting the band will be The Tubes or KC & The Sunshine Band.

Tickets are available at The B-52s.com.

“Who knew what started as a way to have some fun and play music for our friends’ at house parties in Athens in 1977 would evolve into over 45 years of making music and touring the world. It’s been cosmic,” said co-founder Kate Pierson in a statement.

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While the band may be saying goodbye from the road, the members are the subject of a documentary to be released in 2023 directed by Craig Johnson and produced by Fred Armisen.

This article tagged under:

The B-52s Announce Farewell Tour

Tickets officially go on sale this Friday, April 29th at 12:00 PM EST.

After 45 years since their first performance, over 20 million albums sold and countless accolades amongst them, there can be no doubt as to why The B-52s have remained one of music's most groundbreaking and beloved bands. Now, The B-52s are gearing up to return to the road one last time and are announcing a farewell tour that will kick off this summer.

Their North American farewell tour will visit 11 cities across the U.S., kicking off August 22th in Seattle at the breathtaking McCaw Hall - Brotman Auditorium and running through November 11 climaxing at Atlanta's legendary Fox Theatre. More shows will be added in the coming weeks (please see full current routing below).

The pre-sale for The B-52s Farewell Tour launches tomorrow, April 27th at 12:00 PM EST. Tickets officially go on sale this Friday, April 29th at 12:00 PM EST. KC and The Sunshine Band and The Tubes are set to make special guest appearances on select dates.

Tickets, information and exclusive VIP Meet & Greet packages will be available at The B-52s.com

In addition, to kick off their farewell tour, The B-52s will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this Wednesday, April 27th. MRC Films and Fulwell 73 have announced the long awaited film documentary on the iconic band will be released in early 2023.

Directed by Craig Johnson (Skeleton Twins; Wilson; Alex Strangelove) and executively produced by Fred Armisen, the film will trace the incredible journey and influence of the band. The film has also been given generous support of all band members including many personal archival photos and films that have never been released.

Says co-founder Kate Pierson, "Who knew what started as a way to have some fun and play music for our friends' at house parties in Athens in 1977 would evolve into over 45 years of making music and touring the world. It's been cosmic."

Cindy Wilson, who also co-founded the band with her beloved late brother, Ricky, adds, "It has been a wild ride, that's for sure. We feel truly blessed to have had an amazing career encouraging folks to dance, sing along with us and feel they can be whomever they are with our music."

Fred Schneider, co-founder and perhaps the most unique front man in rock, sums up the band's decision to retire from the road, "No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it's time for one last blow-out with our friends and family...our fans. And with KC & The Sunshine Band and The Tubes on board, it's going to be one hell of a farewell party at these concerts."

August 22nd - Seattle, WA - - McCaw Hall*

September 29th - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino**

September 30th - Boston, MA - - MGM Music Hall**

October 1st - Washington, DC - The Anthem**

October 7th - Chicago, IL - - Chicago Theatre**

October 13th - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre**

October 14th - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre**

October 15th - Atlantic City, NJ - Ovation Hall - Ocean Casino**

October 19th - Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian Theatre

October 21st - Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian Theatre

October 22nd - Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian Theatre

October 28th - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic Auditorium*

October 29th - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic Auditorium*

November 4th - Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater**

November 11th - Atlanta, GA - - The Fox Theatre**

*with Special Guests The Tubes

**with Special Guests KC & The Sunshine Band

It is well known that The B-52s are The World's Greatest Party Band. Nearly 40 years and over 20 million albums into their career, there can be no doubt as to why they remain one of rock music's most beloved and enduring bands.

Any mystery concerning the band's longevity and ongoing appeal is immediately solved when exposed to a B-52s concert experience. From groundbreaking songs like "Rock Lobster," "Dance This Mess Around," "Private Idaho," "Roam" and "Deadbeat Club" to chart-topping hits like "Love Shack," to their thrilling reemergence on the pop scene with their 2008 CD Funplex, which bowed at #11 on the Top 200. The B-52s' unforgettable dance-rock tunes start a party every time their music begins.

