BREAK out the leg warmers, leather ties and hair gel.
The Forever 80’s musical spectacular is making its way to Swan Hill for its final performance for the year next Saturday.
Touring Australia and New Zealand, the Melbourne-based group was looking forward to Swan Hill as it had heard great reports about the venue and audiences.
It will be their only show in the Mallee.
Performer Blue Steel said the music from the ’80s was the music of all generations, enjoyed by all ages from attendees as young as 5.
“The costumes are great,” he said.
“Although for many of the groups this was their normal attire, for us it is so colourful and something so different to what is out there now.
“It was a more interesting and a more fun time, it was so vibrant and there was so much style back then.
“They used to think about what they were wearing and how they were wearing it.
“The songs were great, there was more to the music as well.
“The songs were happy songs they weren’t explicit, it was just fun and good music.”
Including lots of dancing, pyrotechnics and costumes, the integrated theatre production is not just a band singing a few cover songs but a full theatrical experience.
Songs performed will include The Final Countdown, Gloria and I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
Blue Steel said many groups didn’t attempt to perform some of the numbers as they are so hard to do.
“We love people to get up and dance and have a great time,” he said.
“Audiences come to our shows dressed in the clothes of the era.
“We have a lot of people that come to our shows that follow us, we like to call them organic followers.
“We like to get to know the crowds wherever we are, interacting with them and dancing with them as well as taking photo’s after the show.”
The shows contain a lot of choreography and group members also get down among the audience and dance.
They encourage lots of dancing and want the crowds to feel part of the show.
Formed five years ago, the group started touring just before COVID hit, managing to get back on their feet and travel to many venues.
They have assembled performers and musicians from across the globe.
Blue Steel and other band members have met and spent time with KISS front man Gene Simmons, giving them a little more insight into the music of the time.
