B-52’s at Lovebox

After 13 years, the B-52’s finally played in the UK and I got to see them at the Lovebox festival last weekend. I can now tick off one more of the things on my “100 things to do before you get too old to leave the house to do them” list.

They were incredible but in fact, the whole day was excellent. Sunday afternoon was spent dancing in a shaded glade to Trojan Records ska and reggae music spun by DJ Derek and Jerry Dammers (ex-Specials). I think this should be compulsory for everyone on a Sunday afternoon. And then after mooching around the park, listening to bands who took our fancy, watching people on the dodgems and then drinking warm beer in the afternoon sun, it was time for the B-52’s.

So they looked a little older and beefier than they used to, who doesn’t? They rocked the park, opening with Strobelight, Private Idaho, Give Me Back My Man and splicing in some songs from the new album they’ve been promising for years. The new songs were energetic dancy numbers, showing no lack of enthusiasm. After an hour they were gone but came back for an encore, keeping their two best for last and that’s when I lost it completely. Who can keep still for Planet Claire and Rock Lobster? I certainly couldn’t. When they finally went off stage, a bloke ahead in the crowd turned to me and said: “Your dancing was wicked” which was a bit odd as all I’d done for over an hour was jump up and down, wave my arms in the air and scream my head off to all the songs I knew.

It was quite the most perfect Sunday. I just hope they don’t leave it another 13 years before they return.