Formed on an October night in 1976 following drinks at an Athens, GA, Chinese restaurant, the band played their first gig at a friend's house on Valentine's Day 1977. Naming themselves after Southern slang for exaggerated 'bouffant' hairdos, the newly-christened B-52s (Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson and Ricky Wilson) began weekend road trips to New York City for gigs at CBGB's and a handful of other venues.

Before long, their thrift store aesthetic and genre-defying songs were the talk of the post-punk underground. A record deal soon followed and their self-titled debut disc, produced by Chris Blackwell, sold more than 500,000 copies on the strength of their first singles, the garage rock party classic "Rock Lobster," and "52 Girls."

The album placed at #152 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" and #99 on VH1's "Greatest Albums of All Time." The B-52s began to attract fans far beyond the punk clubs of the Lower East Side - galvanizing the pop world with their 'stream-of-consciousness' approach to songwriting and outrageous performance. They had clearly tapped into a growing audience for new music that was much larger than anyone could have anticipated.

The B-52’s announce North American farewell tour

The run of dates take place this autumn

The B-52’s have announced details of a North American farewell tour – get your tickets here and see the full list of dates below.

READ MORE: The story of post-punk in 15 classic albums

The band, best known for their hits ‘Love Shack’ and ‘Rock Lobster’, formed in October 1976 over a shared flaming volcano cocktail at the Hunan Chinese Restaurant. They released their self-titled debut album in 1979, produced by Chris Blackwell via Island Records.

Back in 2019, they played a summer farewell tour in the UK , after celebrating their 40th anniversary the year prior by co-headlining a North American tour with Boy George & Culture Club and Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey.

The new tour dates begin in Seattle in August and will see The B-52’s supported by The Tubes and KC & The Sunshine Band.

Check out the full list of dates below, and buy tickets here .

AUGUST 2022 22 – Seattle, McCaw Hall *

SEPTEMBER 2022 29 – Mashantucket, Foxwoods Casino ^ 30 – Boston, MGM Music Hall ^

OCTOBER 2022 1 – Washington DC, The Anthem ^ 7 – Chicago, Chicago Theatre ^ 13 – New York, Beacon Theatre ^ 14 – New York, Beacon Theatre ^ 15 – Atlantic City, Ovation Hall – Ocean Casino ^ 19 – Las Vegas, The Venetian Theatre 21 – Las Vegas, The Venetian Theatre 22 – Las Vegas, The Venetian Theatre 28 – San Francisco, The Masonic Auditorium * 29 – San Francisco, The Masonic Auditorium *

NOVEMBER 4 – Los Angeles, YouTube Theater ^ 11 – Atlanta, The Fox Theatre ^

*with The Tubes ^with KC & The Sunshine Band

Back in 2015, The B-52’s Kate Pierson released a debut solo album featuring a song co-written by The Strokes‘ Nick Valensi and Sia .

The new wave icons released their last studio album, ‘Funplex’, in 2008. Their self-titled debut came out in 1979.

Related Topics

The B-52s' Cindy Wilson Says Their Farewell Tour Won't Be the End of the Band: 'Not 100% Gone' (Exclusive)

The legendary party band's co-singer is also releasing 'Realms,' her new solo album

Gina Wetzler/Redferns

Considered the “ world's greatest party band ,” the B-52s have been known for their buoyant party music in a long career that included such beloved hits as “Rock Lobster,” “Private Idaho,” “Love Shack” and “Roam.” However, their days as a live act are gradually coming to an end as the group from Athens, Georgia — whose touring lineup consists of founding singers Cindy Wilson, Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider —has been on the road in the last year for their farewell tour .

“We love our fans, and I think people were really happy at our shows,” Wilson, 66, says. “But there was an element of sadness you could feel. Every time we do a show, we try to be in the moment and have a good time until eventually the B's will be over.”

