Scene - Blogs - REVIEW and PHOTOS The GoGos at The Joint

REVIEW and PHOTOS: The Go-Go's at The Joint
Published: 9/28/2012 12:39 PM
Last Modified: 9/28/2012 1:36 PM

Go-Go's frontwoman Belinda Carlisle dances during Thursday night's concert at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Angela Temple / Courtesy

The Go-Go's performed a timeless set of hits and quirky covers Thursday night at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

Setting the casual and laid-back tone early, lead singer Belinda Carlisle kicked off her shoes before the show even started.

Simple, driving punk rhythms were layered with bright pop melodies. The near 90-minute set didn't lack for energy or hits, and reached all the way back to the "How Much More," a B-side to the group's first single, "We Got the Beat," which they also performed.

Carlisle shined most brightly in the sunny but less obvious hits "Stuck in My Car," "Automatic" and "Fading Fast."

The Devo-esque and retrotastic "Cool Places" followed, replete with totally awesome '80s synth keyboard runs, then moved into a modern "Unforgiven," co-written for the band by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong. That was followed by the surf-punk thrust of "Skidmarks on My Heart."

Fans also went wild as Carlisle's nephew - and a horde of fans - stormed the stage to dance to the group's hit version of The Capitols tune "Cool Jerk."

Carlisle struggled with the heavier vocal lifting in "Lust to Love," but this isn't a band best known for its immaculate live sets. A Go-Go's concert is all about the big beat and the thrill of the ride.

More than anything, the set was fun. Carlisle and rhythm guitarist Jane Wiedlin danced and spun, hopped and ran across the stage at various intervals. Gina Schock, drummer, also left her kit several times and walked to the edge of the stage to greet fans and tell jokes.

Carlisle's distinctive smoky-girlish warble mixed well with Wiedlin's and guitarist and keyboardist Charlotte Caffey's vocal harmonies. Carlisle also sang her solo hit "Mad About You."

Noted bassist Abby Travis impressively filled in for Kathy Valentine of this leg of the Go-Go's tour and added a taut energy to the set. She's recorded and/or played with a range of influential musicians, including Beck, Meat Puppets, KMFDM, The Bangles and others.

Wiedlin joked about the swankiest of their Hard Rock hotel digs, full-size animatronic T-Rexes and livingroom-sized pool tables.

The women were definitely happy to be at The Joint.

Their last visit to Tulsa, years ago, included thunderstorms during the outdoor show -- and hungry swarms of mosquitoes.

SETLIST
- This Town
- Vacation
- Tonite
- How Much More
- Get Up and Go
- Mad About You (Belinda Carlisle song)
- Lust to Love
- Stuck in My Car
- Automatic
- Fading Fast
- Cool Jerk
- Cool Places (Sparks song)
- Skidmarks on My Heart
- We Got the Beat
- Our Lips Are Sealed

Encore:
- Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepsen cover)
- Head Over Heels

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notseen (5 months ago)

Belinda is still fine.

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Barrelhouse Beat

Barrelhouse: A colloquialism describing the low saloons at the turn of the century (19th) that served whiskey straight out of the barrel. It's also a reference to the type of music played in those venues. Ex: Barrelhouse music.

Beat: The time or timing. Ex: The band played with a solid beat. Also used as a term describing a reporters specific area of expertise. Ex: The music beat.

About me: I'm Okie born and raised, and have lived all over the state: Oklahoma City, Enid, Moore, Norman, Edmond and Tulsa. I am a music geek, writer, graphic designer and amateur photographer and videographer who's followed the Tulsa and regional music scene since I moved to Green Country more than 10 years ago. I've been enmeshed in Tulsa's varied and vibrant musical night life, what some of us affectionately call a modernized throwback to the Barrelhouse scene, since that time. I fell in love with it. I fell hard.

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Past Articles By Jennifer Chancellor

2/17/2013		Tulsan Johnny Polygon a rapper who delights in hometown crowd
2/15/2013		The Who brings nostalgia, ingenuity to BOK Center
2/15/2013		Lady Gaga tour is canceled
2/15/2013		Audio Adrenaline concert moves to April 7
2/14/2013		The Who brings 'other' rock opera to Tulsa's BOK Center
2/14/2013		Okies nominated for several top ACM awards
2/14/2013		Epic moments of rock 'n' roll history in Tulsa
2/14/2013		The Who talks about 'Quadrophenia' rock opera ahead of BOK show Thursday
2/14/2013		Shawnee songstress Samantha Crain to play Tulsa CD release show Friday
2/14/2013		Rick Springfield to play River Spirit Event Center on Saturday
2/14/2013		Local music roundup: Vaudvillian sideshows? Nerd nights? Live music? Parties? Yes, yes, yes and yes.
2/14/2013		Eli Young band coming to Brady Theater for first time

Jennifer Chancellor's Blog Archive:

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Jennifer Chancellor
BarrelhouseBeat

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