There are shows that I look forward to cover, and then there a show that I really, really look forward to cover. Last night’s concert by The Fixx at the Dakota Jazz Club certainly fell in the latter category. The Fixx were a staple of the sound of my youth (insert standard child of New Wave reference HERE) but I had lost of track of them other than hearing their songs on the radio or online. Finding out that they were still together, on tour, and coming to Minneapolis was of of my better surprises of the year so far.
Opening the night was Beat Root Revival, a duo made up of Andrea Magee and Ben Jones. Their sound is interesting with a rock vibe on Blues and Folk roots. They performed a couple of well received covers but my personal favorite of their set was “Instincts”.
It’s been 35 years since the Fixx released “Reach The Beach” the album that brought us their biggest hit “One Thing Leads To Another”. To honor this anniversary The Fixx performed 2 sets. The first one playing the entire album in reverse (and in nautical inspired outfits). The reverse order worked quite well, with the immersive sound pulling the crowd away from their dinner plates and into the band’s grasp. Singer Cy Curnin remarked on how wide the room felt. The Dakota is a rather unique venue for rock shows, it worked well for last night’s concert but it is not inviting fans to get up and move with the music (except for in a few spots). The scenes projected on the video screen behind the stage helped to round out the experience.
After a short break, The Fixx returned for their second set that was more lively and somehow managed to cram all the hit songs that made them fan favorites on both sides of the Atlantic. Both sets felt quite intimate and each song was rewarded with loud cheers. I left smiling happy to have seen another band from my bucket list.
Set 1: Outside / Privilege / Liner / Changing / Reach the Beach / Opinions / Saved By Zero / Running / The Sign of Fire / One Thing Leads To Another
Set 2: Stand or Fall / Less Cities, More Moving People / Are We Ourselves? / Chase the Fire / Driven Out / Something Ahead of You / Shaman / Deeper and Deeper / Red Skies
Encore: Cause to Be Alarmed / Secret Separation