The B-52s are kicking off their residency in Las Vegas on Friday, which is the same day Wilson is releasing her second solo album, Realms — a collection of both dreamy and uptempo electronic pop music that has a spiritual vibe. “The record flows really well,” she says. “You could put it on and it seems like a whole work in itself, not just 10 songs. It is very interior but also kind of screaming out to the world.”

Wilson cites her singing on Realms as a difference from her 2017 solo record Change . “I got to really concentrate on my vocal technique. On Change , [I] was singing a lot lighter. And with Realms , we made sure that I was injecting my stronger Cindy voice in there too. So it had a nice energy, Realms does.”

There are moments on Realms that hearken back to Wilson’s work with the B-52s such as the track “Delirious.” And yet at the same time, with songs like “Midnight” and “Overboard,” Realms is also eclectic-sounding and more aligned with today’s alternative rock. “I love the dissonance [in] some of the notes,” she says of “Wait,” a love song. “It's kind of jazzy, too. I love how it makes you feel emotionally.”

The ethereal ballad “Not Goodbye,” whose lyrics read in part, ‘Fold your face into a smile/And hold it back inside,’ concludes Realms on a spiritual and hopeful note. It was also the last song written for the record, says Wilson. “I didn't know how I was going to turn out. I didn't have much hope for the song really. It was so difficult to sing because it was so slow. But it really turned out lovely. And I love what it says.”

Wilson attributes Realms ’ sound to Suny Lyons, who produced the album in a way that paid homage to the music of the late 1970s, such as disco and New Wave, that the B-52s emerged from. She also credits the sound to the young musicians who previously worked on Change . "It's like playing with kids in your neighborhood," she says. "You're playing with these new kids and new things come out of you that way.”

With her new album, Wilson has come a long way from when the B-52s — whose original lineup consisted of herself, her guitarist brother Ricky Wilson, Pierson, Schneider, and drummer Keith Strickland — formed in 1976 from an impromptu jam after having drinks at a local Chinese restaurant.

“Ricky and I moved in together out of my parents' house,” Wilson recalls. “So I started hanging out with Ricky and Keith more, and then we met Fred and Kate and went out to eat with them. And that's how the famous night happened where we jammed and came up with these amazing songs.”

The B-52s built up a local following in Athens that also grew when they started performing in New York City during the punk and New Wave eras. The band’s moniker and Wilson and Pierson’s beehive hairdos from the early years are interconnected. “We were trying to pick out a name for the band,” recalls Wilson. “It went on for days. Keith Strickland came up with ‘the B-52s.’ And he explained he had a dream that there was this woman with a big bouffant on stage and playing the keyboard, and their name was B-52s. He says it was slang for a bouffant, but it was actually from a dream, too.”

The band's 1979 self-titled debut record contained their beloved signature song, the eccentric “ Rock Lobster .” Says Wilson: “Ricky came up with this guitar lick that was just amazing. We were jamming with the music. And Fred had this poem about a rock lobster, and so we all just jammed on these elements. Kate and I were doing the fish sounds and harmonies and melodies. It’s one of my favorites.”

The B-52s released more albums, including Wild Planet and Bouncing Off the Satellites , and toured until tragedy struck: Ricky Wilson, who played a major role in their distinct sound, died of AIDS in 1985.

“My kids never got to meet Ricky, their uncle,” says Wilson, a mother of two children. “But they're so proud of him. And his legend still goes on. He was such a unique guitar player and [had] an incredible focus and drive. So that was wonderful. And I will always have Ricky in my heart. After Ricky died, I was so sad. I couldn't even look at a photo of Rick because I would just die inside. But I've come back around and it just feels great that Ricky's influence is still in the fans' minds and hearts.”

The surviving members regrouped and released 1989’s Cosmic Thing , their comeback and biggest-selling album to date. “It was more of a healing record and trying to go back to the old days where we were happy because it was during AIDS and we lost Ricky,” says Wilson. “And Cosmic was nostalgic, looking back at happier days when we were first started in Athens and the joyfulness of that. It was embraced by all of our fans and made new fans all over the world.”

