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The Go-Go’s Got the Beat

By Jennie Romer~

It was a night of firsts and a night of lasts. Just an ordinary weeknight full of the simple things in life: Wine, fresh air, and one of the last tour stops of a groundbreaking, game-changing band that I have adored since I was thirteen. Groundbreaking because of their distinct blend of pop-punk and surf-rock sprinkled liberally with pure unadulterated fun; game-changing because they were the first all-female band to do it all themselves with unprecedented international success. I am talking, of course, about The Go-Go’s.

It was my first time seeing a Go-Go’s show. It was also my first time at Vina Robles Amphitheatre, but definitely won’t be the last. The place reminds me of a much more mellow, stress-free Hollywood Bowl. The staff is unfailingly friendly, and happy to let you have a taste before committing to a glass or bottle of one of their lovely varietals (Albariño at a concert? Yes, please!) I waited in exactly zero lines and even parking was a breeze.

The intimate setting under the stars was the perfect place to take in the band’s farewell show. The original line-up of Belinda Carlisle, Jane Wiedlin, Charlotte Caffey and Gina Schock was filled out with veteran bassist Abby Travis. They didn’t have to work hard to get the crowd going – the crowd was already there. What is it about The Go-Go’s that makes us feel like girls again? I saw women in their 70s screaming and rocking out. For me, every song yanked vivid memories to the surface. “Lust To Love” – my first kiss. “Our Lips Are Sealed” – my first experience with mean girls. They also stayed true to their roots by dusting off two songs from their early punk days, back when they performed with The Specials and The Germs in the late 1970s.

Throughout the performance, two things were crystal clear: 1) After nearly forty years of doing this together, they were still having a blast; and 2) They are far greater together than the sum of their respectable solo parts. Carlisle is a strong and unique vocalist in her own right, but something intangible and almost haunting happens when Wiedlin is backing her up. Age has done nothing to slow down the driving force that is Schock’s percussion, and when Caffey ran across the stage to execute that gorgeous joyful piano intro of “Head Over Heels,” she looked like she knew every person in the audience had full-body chills. Nobody could sit still through that.

As the encore ended and the show closed, there were some tears and even hugs from fellow seatmates who only hours before had been strangers. We had all witnessed history, marveled at the powerful dynamic that can happen when women make music together, and said a fond farewell to a part of our girlhood.
But the Albariño made the parting a lot easier to take.

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