The storms hit the area in the morning and afternoon but were finished way before The Psychedelic Furs hit the stage at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center. The crowd on the lawn was spared from the storm and everyone enjoyed the gentle breeze. The weather was delightful and the music of The Psychedelic Furs and The Go-Go’s sounded just as awesome as it did in the 80s.
The Psychedelic Furs took to a simple stage with a black background decorated simply with five gray stripes. The band gave a strong opening set performing ten songs. The show started with “Highwire Days” and ended as you would expect with their biggest hit “Pretty in Pink.” The set was filled with other hits and favorites including “Heartbreak Beat,” and “Little Miss World.” Richard Butler showed he still has his voice and his brother Tim appeared happy to sing along to himself as he played the bass. Saxophonist Mars Williams added a lot of energy to the show. The Psychedelic Furs finished in strong fashion with “Love My Way” and “Heaven” preceding their finale.
The Go-Go’s took the stage after a short break. The stage remained basicly the same but was enhanced by more stage lights. The gray stripes tended to change colors with the lights. The show began with Gina Schock’s drumming which turned into “Get Up and Go” when the band took the stage. They continued with “Vacation” and “Tonight” before singer Belinda Carlisle spoke to the crowd promising a night of hits and surprises which The Go-Go’s delivered in their 16 song hits. They continued with “How Much More.” The band performed Belinda Carlisle’s big solo hit “Mad About You.” The biggest surprise was the sixth song when they performed The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it Black.” Gina Schock showed she was a solid drummer all night and really shined on this cover driven by her drumming.
They continued on with “Cool Places” before the band invited five or six audience members to dance along to the next song which was “Cool Jerk.” The 80’s party was in full swing as the 40-something dancers were pulling out vintage dance moves from their high school dances. The band finished strong with “I’ve Got the Beat.” In the middle of the song the girls threw in another surprise as they covered “Rock and Roll All Night” by Kiss for a while before switching back to “I’ve Got The Fun.” The girls in the band appeared to be having as much fun as the crowd. They closed their set with “Our Lips Are Sealed.”
The concert turned into a birthday party for Gina’s mom when they took the stage for their encore. They brought out a cake and sang “Happy Birthday” to June who turned 87 (You can watch it on their facebook page). They continued to introduce the band before launching into two more songs. They performed “Lust and Love” and “Head over Heals” before the houselights came back on.
The Go-Go’s looked great and had a great time performing together. Rhythm guitarist Jane Wiedlin played solidly throughout the night. She also joined Belinda on a dance on stage, had a near fall, and even came onstage with a wig with lights for the encore! Charlotte Caffey showed her musicianship throughout the show. Mostly, she played guitar but she was equally talented on keyboards. She even played both on one song proving she could be a multitasking, multi-instrumentalist.
The fans left dry and happy after seeing two innovative bands from the 80s. It was an entertaining night that started with the new wave, post-punk styles of The Psychedelic Furs, and ended with the all girl rockers The Go-Go’s.
The Go-Go’s and The Psychedelic Furs played one night only on June 13, 2013 at The Filene Center at Wolf Trap – 1645 Trap Road, in Vienna, VA. For future performances and Information: Call (877) 965-3872, or check their calendar of events.
