Good Time Had By All At “Don’t You Forget About Me” 80's Tribute Night

August 23rd’s 8th annual “Don’t You Forget About Me” show at Harlow’s was a great time for a good cause. Proceeds from the show support G.I.R.L.S. Rock Sacramento, a local non-profit. The format of the show was 10 bands, each playing songs from one particular year in the 80’s. These weren’t tribute bands – they were local Sacramento bands doing 80’s covers for a cause.

The show was held at Harlow’s, and was an all-ages show. There was a good sized crowd, which was a good mix of young and old, and everyone was appreciative of the music. People were dancing and singing along all night (and since it was an all-ages show, it started at 5pm, so “all night” is relative – the show was over by 10pm).

The first band to take the stage was Wisteria – a band made up of G.I.R.L.S. Rock Sacramento alumni – and they set the tone for the evening with a fun set from 1985, including the evening’s namesake song from Simple Minds (Don’t You Forget About Me). Next up was Larisa Bryski (Executive Director of G.I.R.L.S. Rock Sacramento, doing songs from 1988 (with a ripping cover of Living Colour’s Cult of Personality, followed by The Lucky Shots! doing 1989 (ranging from The B-52’s to the Pixies).

Poly Holiday drew 1982, and came dressed for the occasion. There was a ghost from Ghostbusters (which was released in 1984, but gets a pass because they weren’t doing songs from the movie) and a sheik, who was put to good use during their rending of The Clash’s Rock the Casbah.

California Stars played songs from the “Cruel Summer” of 1983, followed by Joe Gibbs and CTX kicking 1980 off in style with a horn section rendition of The Imperial March from 1980’s Empire Strikes Back before launching into a blistering tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with his 1980 debut solo single Crazy Train, and ending on an incredible cover of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall (Parts 2 and 3).

Sgt. York was up next with 1986, and had one of the biggest crowd reactions of the night when they busted out It’s Tricky from Run D.M.C. Wonderful Drugstore drew 1981, and kicked off their set with an amazing rendition of In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins. The final two bands of the evening were the Natalie Cortez Band doing 1987 (including a cover of Luka from Suzanne Vega) and Leaping Blennies doing songs from 1984, including a double-shot from one of that years’ biggest movies with Jungle Love from The Time, and Let’s Go Crazy from Prince & The Revolution.

Keep an eye out for next year’s show and be sure not to miss it!

(Photos by Tony Cervo)