Bubblegum pop’s lost its flavour since the 80s

Eighties pop group Bananarama fails to excite even its core audience - gay men and 40-something women.

Singers Keren Woodward (L) and Sara Dallin of British trio 'Bananarama' in publicity photo.

The wave of anticipation that greeted this 1980s dance pop trio turned duo as they walked out was, in my professional experience, previously surpassed only once: when Russian President Vladimir Putin strode onstage at the Kremlin to deliver a keynote at a global media conference.

Then, in a moment of mass psychology that puzzles to this day, the entire audience leapt to its feet in thunderous applause. On Saturday night, we were already on our feet; this nostalgic 80s bubblegum synthesiser pop concert was so popular the venue ripped out the seats, turning the auditorium into a giant dance floor.

Unlike Putin, the let-down was immediate: while noted for a certain wild glamour in their heyday, remaining members Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin were styled like a couple of Mosman mothers set for a wild night across the bridge after ordering hubby back from the rugby sevens to babysit.

Bananarama, who at their pinnacle entered the Guinness Book of World records as the female group with the most chart entries in history, took a while to find their groove.

Seamlessly alternating between their island reggae-influenced early songs and later synthesised pop tracks of hit factory producers Stock Aitken Waterman, Bananarama made the audience realise just how well produced they had been.

Cruel Summer, one of their weaker songs, was a slow start. And Shy Boy, devoid of its unique tropical sound production (Latin percussion, dub-style musical breaks) was pretty thin. The duo were on firmer ground with SAW dance tracks Venus and Love in the First Degree, which delighted the crowd.

Their banter revealed their unpretentiousness was intact. They pretended to forget the words to It Ain’t What You Do, the very early pop/ska song from 1982, encouraging the audience to sing with them.

In a stalled bid to enliven things, the girls asked some people to dance up on stage, but were told it was “not allowed”. Still, it was a jolly gathering of two socioeconomic tribes without which Sydney would cease to function: gay men and 40-something mothers.

It was a shame as the support acts, the Chantoozies and Wang Chung, tried harder and delivered more. All could have been forgiven, but for a headline act that lasted 55 minutes, we deserved an encore at the very least. Where was I Heard a Rumour?

It prompted, as a friend dolled up in an 80s school formal dress put it, a mood of fond dismay.

However much we enjoyed ourselves, this was a lazy show.

Bananarama play Canberra on Wednesday, Brisbane on Friday, Melbourne on Saturday, Newcastle on Sunday, Sydney on February 17 and Adelaide on February 20.