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Although they will be done with touring (they’re returning to Las Vegas in April of next year for more shows), the B-52s are not calling it quits as a band: a new documentary about them is on the way. “There's going to be other little things happening,” she says. “So we're not 100 percent gone. And you know it's more of an ending season. It's not going to be a hard date, but it's coming. There’ll still be things that come up. You'll hear about us.”

She explains the B-52s’ longevity as being in the right place at the right time. "We keep our playfulness. It's not like we're just dragging and doing shows. A lot of the music is alive in us. And so that makes it where we can keep doing it.”

Meanwhile, Wilson is keen on doing more of her own music as well as collaborating with her musician son Nolan Bennett. "It wasn’t really for commercial [reasons]," she says about her going solo. "It was more just doing it for myself, and to prove to myself what I could do. It's so healthy to be creative and work on music and work with other people in music. I just find it to be a way to get happy is working on music.”

For more from Cindy Wilson, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere now.

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The B-52’s Extend Farewell Tour

From their official bio on their website: Formed on an October night in 1976 following drinks at an Athens, Ga., Chinese restaurant, the band played their first gig at a friend’s house on Valentine’s Day 1977. Naming themselves after Southern slang for exaggerated “bouffant” hairdos, the newly christened B-52’s (Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson and Ricky Wilson) began weekend road trips to New York City for gigs at CBGB’s and a handful of other venues. Before long, their thrift store aesthetic and genre-defying songs were the talk of the post-punk underground.

A record deal soon followed and their self-titled debut disc, produced by Chris Blackwell, sold more than 500,000 copies on the strength of their first singles, the garage rock party classic “Rock Lobster,” and “52 Girls.” The B-52’s began to attract fans far beyond the punk clubs of the Lower East Side — galvanizing the pop world with their “stream-of-consciousness” approach to songwriting and outrageous performance.

Watch them perform “Love Shack” on Aug. 22, 2022 in Seattle

Watch them do another favorite on opening night in Vancouver

Related: 10 songs that defined new wave music

Watch them perform at the Venetian in May 2023

At the time of their greatest achievements, however, they suffered their greatest tragedy — the death in 1985 of guitarist Ricky Wilson from AIDS.

Keith, Kate, Fred and Cindy re-emerged with the Don Was/Nile Rodgers co-produced Cosmic Thing in 1989. The album proved to be the greatest commercial achievement for the group, and its success propelled the band to international superstars.

Cosmic Thing soared to #4 on the Billboard album chart, sold five million copies worldwide and yielded their first-ever top 10 hits — “Love Shack” and “Roam.” The B-52’s advanced their reputation as the greatest party band on the planet to a whole new generation of music fans, playing to sold-out audiences worldwide on a tour that would last more than 18 months.

Watch a vintage performance

In 2013, Strickland announced that he had made a decision to stop touring with the band. The group did a 40th anniversary tour in 2019.

The B-52s Farewell Tour 2023 Dates (Tickets are available here and here )

Aug 25-26 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Aug 30 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Sep 2-3 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Oct 13 – Chattanooga, TN – Chattanooga Motorcar Festival Nov 18 – Huntington Beach, CA – Darker Waves 2023

2024 Apr 12-13 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Apr 17 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Apr 19-20 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian

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The B-52s are an American new wave band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976 and currently consists of Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland and Cindy Wilson.

The meeting of The B-52s could be described as a stroke of fate. After sharing some strong alcoholic beverages at a Chinese restaurant in Georgia, vocalist Cindy Wilson and her older brother guitarist Ricky joined vocalist Kate Pierson, original drummer and percussionist Keith Strickland and vocalist Fred Schneider in an impromptu musical jam. Shortly after they played their first gig as a unit at a friend's Valentine's Day party.

The band's managed to gain crucial backing from record labels in the early days partially helped by the strength of their debut single 'Rock Lobster' which charted worldwide. In 1979 The B-52's signed contracts with Warner Bros. Records for North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand; and with Island Records for the UK, Europe, and Asia.

