YAZ- The Beacon Theater

Written by Backstage Bruce

The marquee outside The Beacon Theater

     I had waited twenty-five years for this concert. But then again I guess the world had as well. I was living in Biloxi, right on the Gulf of Mexico, when their first album 'Upstairs At Eric's' was released. My roommate, John, had a copy of it on cassette. We listened to it non-stop. What was this? Electronic, experimental, dance music? Synthpop was here and it was going to be with us for a while. All this wonderful sound coming from two people? One person singing and the other doing everything else from a keyboard? Who does this?

     They do! And the "they" is a duo made up of the very talented Vince Clarke and the beautifully voiced Alison Moyet. Both artists had distinguished reputations in their own right before they joined forces. Vince Clarke launched a handful of successful bands throughout his career, commercially, the biggest was Depeche Mode. He started Depeche Mode in 1980 and after one album, left. In 1982 he started Yaz with Miss Moyet.

Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke, July 19th, 2008

     'Upstairs At Eric's' was an absolute hit. One song in particular 'Goodbye Seventies' had this: "It's a new game now!" feel to it. The masterpiece 'Situation' is on this album, this tune became an instant global smash. It played in every club, up and down the coastline, the entire time I was there in Mississippi. On the B-side of 'Situation' is the mega-hit, 'Only You'. It charted high and was featured on a few soundtracks over the years including Napoleon Dynamite in 2004. 'Don't Go' was another huge hit from the album that reached number one on the dance charts.

     When my time in Biloxi was done I went to live in Germany for a few years. I personally heard the song 'Situation' played in so many different clubs, in different countries, all throughout Europe. Everybody there loved Yazoo. The name of the band is dependent upon what side of the pond you are on. In the States, it's 'Yaz', in Europe it's 'Yazoo'. Reason being, there are some long-ago, decades-old, legal reasons. (Nothing to do with YAZ Birth Control.)

     The song 'SITUATION' is to the 1980's as what Haddaway's 'WHAT IS LOVE?' was to the 1990's.

     They released their second album 'You And Me Both' and I rushed right out to purchase it. I went to a little record store in a small, quaint, rustic German village. I loved the album from the first listen, one track 'Unmarked' really spoke to me. The first line "Go and join the Army, said the father to the son, see the world around you boy and learn to use a gun." I'm like "Uh, ok,... Here I am, in the military, check. I've been to the firing range during basic training, check. And now I am living in Europe seeing the world, check. Youtube link:

     After the release of that album they called it quits. Two and done and off to the next projects for the both of them. Alison would go on to do some phenomenal solo work and Vince would later work with Andy Bell and form the band Erasure. They too were a smash with numerous dance hits in every continent. Vince Clarke has the Midas touch. That's three super-successful dance bands he founded/ co-founded. 

     There had never been so much as a rumor, a murmur, or even a speculation of a YAZ reunion tour, ever. I was pleasantly surprised while I was riding my bike, on Houston street, when I saw the poster "YAZ at The Beacon." I peddled up to the box office and bought a ticket. I wanted to be in the audience the moment those two stepped on stage.  

    The night of the show, I arrived early and went right to where I wanted to be. I don't care what the ticket says. I wanted to get to the very last row. During all shows, people try to move down as close to the stage as possible. Even if the show is sold-out, like this one, there are always rows of empty seats way up there. It's perfect, there is plenty of room to dance without bothering anyone. There is always a dance party going on up there with like-minded folk. I sneaked a few beers in with me, one in each sock and I was set.

     They were really great. I knew they would be. They kept it going with all the tremendous energy and the audience gave it right back, well worth the twenty-five year wait. They put out a live album after this tour, cleverly entitled 'Reconnect Live'. I wish they would reconnect live real soon again. I'm glad they played my all-time favorite YAZ song, 'State Farm'. Released only as a single and an extended single, never included on either album. From that night:

      In February, 2011, Snoop Dogg released the album 'Doggumentary'. The single 'Boom' samples the synth riff from 'Situation' bringing it to a whole new generation.

     The last time Vince Clarke, Alison Moyet and Andy Bell all got together was for Mute Records Short Circuit Electronics Festival in London's Roadhouse in May of 2011. That would have been a jam to be at. Were you there? Leave it in the comments. Thanks.

YAZ- Soundcheck before the show

Vince Clarke, Andy Bell and Alison Moyet

     During the fest, they performed both YAZ and Erasure songs. Sometimes a successful reunion gig, much like that one, can spark a reunion tour, fingers crossed. We will have to wait and see what develops with that situation.

Me and Vince after the show.

YAZ PLAYLIST- Saturday, July 19th, 2008, The Beacon Theater
1-Nobody's Diary
2-Bad Connection
3-Mr. Blue
4-Knocking For A Good Time
5-Tuesday
6-Ode To Boy
7-Goodbye Seventies
8-Too Pieces
9-In My Room
10-Anyone
11-Walk Away From Love
12-I Before E Except After C
13-State Farm
14-Sweet Thing
15-Winter Kills
16-Midnight
17-Unmarked
18-Didn't I Bring Your Love Down
19-Don't Go
Encore
20-Only You
21-Situation