On Tuesday, July 23, Montrealer’s were transported back to the 1980s at the Totally Tubular Festival, held at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec. The event featured an extraordinary lineup of iconic bands. Despite the short sets from the eight bands, the crowd sang along passionately to the hits, making it a fun and nostalgic experience.
The evening started with Eddie Munoz of The Plimsouls, whose soulful rendition of “A Million Miles Away” (featured in the hit movie “Valley Girl” with Nicolas Cage and Deborah Foreman), captivated the crowd. The audience loved it and the performance set a deeply resonant tone for the rest of the night.
Next was Tommy Tutone, who delivered an excellent version of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World” before launching into the song that made the phone number “867-5309” famous. Rumors had it, that everyone who had that phone number, had to change it because people would constantly call it all the times! Tommy looked and sounded great, still having the pipes and guitar skills to rock the house.
Totally Tubular-Bow Wow Wow at Place Bell in Laval Photo by: SD Photoart MTL – Sam Duchoeny
Bow Wow Wow took the stage third, captivating the audience with their funky, dynamic punk and new wave music, led by singer Annabella Lwin, the only original member remaining. Their performance of “I Want Candy” brought the crowd to its feet, matching the feel of the original band with their energetic show.
Totally Tubular-Wang Chung at Place Bell in Laval Photo by: SD Photoart MTL – Sam Duchoeny
Wang Chung took to the stage, playing their most emotionally charged songs at the beginning of the set. Nick Feldman and Jack Hughes delivered a pleasurable performance, including all the big hits: “Dance Hall Days,” “To Live and Die in L.A.,” “Let’s Go,” and “Everybody Have Fun Tonight.” A definite highlight was their shift from a cover of “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” ending humorously with Feldman singing, “Should we Wang or should we Chung.”
Totally Tubular-Modern English at Place Bell in Laval Photo by: SD Photoart MTL – Sam Duchoeny
Modern English was a standout act of the night, with their hit “Melt With You” being one of the most recognizable songs. Remarkably, the band still features the same core lineup from 1977. Before playing their hit, lead singer Robbie Grey surprised the audience with, “We’re going to play a song off our new album” (“1 2 3 4”). They closed their set with “Melt With You,” extending the song to give the crowd a chance to sing along, making it one of the most beloved performances of the evening.
SD Photoart MTL Sam D
Men Without Hats exploded onto the stage next, with singer Ivan Doroschuk delivering the most dynamic performance of the evening. His unbelievable stage presence, wild dancing, and fun, silly antics captivated the audience. Doroschuk performed all the great hits, including “Antarctica,” “Pop Goes the World,” and “Safety Dance,” which hit #1 on the Billboard Dance charts back in 1983.
Totally Tubular-Thompson Twins at Place Bell in Laval Photo by: SD Photoart MTL – Sam Duchoeny
The Thompson Twins, led by band founder Tom Bailey and an all-female band dressed in all white, delivered a fantastic musical performance accompanied by an impressive light show featuring super cool strobe tubes. They played legendary hits like “Hold Me Now,” “Lay Your Hands on Me,” and “Doctor Doctor.” Bailey’s voice and music were impeccable, showcasing his showmanship who was used to playing sold-out arenas and bringing the beloved music of the past to the stage.
Totally Tubular-Thomas Dolby at Place Bell in Laval Photo by: SD Photoart MTL – Sam Duchoeny
Thomas Dolby closed the night, performing solo with a setup of electronic equipment. He captivated the audience by pushing buttons, firing up videos, and creating various electronic sounds throughout his set. A highlight which was a cool video presentation of his life and times, including a segment where he met David Bowie and played along with a 1983 video of Bowie performing “Heroes” at Wembley Stadium. Dolby performed “Heroes,” “Hyperactive,” and the crowd favorite “She Blinded Me with Science,” which drove the crowd wild and crazy.
Whether you were blinded by nostalgia or science, these 80s songs were a big part of our lives. Fans were ecstatic to get the chance to see and hear the songs performed live again. It’s easy to forget that the 1980s were 44 years ago, and this might be the last tour for some of these artists. It wasn’t just about the 80s particularly; it was about the music.
For those interested in catching the Totally Tubular Festival, you can find more information and tour dates at https://www.totallytubularfestival.com/
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Bow Wow Wow - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular
Wang Chung - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Modern English - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Men Without Hats - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thompson Twins - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thomas Dolby - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thomas Dolby - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thomas Dolby - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thomas Dolby - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thomas Dolby - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thomas Dolby - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thomas Dolby - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
Thomas Dolby - Totally Tubular_SD Photoart MTL