The debut self titled album went on to chart within the top 30 of the UK charts and top 60 in the US, a moderate success for a new artist. The next album 'Wild Planet' spawned three top 5 US dance chart hits and increased the band's chart peaks around the world. On October 12, 1985 Ricky Wilson died from the illness HIV/AIDS at the age of 32 with his other bandmates unaware he was even suffering from the disease. With Cindy Wilson devastated by her brother's death, and her bandmates too being depressed about Ricky's passing, the band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote their album nor the group, prompting a hiatus from their musical careers.

They reformed in 1989 with the 'Cosmic Thing' album which included a number of hit worldwide singles, including their biggest US Billboard hit 'Love Shack'. In 1990 the B-52's were nominated for 4 MTV Video Music Awards including Video of the Year. They won two awards, Best Group Video and Best Art Direction. Their tour schedule has been consistent throughout their career.

Live reviews

The B-52s are a slice of classic 60s style rock and they have built a loyal following for their sound over their career which has now spanned an impressive three decades. They perform with the same level of enthusiasm that first gained them attention and there is an equal emphasis on the easygoing and fun during their live show.

They warm the crowd with tracks from their latest LP 'Funplex' and they remain enthusiastic yet the real roars of approval come for the first of the early singles 'Girl From Ipanema Goes to Greenland' which is sang back in force by the room in its entirety much to the delight of the band. They applaud the crowd after their own applause die down and thank them for the continued support, citing they are fact that they continue to visit the UK. After some slick vocal acrobatics on 'Is That You, Mo-Dean?' and a great demonstration of the disjointed instrumentals on '6060-842' the audience knows the band are warming them up to a double-hit finale.

They were not wrong as the whole crowd erupts in equal amounts of joy for 'Love Shack' and 'Rock Lobster' both of which are sang back note perfectly as the band takes its final bows.

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Since 2008 American new wave band, the B-52s, have been back in action. In 2008 the banded dropped the apostrophe in their name and release a new album, ‘Funplex.’ For the past six years the B-52s have been delivering their brand of high-energy rock and roll pop in large arena and festival venues.

A B-52s concert always promises fun. If you want to dance the night away, then the B-52s’ brand of ‘loud, sexy rock and roll with the beat turned up to hot pink’ (as described by drummer and guitarist, Keith Strickland) might be just right for you.

After thirty-six years of performing with the B-52s, front women Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson really know how to work a crowd. They teasingly let the audience guess what song is up next as they offer allusive clues as they chat amongst themselves into their microphones. Of course, the crowd is guaranteed to go wild once they realise they are about to be treated to renditions of pop classics, ‘Rock Lobster’ And ‘Love Shack.’ You’ll struggle to shake these catchy tunes from your head for days after the gig!

The B-52s promise a fun evening of dancing and singing along to some fun pop hits.

I missed the opening act Berlin, saw OMD, they were ok, they played most of the pop songs.They played well but that will be the last time for me. Too much sing along,clapping along to every song really felt cheesy.

I saw the b52s when I was young and they were too. they blew me away the first time I saw them at an outdoor show.

I saw an older version that managed to play well but most of the show were songs that the ladies sang and Fred left the stage for a few songs and came back and sang again. He looked very old and I thought he would sing more of the early hits everybody loves. He did not look well and he kept a low profile.

I enjoyed the show but missed Fred on the stage.

Glad I went but again I knew this is the last b52 show for me.

They are a great band and brought a smile to my face every time I heard them.

I have to say that OMD rocked the show last night. Best act of the night. They sounded just like they did in the '80s. They had so much energy. The crowd was really bummed when they announced their last song. I really hope that they tour again as a headliner.

Berlin was great too! Terri Nunn was fantastic. Her voice was clear and crisp. I felt bad that they were the first band to go on. A lot of seats were empty. But those people missed out on a great show. Their new songs were great. I can't wait to listen to the new album

The B-52's were a disappointment. Some songs they sounded great and others not so much. I don't blame them I blame the sound engineer. They mix was off. Cindy's mic was so low you couldn't hear her at all. Kate's mic was way too loud that it was almost distorted. Fred was Fred.

