New wave pioneer Lene Lovich broke out in England with two killer albums — Stateless (1978) and Flex (1979). Those fantastic albums burst with originality and musicality — and she brought them to life with her heart and soul recently in an impressive show at Rams Head on Stage.
After recording those two albums, Lene (who grew up in England after being born in Detroit), recruited British mastermind Thomas Dolby to her band for a short time. Dolby toured with Lovich before striking out for a solo career, and most remarkably during that time, he composed for her a single, “New Toy.”
It was then a good bet that Mr. Dolby might appear at Lene’s Annapolis concert, given that he’s lived more than 10 years in nearby Baltimore.
Lene’s band recruited Thomas to introduce Lene, which he quickly did at the start of the show, thanking his “former boss.” The audience — a mix of curious locals and diehard enthusiasts — clearly anticipated his presence: Many carried items for Lene to sign and quite a few also brought material for Dolby’s signature as well.
With Dolby in her band, Lovich released her New Toy EP in 1981. And her Oct. 1 performance at Rams Head on Stage featured three tracks from that five-song album. She began the show with “Savages” and soon played “New Toy,” a track Thomas wrote for her. Dolby bounded to the stage to play keyboards alongside Diana Weishaar of the Lene Lovich Band for “New Toy” in a memorable highlight. Lene later played the EP’s “Details” in her encore.
Watch the official music video for “New Toy” by Lene Lovich on YouTube:
Although much of the rest of the show consisted of selections from the albums Stateless and Flex (1979), Lene presented two tracks from her 1982 record No Man’s Land. Early in the show, she played “Blue Hotel” and “Maria,” interjecting some dynamic energy into the setlist. Lene practically popped off the stage with her catchy signature vocals.
The show then truly showcased Lene’s reputation for quirkiness with Flex’s “Monkey Talk,” which contained the memorable line “Monkey see monkey do monkey want to talk to you” over a calypso beat. It was a powerful reminder that good music can be good fun without being camp.
After Dobly joined Lovich for “New Toy,” she surprised and impressed by picking up a saxophone for “Writing on the Wall” and “Joan,” from Stateless and Flex respectively. She punctuated the cool poetic delivery of “Writing on the Wall” with some smooth jazzy sax. She used the instrument carefully to add character and texture to her songs.
Before she ended her main set, Lene played “Lucky Number,” her breakout UK single. Lene was part of the early set of artists assigned to the massively influential Stiff Records, and the success of “Lucky Number” and Stateless helped to put Stiff on the map back in the day. The entire room, which was pleasantly full other than some far tables to the side, bopped along to the well-regarded “Lucky Number.”
Lene’s three-song encore closed on the moving “Home,” which she sang with bluesy affection. It was a bouncy albeit thoughtful tune that kept everyone grooving until the very end.
It’s extraordinary that Lene is touring the USA after a long absence. Her solo show in Annapolis was staged around an opening stint for Devo and The B-52s, who invited her to open a double bill. She has a long association with both bands, covering Devo’s “Be Stiff” for Stiff Records early in her career and befriending The B-52s in their shared early touring days. It was a brilliant inspiration for those bands to bring their friend to American shores once again, and Lene’s making the most of the opportunity!
While Lene shares an eccentric spirit with Devo and The B-52s, her style clearly influenced both new wave sirens and punk cabaret vaudevillians who followed her. Her work clearly warrants a re-examination for its influences on both English and American pop music, and Stateless surely warrants a place as a tent pole new wave record.
Go see Lene Lovich open Devo and The B-52s but truly treat yourself to one of her remaining headlining USA dates if you can!
Setlist:
1. Savages
2. Blue Hotel
3. Maria
4. Monkey Talk
5. New Toy
6. Writing on the Wall
7. Bird Song
8. Joan
9. Say When
10. Lucky Number
11. Angels
Encore:
12. What Will I Do Without You
13. Details
14. Home
