I like to think I have excellent parking karma, and this night was no exception. We found a sweet parking space and a little Japanese/Sushi restaurant, both within a few blocks of Bimbo’s. Bellies full of sushi and sake, we ambled down the block to Bimbo’s and made it through the dancing crowd to the edge of the stage. The opening band The Impalers were already playing and unfortunately they were on their next to last song but, from what we heard, they were great. Their singer was heavily pregnant, and I was nothing short of amazed by her energy as she sang and dancing. This two-time mamma says you go girl!
We didn’t have a long wait before Dave Wakeling and buddies, AKA The English Beat took the stage. Dave’s all smiles these days, and he was beaming throughout the performance. He’s a chatty forthright bloke, and didn’t hesitate to dish out advice from the stage, including, “Put down that camera and dance!” How can you argue with such a direct request, especially when the music is so good?
The Beat treated us to “Tears of a Clown”, “Hands Off”, “Rough Rider”, and their great cover of “I’ll Take You There” by the Staple Singers, as well as all my favorites from General Public. He kept us waiting till the encore for “Mirror in The Bathroom” and it brought the house down. In between songs, Dave also had some fun teasing my long-time-friend Lisa, who had cheap bright orange earplugs jammed in her ears. It was all in good fun. I love the fact that Dave speaks his mind and can have a laugh at himself, even over subjects as serious as alcoholism and aging.
But enough of that somber stuff. This was a joyous evening of skanking till you were sweaty and exhausted and sharing good times with old friends, and enjoying the company of fellow English Beat fans. Throughout the second half of the set Dave waxed poetic between songs about community, compassion, and the need to work together. I say Amen to that, Brother! What better way to deliver such a positive message than through the joy and ecstasy of music.