When they were playing their classic hits the crowd was involved and dancing, but they played a lot of stuff that most of the crowd didn't know, and the crowd would sit down and get on their phones. I was more impressed by the other groups on the tour with them. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark was fantastic, and Berlin was as well. OMD and Berlin were more engaged with the crowd, and the lead singer of Berlin even came out into the crowd for one song. The B-52s just never quite seemed to sync with the crowd. Overall I would rate this as a great concert experience, but was slightly disappointed with the B-52's. They did, however, eventually get around to most of the classic hits that everyone wanted to hear.

Probably the most fun concert I have been to in 20 years. AC/DC and Rammstein had better setup, Black Sabbath was WAY more crowded, Van Halen and The Fixx were ones you just couldn't miss because you never knew when they would be back, but The B-52s actually had every seat emptied and people dancing all over the place. How they can still sound so good is a total mystery. They have lost NOTHING with time. Out of 2 or 3 hundred concerts I have been to - that was the most fun. Still a great party band.

Ended up going both nights Wed and Thur. So much fun.The B's were in top form. The girls sounded and looked great and Fred was fun as ever. You could feel the entire floor shifting while the crowd Danced to classic B tunes...Claude the lobster was the perfect closer...fun fun fun, Hope they come back next year.Great to see my fav. Party band I grew up with...Would have liked to buy a "Whammy" tee shirt...nonetheless I got one of each offered. love The B-52's :)

Show was very good. A little political chat that could have been avoided but they played well and with enthusiasm. The venue is ok except the seating sucks. Think high school auditorium with metal seats. And the seats are narrow and bolted together. If the guy next to you is fat, you will get to know him better than you wanted. Not tiered either. Kosars steakhouse is the best part of the Rocksino. Parking is fairly easy and no parking fee.

My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed our Moda Center B52’s concert especially since it was presented in the Cloud setting. We attended Depeche Mode last year at this same venue and it was unbearably hot during the entire show....B52’s experience was dramatically different hence making it way more enjoyable! Song choice and stage presentation were both superb...I personally hadn’t attended a B52’s concert yet and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Wednesday, 8/14 -- Berlin, OMD, & B-52s!! The 1st two bands were very impressive... the B-52s, unfortunately, kept losing steam throughout their set and their performance was pretty underwhelming. The 1st song, Private Idaho, was probably the best. People got bored and restless -- we were all kind of disappointed, I've been a huge fan for years. If you have a choice of two different groups to see, pick the other one, lol.

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6 Last-Minute Travel Tips for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

I n less than a month, people will look to the sky as the moon passes between the sun and the Earth in a celestial event known as a total solar eclipse . The phenomenon is set for April 8, 2024, and the next one that can be seen from contiguous United States will be August 2044 , so it's unsurprising that eclipse fever has gripped the nation. Between 1 and 4 million people are predicted to travel to the path of totality, joining the 31 million people already living within it.

Among the tours, cruises, hotels, and even scenic flights offering their own spin on the total solar eclipse experience, here are six tips that last-minute planners should keep in mind for the special day.

1. Figure out where you want to go

There are 13 U.S. states on the path of this year's eclipse: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine (small parts of Tennessee and Michigan are also in the path). Among all of these states, totality will occur in two national parks-Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas and Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio-and they're expected to get crowded. Instead, consider one of the more than 100 state parks along the path, some of which are more off the radar. If you're more of a city dweller, you can also experience totality in big cities, including San Antonio, Austin, Cleveland, and Rochester.

Consider the weather, too. According to NOAA 's past weather records, April weather seems to bring more chances of rain-meaning more potential for cloud coverage-in the Northeast than in the South.

