The B-52s & Simple Minds – Vector Arena February 14, 2017
Valentine’s Days 2017: Several thousand fans chose to spend the night with the music they love. Simple Minds and The B-52s were in town. The B-52s celebrating their 40th anniversary of their first show…also on Valentine’s Day.
13th Floor photographer Michael Flynn was doing what he loves…shooting musical performances. Judging by the results on display here, it looks like he had a ball. So, here are a few brief words from Mr Flynn himself followed by a rather extensive photo gallery of the stunning images he collected last night…
I wasn’t too fussed about whether I saw Simple Minds or not. It was the B52s that I was hanging out for.
However…Jim Kerr and the boys were VERY impressive. Kerr was surprisingly nimble on his feet and in good voice. It was allocated seating downstairs at the Vector but Kerr had the audience on their feet not even half way through the first song and that’s where they stayed, dancing and singing along, right through their set. As I might have mentioned previously, I was never a fan of this band but they really did put on a good show tonight and I am sure that everyone there would agree. The band sounded great!
The sound they produced was so full that when the B-52s came on afterwards it took a while to get adjusted to the more sparse and slightly raw sound. However, like Simple Minds the B-52’s had everybody jumping right from the start. And all of those classic songs just poured from them. It was wonderful. For me, the B-52s were never the ‘quirky’ band as some people labelled them as. I remember buying their debut album when it came out. I couldn’t stop playing it at the time. Their sound was exciting and songs almost addictive. They were intelligent, clever, rocking and fun. And, all of these years later, it was a joy to see this band still had all of those attributes and more as they performed tonight.
Click on any image to view Michael Flynn’s photo gallery:
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February 16, 2017 @ 2:06 pm
Contrary to the writer,I did not fly up to this gig because when I saw the B52s in Dunedin over 30 years ago,they were quirky but what was worse,it was the only time I have been at a concert where there were police officers standing at each corner at the back of stage.I concluded that they were paranoid fakes from the USA.They were one album wonders.
By comparison,I am a big fan of the great UK bands of the era of Simple Minds who produced a much greater legacy of music than did B52s.
If B52s had not been on the bill,I would have gone.
February 18, 2017 @ 11:50 pm
How can they be one album wonders when they have reased at least three supurb albums and have endured for 40 years? Quirky, yes ,but that is what makes them unique. Anyway I did fly up and it washwas worth every penny.mini