The Go-Go's Bring Back The Beat
/By Megan Connor
info@longislandergroup.com
For one night only, music lovers can expect the sweet sound of Belinda Carlisle’s voice, the infectious melodies of songs like “We Got The Beat,” and maybe even some surprises – yes, The Go-Go’s must be coming to town.
Keyboardist Charlotte Caffey said her lips were sealed when it comes to revealing the big plans the band has for its July 3 show at The Paramount. But she did hint at what Long Islanders can expect.
“I’ll let the audience see what we have in store, but we’re just excited to be on the road. We’re adding a few little twists and turns, maybe adding a couple of songs here and there that we haven’t played for a while,” she said.
The all-female American rock band, which formed in 1978, was the first all-female band to write their own songs and play their own instruments to top the Billboard charts. The group’s debut album, “Beauty and the Beat,” hit No. 1 and sold three million copies; it also earned a spot on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The band’s top hit singles include “We Got The Beat,” “Vacation,” and “Head Over Heels.”
Caffey said she couldn’t be more excited to return to The Paramount, taking center stage just two years after they first graced the Huntington village music venue.
“We always have such a great time when we’re on the East Coast, and it’s been amazing. We always talk about how lucky we are because our East Coast fans are so great,” she said.
The summer show, according to Caffey, is sure to promise the perfect combination of irresistible energy and laid-back vibes.
“We’re kind of known for our summer tours. This one will be just as fun as all the other times, if not more,” she said.
That’s why Caffey said the song “Head Over Heels” is one of her favorites to play for the crowd; it fits right in with the mood of the show.
“My favorite song changes all the time. I love playing ‘Head Over Heels.’ There’s just something so energetic and fun. There’s something about that song that I love playing live,” she said.
The group is now a quartet, composed of Carlisle (vocals), Jane Wiedlin (guitar, vocals), Caffey and Gina Schock (drums), after last year’s departure of bassist Kathy Valentine.
But what some fans might not know about Caffey’s musical background is the work she did outside of the group. While in the band, Caffey attended college as a piano major, not for rock music, as one might expect, but for classical piano. She said her classical background and work in The Go-Go’s isn’t as separate as one might imagine.
“Simultaneously, while I was in The Go-Go’s I was a classical piano major. There was a weird dichotomy of classical and rock music, for sure. But sometimes in writing for The Go-Go’s and even in the way I play, the classical gets in there,” the keyboardist said.
Caffey admitted that although The Go-Go’s have experienced incredible accomplishments in the past, there is something completely new they can soon check off their to-do list: a musical.
“Our songs, our catalogue, will be used in a musical based on the songs of The Go-Go’s called ‘Head Over Heels,’ featuring a book by Tony Award-winner Jeff Whitty. It’s being workshopped for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2015 season, on its way to Broadway. It’s such a huge honor,” she said.
Although it will be a while before fans are able to rock to the beats of The Go-Go’s on Broadway, the band returns to The Paramount Thursday, July 3. Tickets are $45-$75. For more information, visit www.paramountny.com or visit the box office at 370 New York Ave. Laura Stevenson opens the show.