2. Consider the length of totality

Aiming for a destination in the path of totality is a no-brainer, although the amount of totality you'll get depends on where you go. The closer to the center of the path of totality an area is, the longer the total eclipse lasts. Take Austin and Dallas: While both are on the path of totality, Austin will get 1 minute and 46 seconds of totality, while Dallas will get 3 minutes and 52 seconds of totality. The longest duration you can get for totality is about 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Particularly traveler-friendly spots to maximize your time in the dark are Texas Hill Country towns like Kerrville (which will receive around 4 minutes and 24 seconds of totality and is partnering with NASA) and Fredericksburg (which is set to get 4 minutes 23 seconds of totality). Texas Hill Country is also one of AFAR's best places to go in 2024 .

3. Consider camping

If you want a solar eclipse experience surrounded by nature rather than people, camping may suit you better. But booking developed campgrounds at state parks and well-known nature spots will likely be difficult at this point. As an alternative, check for privately owned land through platforms like Hipcamp or look for dispersed camping sites in a national forest, like Ozark National Forest or Green Mountain National Forest . While backcountry spots may not have amenities, they can be perfect for those seeking solitude.

In addition, be sure to check the capacity of a park when it comes to handling the influx of visitors for April 8. As an example, Erie's tourism board is discouraging visits to Presque Isle State Park to prevent bottleneck traffic from its one entry and exit point.

4. Look into a town, festival, or last-minute tour

Plenty of places within the path of totality are putting their own spin on the solar eclipse with dedicated festivities. Get an educational experience at Rochester Museum & Science Center's ROC the Eclipse Festival , a three-day event that includes talks titled "Frontiers of Plasma Physics" and "The Search for Earth-Like Planets" from science experts. Or lean into grandeur at the four-day Texas Eclipse Festival in Burnet, Texas; its lineup includes music performances, yoga sessions, and immersive art experiences. (If you're heading to Texas for the eclipse event in general, check out this interactive map of special activities happening across the state.)

If the mere thought of navigating trip logistics brings a headache, check for the availability of some solar eclipse tours. Some tours still have availability, like Holland America Line's whopping 22-day Solar Eclipse cruise tour through North America. Others, like Travel Quest's Mexico's Copper Canyon Total Solar Eclipse tour , only have wait-list spots. But don't give up hope: As last-minute cancellations roll in, a quick call could secure you a place.

5. Try to get a last-minute spot at hotels in the path of totality

Hotels are leaning into the solar eclipse experience too, and properties are throwing celebrations and dedicated solar eclipse events just for the event. Miraval Austin Resort and Spa is hosting a viewing session with its astrologer, while Hôtel Swexan in Dallas is offering solar eclipse wellness activities on the evening of April 8 that includes meditation, a sound bath, and a Reiki healing session.

Keep in mind that a last-minute booking may cost a premium. Properties all across the band of totality are recording sky-high prices -even budget hotels . Similar to booking tours, do your due diligence and call to check for a cancellation.

6. Come prepared

Of course, you should wear solar eclipse glasses to prevent permanent damage to your eyes. If you're going to an event, check to see if they will be provided or if you'll need to bring your own. If you don't want to buy them, you can use household materials like cardboard to make your own pinhole projector , a contraption that allows you to see the sun change shape as the moon crosses in front of it.

In addition to bringing materials for the day of the event, anticipate what happens next. The length of totality is less than five minutes, but the traffic afterwards may disrupt your plans for hours. If you're coming from a crowded park or city, be on the safe side and come prepared with extra snacks and water.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun in total alignment.

Time is on their side: Rolling Stones rock New Orleans Jazz Fest after 2 previous tries

The Rolling Stones made their first appearance at the 54-year-old New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is usually akin to a 14-ring musical circus — a variety of musical acts playing simultaneously on stages spread throughout the sprawling infield and grandstand of a historic horse racing track.

That changed Thursday afternoon, when 13 stages went silent as The Rolling Stones made their first appearance at the 54-year-old festival.

