Review and Photography by Craig Hunter Ross
Extreme summer heat and a forecast for severe thunderstorms would fail to prevent thousands of new wave and retro rockers from filling The Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia, as Squeeze and The B-52s were on tap for an evening of feel good music and memories.
Squeeze would get the evening rolling as Glenn Tilbrook and the gang had the crowd on their feet from the get go, singing and dancing as the band ripped thorough hits from their extensive catalog.
While rain poured on patrons across the lawn seating areas, the smiles on their faces shown bright as the flashes of lightning in the sky, while favorites like “Melody Motel”, “Cool for Cats”, “Up the Junction”, “Tempted” and “Black Coffee in Bed” pumped through the sound system; giving the constant thunder a run for it’s money.
While the rain continued to come down, the energy level continued to go up as The B-52s brought their unique brand of new wave party rock to the stage.
The flamboyant front-man Fred Schneider wasted no time engaging the audience in his typical borderline caricature manner, while Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson provided the distinct haunting harmonies they have brought fans for over three decades. As always, the sunglass clad Keith Strickland stoically manned the guitar duties off, to the side of Schneider’s antics and interplay with “the girls”.
“Private Idaho”, “Whammy Kiss”, “Love Shack”, “Rock Lobster” and so many more hits kept the party going with no regard to the weather conditions the lawn patrons were experiencing.
Beach balls were flying and fans danced in the rain, as those in the pavilion seats found themselves caught between the festivities on the lawn and the performance on the stage. Everyone was having a ball!
GALLERY
