Why watch one tribute act when you can experience 28 in one evening? This is 80s Mania in a nutshell. As Europe’s official long-standing premier 1980’s multi-tribute concert, the show has proved wildly popular given its entertaining and varied programme that looks back to the influential 80s music scene.

The show is currently touring the country, and we had the opportunity to see it at Belgrade Theatre in Coventry on 30th October 2021 (and meet some of the creators, cast, and crew backstage). Whilst, of course, the concert itself was fantastic fun, the defining feature of 80s Mania was the level of audience engagement, making it a night to remember. During many of the songs, audience members were encouraged to stand up, dance and sing (more like shout) along to the performances.

When chatting to audience members at 80s Mania, we were often met with the question, ‘are you both not too young for this concert?’ seeing as we appeared to be the youngest there. This is, however, far from the truth; 80s culture has a special significance for many people of our generation. It was the culture that our parents enjoyed, meaning that we too were brought up to appreciate the music from the era. We also had little trouble identifying the vast majority of the songs that were performed, although, we have to admit that it did not seem exactly promising that we did not recognise the opening song.

It was, therefore, no surprise that we settled into the nostalgic atmosphere of the concert with little effort. Before we even entered the auditorium, the audience’s array of fancy dress costumes told us that we were in the right place; dressed as Ghostbusters in true Halloween fashion, we too embraced this unashamed, electric enthusiasm. Yet, we were hardly the most organised with our costumes, applying tattoo scars on our faces during our train journey and writing our Ghostbuster name tags in our seats before the show began. 

The expectations we had, following the interview, were well and truly met – 80s Mania really pulls out all of the stops. There were so many elements in the show that all linked together to create the truly immersive experience: costumes, dancing, lighting and props to name a few. The show includes 150 costumes with each tribute having a tailored costume for the singer and dancers that represented the style and persona of the different artists of the decade. All of the costumes are carefully crafted to represent the true culture of the 80s, in all its varied glory. As a result, costumes flitted between harsh neon tones and big skirts to more dapper looking trench coats and shirts.

The fast pace of the show meant that the tempo was never constant; slower songs such as ‘Vienna’ by Ultravox were contrasted by typical pop songs like ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ by Cyndi Lauper. This only emphasised the diversity in the music of the 80s and provided the audience with a well-rounded experience, one that was not tied down or limited to a single genre of music. 

The retro theme of the concert was also amplified by the more technical aspects, most prominently through the use of video projections and bright, neon lasers. Many of the performances were accompanied by clips of the artists and lyrics for the audience to join in with. These additions not only added to the all-encompassing atmosphere of the show but also kept the audience restless: you did not quite know where to look to maximise your absorption of the performance.

In terms of the music being performed, personal favourites of ours included: ‘Tainted Love’ by Soft Cell, ‘Ghostbusters’ due to our funky costumes, ‘Relax’ by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (which featured some edgy dances inside metal cages), and ‘Baggy Trousers’ by Madness (an iconic song which illustrates all that was bizarre and good about the 80s. The dancers’ stamina and sustained energy were impressive, to say the least, with few breaks in between songs and rapid costume changes.

Essentially, if you are a fan of 80s culture and the catchy music produced during the decade, 80s Mania is the show for you. Remarkable in its versatility, the concert also provides a whistle-stop tour for those who are unfamiliar with the genre. The infectious enthusiasm that fuelled this show was abundantly clear across all areas.

We also wanted to say a big congratulations to Vikki and Greg for bringing back such a wonderful show despite the pandemic; maybe we will see you again next year.

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