The B-52's (with the Violent Femmes) - Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada - October 14, 1992

After seeing so many shows in Sacramento and the Bay Area, it was a welcome change to be able to drive around the corner to see the B-52’s at Lawlor Events Center.

I have been listening to the B-52’s since sixth grade. My friend Courtney at St. Teresa’s brought their first yellow album to school; she had borrowed it from her older sister who was in boarding school in California. I remember listening to the “Mighty 690” an AM radio station from LA that I could pick up at night, with Rock Lobster (and Tainted Love) in pretty heavy rotation. I bought that cassette and listened to it to death, along with every other B-52’s tape I could find. I loved their silly songs all through the 80s, and I even bought Fred Schneider’s solo album – with the lovely song – Monster.

When we finally got to see the B-52s, they were still riding their second wind after their 89 album “Cosmic Thing” and Love Shack, which became the Rock Lobster of the 90s. They were touring for Good Stuff, which we got for free at some special event sponsored by the local radio station.

The show was this really lame set-up with folding chairs on the floor in front of the stage. We had pretty decent seats, but it was really frustrating because it was so hard to dance. The B-52s are not a sit down and behave kind of show. Everytime someone went into the aisle or tried to stand on their chair the security Nazis came over and scolded him or her. During the mandatory encore, Fred Schneider goofed on the security guards by changing the lyrics of Rock Lobster to, “Oh no, it’s Security!”

This was the last show I saw at Lawlor. Not like anything I ever wanted to see really came there – but I was in no hurry to get back.