MADE IN SHEFFIELD

’80s acts in League of their own
Bet you never thought you’d see this, a New Romantic synth-pop revival tour! Last night at the Bank of America Pavilion, five acts from the era of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher plugged in their electronic toys and brought fans back to the early days of MTV - or snowy local channel V-66, for those of us who didn’t have cable…

...Headliners the Human League were absolutely fabulous. In addition to being visually striking - band members were clothed in black while everything on stage, even the MacBook stand, was white - the band just rocked. Founder Philip Oakey and longtime members/vocalists Susanne Sulley and Joanne Catherall were just plain brilliant. The electronic drums on “Tell Me When” and “Seconds” set a ferocious beat. And can it really be 26 years since we put on our skinny ties and danced at Spit on Lansdowne Street to the euphoric “Don’t You Want Me”?

A reason to flock to '80s night
The only thing missing from the '80s package tour that swept into the Bank of America Pavilion on the wings of synthesizer swooshes Wednesday night was between-song chatter from chirpy MTV VJ Martha Quinn.

A sort of midlife-crisis disco, the Regeneration Tour granted hitmakers from the "totally awesome" era 30 to 45 minutes apiece to remind fans of a youth misspent in bi-level haircuts and stirrup pants. (Our favorite outfit of the night belonged to the dude rocking a perfect "Miami Vice" ensemble, complete with white blazer and salmon-colored T-shirt.)All five acts have held up remarkably well in both body and voice.The Human League frontman Phil Oakey may be bald but he still fits into his skinny suits. And the chilly Apple-store stage vibe - pristine white keyboard contraptions and jet-black stage clothes - only enhanced the proto-electronica beats of "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" and "Mirror Man." Oakey and singers Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley cheerfully slinked and posed their way through a vibrant set that peaked with the full crowd singalong of "Don't You Want Me."

If you were to turn on the radio between 1981 and 1987, songs in heavy rotation were by all artists on the 2008 Regeneration Tour, which came to Boston’s Bank of America Pavilion last week. And even though Naked Eyes, A Flock of Seagulls, ABC, Belinda Carlisle, and the Human League haven’t had Top 40 hits in 20 years, that didn’t stop a stand-on-their-feet-all-night audience from excitedly dancing and singing along to each respective artists hits...

...The only act to get 45 minutes on the bill was the Human League and it was well-deserved. They’ve been together since the late ’70s and continue to be a vital act, even if back-up singer Susan Ann Sulley acts like the show is all hers. Sulley was the definite diva in the Human League. But singer Phil Oakey is the driving force in the band and bounced from each side of the stage on hits "Mirror Man," "Fascination," and lesser known single "Love Action." "Sound of the Crowd" was the audience-pleaser of the set, as images of current and past U.S. politicians flashed on the screen behind the Human League. The band was also the only act to do an encore, closing the night with "Together in Electric Dreams."

If big audiences continue to turn out, the Regeneration Tour could very well be an annual summer event and I hope that’s the case.