“We didn’t want to have 13 empty stages and no people in front of them when the Stones start singing favorites like ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ and ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash,’ ” festival producer Quint Davis told The Associated Press ahead of the festival. “Everyone who bought a ticket for that day primarily bought one to see The Stones.”

Jazz Fest is the second stop for the Stones on their Hackney Diamonds tour , launched in support of the well-received album they released last year, their first album of original material in 18 years. They had been scheduled to appear at the 50th Jazz Fest in 2019 but had to cancel because of Mick Jagger’s heart surgery. A subsequent planned appearance was scrubbed in 2021 when the festival was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The band opened its performance at Jazz Fest with its high-energy “Start Me Up,” drawing a loud roar from the crowd, which touched the front of the stage and spread to the track at the back of the field.

“We’re so pleased to be in New Orleans, and we’re so pleased to be playing here, at Jazz Fest,” Jagger told the crowd, who roared again in response.

The band also gave fans “Out of Time” before bringing on Zydeco accordionist Dwayne Dopsie, who played with them on “Let It Bleed.”

They then brought New Orleans’ Queen of Soul Irma Thomas to the stage to sing a duet of “Time Is On My Side,” to the delight of the crowd.

Thomas’ earlier 1964 version of the song inspired a cover later that year by The Stones, garnering them their first top 10 hit in the U.S.

Midway through the set, Jessie Cameron, 53, of New Orleans, said she thought they were doing a great job entertaining the crowd.

“I’m a huge fan and have been since I was 10 years old. My mom loved him, and my first crush was Mick Jagger.” said Cameron, who works with autistic children.

When the gates opened under an overcast sky and slight breeze, hundreds of fans poured onto the festival grounds, most wearing T-Shirts with the Rolling Stones’ signature “lips with tongue out” logo or one emblazoned with just the band’s name.

“I was torn between seeing them before they die or seeing them before I do,” Nathan “Bam” Schulman, 75, an acupuncturist from Eugene, Oregon, said laughing.

Schulman said he had seen the Stones perform years ago in Oakland, California, but looked forward to Thursday’s performance.

“They’re such an inspiration,” he said. “I look back at them and remember a time of adventure, a time of being whoever you want to be, a time of being myself and when we’d say ‘Screw the establishment.’ They inspire me to keep on living.”

Vickie Clay, 38, who works in the auto industry in New Orleans, said seeing the Stones in person “was on her bucket list.”

“It will be my first time seeing them,” she said. “I hope Mick Jagger does his ‘chicken dance’ moves, but whatever he does will be worth every penny.”

Kerry Dantzig, 54, of San Francisco, said she regularly attends Jazz Fest “for the food, for the music and to meet up with old friends.”

“I’m hoping Mick and the Stones sound good,” said a smiling Dantzig, who works in the insurance industry. “I mean, they’re 80 years old, you know? Still, I can’t wait to see Mick Jagger shaking his caboose.”

Henri Lellouche, 63, a retired advertising executive from Fairfield, Connecticut, said he has seen the band perform previously and added that it was a good idea to combine them with Jazz Fest.

“I haven’t heard a lot of their new stuff. But I love the older music, the blues tinge, and I love watching them perform. I mean it’s hard to believe they’re the same age as Joe Biden,” he said.

Thursday’s weather forecast for the festival held true. Light drops of rain fell about an hour into the set. But that didn’t stop the performance.

“You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” prompted those in the crowd to sing along and dance amid the drizzles. Dr. Heidi Lovett, 53, an HIV/AIDS researcher in New Orleans, said she was waiting to hear that one.

“I like that they’re a cross-generational band and that they’re nine years older than I am,” she said of the Stones, smiling. “That song, though, is a replica of what life really is.”

The band also gave fans performances of their hits “Honky Tonk Women,” “Miss You,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and, after a brief respite, came back on stage to sing “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” and closed with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” their first No. 1 hit in the U.S.

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The B-52s Announce Farewell Tour: See the Dates
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The B-52’s Announce Farewell Tour

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The B-52s Announce Farewell Tour

The B-52’s announce North American farewell tour

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