I don’t know about you, but when I think of the 1980s, there are a few things that immediately spring to mind: neon colors, shiny plastic stuff, and A Flock Of Seagulls. And when you think of A Flock Of Seagulls, you think of…two of the biggest hits of the decade: “I Ran” and “Space Age Love Song.” You thought I was going to say singer Michael Score’s hair, didn’t you? That’s a fair assumption but this isn’t a blog about hair. And besides, the hair isn’t in the band anymore.
A Flock Of Seagulls is currently on tour supporting their first album of new music since 1995, Some Dreams.
Check out the official music video for “Him” by A Flock of Seagulls on YouTube:
The band is made up of founder/keyboardist/singer/occasional guitarist Michael Score, bassist Pando, drummer Kevin Rankin, and guitarist Gord Deppe.
Walking around Tally Ho Theater before showtime on Sept. 24, I noticed a pretty wide variety of people in the crowd. Some were kids when A Flock Of Seagulls first hit the charts. Others were kids right now! But no matter the age, everyone was happy! Not like a metal show where dudes are hyping each other up. Just happy. And it makes sense. Just listen to the music and it clicks. Since there was no opener, the show started a little early. The band descended on the stage and took their positions; Mike first, then the rest of the group. The evening started with the second single from their first album, “Modern Love Is Automatic.”
Score was not very talkative during the first part of the show. Bassist Pando did most of the talking, including telling a story about the song “Nightmares.” Apparently, it was written after Michael had watched the movie Mommy Dearest. So on the tour bus, there is a strict no wire hangers rule! After Nightmares, they played their latest single, “Him.”
The show was divided into two sets. The first set lasted for seven songs but seemed to be over in a flash. It included a mix of classic tracks and new music and it all went over beautifully with the fans. It all blended together as if no time had passed. The new music has the signature A Flock Of Seagulls sound.
The band stepped off stage for a 15-minute intermission. Drummer Kevin Rankin took this opportunity to walk around the crowd and chat with people. Much of the crowd took the opportunity to go grab some merch. Several people returned with albums and shirts. After the intermission, the band quickly took up their positions and picked up right where they left off.
Set two opened with “Say You Love Me.” Much like the first set, the second mixed new songs with the classics. The band started playing an extended version of “Telecommunication.” In the middle, Mike asked everyone if they believed in aliens. He said he had seen two green men at the bar earlier so he was certain they were around. In fact, he wants to form an alien band to keep them off the streets.
Next up was the song I had been wanting to hear live for decades, “Space Age Love Song,” and I was not disappointed. Neither was anyone else, including the band. There was so much non-disappointment that they decided to play the song a second time, immediately after the first; the difference being that the second time around was strictly audience participation on the vocals! Apparently, Michael wrote the song because Captain Kirk would end up with all of the alien ladies and Michael figured a song was the best way for him to find alien love.
The only disappointing part of the show was that two songs later, they were done. No encore. They wrapped up with their best known track, “I Ran,” thanked everyone, then walked to the green room to the surprise of everyone, including the security team.
That one bit aside, the show was a lot of fun. The band played two great sets, the crowd came ready to go (some were dressed like it was the mid-’80s), and the music was great. I’d love to see them again!
Set 1
- Modern Love Is Automatic
- Hearts On Fire
- Rainfall
- Nightmares
- Him
- The More You Live, The More You Love
- Transfer Affection
Set 2
- Say You Love Me
- Lovers And Strangers
- Some Dreams
- Man Made
- Telecommunication
- Space Age Love Song
- Space Age Love Song (Audience Participation)
- Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)
- I Ran
Here are some more photos of A Flock of Seagulls performing live at Tally Ho Theater on Sept. 24, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Marc Shea.
