So, anyone who’s heard my brekky show will know I love, and miss, concerts. So here is a list, in no order, of some of the best live shows I have seen in recent years from great 80s artists:

1 – B-52s / OMD / Berlin – Central Park, New York, USA

In 2019 I went to New Jersey to attend the NJ Web fest, where my web series, “After Nightfall”, picked up an award. Then I spent a few days in my favourite city, New York. Whilst here I went to an amazing concert with my good friend from Uni, Nathan – who is now living in NYC. We went to Central Park for their Summer Concert Series. It was a warm Autumn night and I got to see the B-52s, supported by OMD and Berlin. It was packed, a visit to the bar could take 30 minutes and the atmosphere was electric. I had seen Berlin before, and lead singer, Terri Nunn, still sounds amazing. She is a natural performer, and it was a great set. As it began to get dark, OMD hit the stage. I admit to not knowing many of their songs, but they were great. And many in the crowd were singing along to everything. Then it came time for everyone’s favourite Georgians. Three of the original line up, Fred, Cindy and Kate, were there and they have such great presence. The songs were just as fun as always and the banter on stage was entertaining and hilarious. Hits, they were there. “Roam”, “Love Shack” and “Rock Lobster”, complete with a giant lobster on stage, were highlights. And how special seeing it in the iconic Central Park under the stars. A night I will never forget.

2 – Madonna – Brooklyn Opera House, New York, USA

The next night I got to see Madonna in Brooklyn, an exciting moment for a lifelong Madonna fan. I was so proud I caught the subway from Chelsea to Brooklyn, and then found the venue all on my own. There was a slight panic when my Australian Ticketmaster app didn’t register with their scanners. But soon enough I was in the exquisite Opera House waiting for Madonna to hit the stage – she is notorious for being late. I had a good seat, but in this intimate venue, all seats gave clear view to the Queen of Pop. For a man who has seen a LOT of concerts in his life, hands down this was the best concert I have been to. The stage design was inventive, and the choreography was first class. Madonna’s vocals were strong, and the spectacle was sublime. While she focussed a lot on her last album, “Madame X”, she did perform some of the classics. We got to hear “Express Yourself”, “Vogue”, “Papa Don’t Preach”, “La Isla Bonita” and my favourite song of all time, “Like a Prayer”. The later song being an emotional experience with full choir and the whole crowd singing along to every word. A perfect way to finish my New York trip. I didn’t get to the hotel until 2am and then had to had to be up at 6.30 for an LA flight, but it was so worth it. Best concert of my life.

3 – Kim Wilde / Howard Jones – Rooty Hill RSL, Sydney

It is crazy how many great shows I have seen at the Rooty Hill RSL. And what a great show Kim Wilde and Howard Jones put on. I was there to see Kim, but Howard really impressed me. I forgot how many Howard Jones songs I knew and loved. I went home and downloaded his Greatest Hits album. Kim was second on stage and her show was a real treat. She sang all the hits and really made me believe we could be great friends with her hilarious stories. “Kids in America” saw the crowd bouncing, “You Keep Me Hanging On” was the big sing-along and it was a treat to hear, “If I Can’t Have You”. It would be up there as favourite show of mine.

4 – Cyndi Lauper / Blondie – ICC, Sydney

There’s always so much nervous energy as you try and buy tickets when they go on sale. You often find yourself refreshing the computer crazily, hoping to finally secure those seats. So, it was with great shock that on my first attempt to secure seats for Cyndi Lauper and Blondie I got them, and not just that, but I secured front row. I kept thinking it was going to be a mistake, but no, there I was, front row. Blondie started us off and it was okay. Debbie Harry sounded good; she just didn’t really seem to engage with the crowd. I had fun though. Cyndi Lauper, however, was a revelation. She knows how to put on a show. She was doing a few songs from her last album, but really sang the hits. I think it is easy to forget how good of a vocalist she is. She really could belt out those notes and then when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Boy George joined her on stage and the pair sang, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. A truly great show.

5 – Alison Moyet – Enmore Theatre, Sydney

I was an Alison Moyet fan, but not a massive one. I was right in the middle of my concert obsession when she announced she was coming to Australia, so I decided I may as well go. I really played a lot of her music before I went, and I could feel my love for her growing. Katie Noonan was her support act, and she was great, but the night was all about Moyet. I managed to get myself to the front of the dancefloor. Moyet came on for the opening number, was unhappy with the start, and decided to begin again. It showed how much of a perfectionist she is. The rest of the night was a combination of classic hits and newer tracks. On her website blog she wrote about every show, she was brutally honest about which shows were good and which audiences she loved. It was lovely to see her say how much she loved Sydney and how much she said she was inspired by the crowd. I walked away an Alison Moyet super fan. A good gig makes you truly love an artist.

6 – Belinda Carlisle – Rooty Hill RSL, Sydney

I had only recently returned from living in Melbourne when I went to Belinda Carlisle. This was my first concert at Rooty Hill, and damn I loved it. Belinda’s vocals were great and though she wasn’t big on talk breaks, she was warm and told her stories through her songs. All the hits were there and naturally, “Heaven is a Place on Earth” was the big highlight. Belinda had no new music to promote, so any song you can think of was on the playlist. Hit after hit. I found myself dancing and singing along all night. Was another bucket list item seeing Belinda live.

7 – Totally 80s: Martika / Berlin / Paul Lekakis / Limahl / Katrina / Wa Wa Nee / Real Life / Men Without Hats – Enmore Theatre, Sydney

Some line ups are a bit of a dream, that was "Totally 80s". It was a line-up that would excite any fan of the 80s, Martika, Berlin, Katrina (without The Waves), Paul Lekakis, Limahl, Wa Wa Nee, Real Life and Men Without Hats; they put on one helluva good show. One of the best elements of the night was that the singers seemed just as excited as the audience to be there and were loving their time on stage. And they all sounded awesome and had great stage presence. Everyone was good but the main reason I wanted to go was for Martika. I had loved her since the late 80s. And she did not let me down, she sounded amazing. What a special night, a big, brash, 80s filled night with amazing artists, every one of them brilliant in their own way.

8 – 80s Mania: Taylor Dayne / Go West / Paul Young / Cutting Crew / Wang Chung – Enmore Theatre, Sydney

Admittedly this show wasn’t as good as Totally 80s, but it was still a blast. The sad news, Paul Young has lost his voice, but it was still good to sing along with his hits. The two highlights were the headliners. I was shocked about Go West. I liked them, but this set was so good. Songs like “King of Wishful Thinking” and “Call Me”, were massive. I would see them again any day. The main reason for my attendance, Taylor Dayne. Always loved her. She did not disappoint. Quite simply, her voice is ridiculous. Still is. She sang any song you could have wanted, and she engaged with the crowd. The whole evening felt like one giant party, an 80s party. How awesome.

What is one of your top concerts?