Always somethere there to remind me...

There's nothing quite as euphoric as those 24 to 48 hours after a great '80s concert. You hit iTunes and probably download 20 or 30 new songs, surf to YouTube to relive the videos and then finally dig through your old CD collection to find those great debut discs by the bands you just saw.

(Just found "Lexicon of Love" buried in my bookcase, right next to my soundtrack to "Zapped." I have no shame.)

Today's tip: "Fumbling With the Covers" by Naked Eyes, their 2007 disc, should be everyone's next purchase on iTunes. You're doubting me? Click here to hear the acoustic version of "Rocket Man" from the album.

In the meantime, I just received the photos of me with Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls and Martin Fry of ABC. Both guys were great to chat with and put on memorable shows on Saturday night.

I can't believe I didn't find a way to get a photo of Pete Byrne from Naked Eyes, but I'm planning on traveling to catch one of his headlining shows in the next year, so I'll snag a pic then. In the meantime, I'm content with the memories of him and I hanging out backstage, singing along impromptu duets together just before he went on stage.

Yeah, not a bad way to spend Labor Day weekend.

'Life is so strange' with Dale Bozzio

Oh, this photo is a keeper. That's me with Dale Bozzio of Missing Persons at the Regeneration Tour stop in Clearwater on Saturday night.

Thus, we dispel ...

Missing Persons Myth No. 1: Dale Bozzio doesn't walk around wearing a metal bikini. Let's face it: Outside of maybe Nancy Wilson of Heart, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles and my should-have-been prom date Martha Quinn, there aren't many '80s icons I want to see wearing a bathing suit made of steel. (Martha, send me your size, and I'll have one shipped out tomorrow.)

Missing Persons Myth No. 2: She looks about 6-feet-4-inches tall on those classic videos for "Words" and "Destination Unknown," but Dale is closer to 5-feet-2. Very pixie-esque and quite fun to hug. You can tell I'm cutting the circulation off to her upper body while in my death-grip embrace.

Missing Persons Myth No. 3: I was asked this question maybe two dozen times last night. No, drummer Terry Bozzio and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo no longer play in the group. (They reunited briefly a few years ago for a couple shows, but that's it.) In fact, I think it's probably a good idea to keep Terry and Dale in different time zones whenever possible. She did some very creative improvisational artwork on Terry's mugshot on the back of a "Spring Session M" album cover last night.

Missing Persons Myth No. 4: Dale Bozzio is ANYTHING but unapproachable. She stuck around on stage after her set and then in the lobby for at least an hour, signing autographs for a mob of starstruck fans. She might still be signing stuff right now at this very moment. She seemed genuinely touched and surprised by everyone's enthusiasm. I sat back, a dozen yards away at times and just watched as people worked up the courage to approach her, and marveled at their grins after they met her.

Say what you want about the rest of her quirky behavior that night on stage, but you gotta appreciate her love of the fans. That's what makes shows like the Regeneration Tour so damn memorable.

Live from the Regeneration Tour!

Mike Score and A Flock of Seagulls at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

It's finally here: The ultimate '80s roadshow -- the 2008 Regeneration Tour -- has landed in Tampa Bay. I'm here, backstage at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall, to bring to all the juicy scoop -- or at least make a noble effort.

The show is set to start at 7 p.m. with Naked Eyes, led by my new best friend Pete Byrne, taking the stage. I'll be handling the introductions and then attempting to literally stage-dive into my chair so I don't miss a single note. (Note to security personnel: Just kidding.)

I'll also try to post some pics during the night as well. In the meantime, feel free to fire away with comments and questions. I'll do my best to get you the answers. (First answer: boxers, with little firetrucks on them.)

5:45 pm: Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls is walking around backstage. My first good deed of the night? Showing him where the restroom is. So all my hours here at the hall finally pay off.

6:50 pm: Just 10 minutes before I have to go slur my way through stage announcements. Cotton mouth sets in. Band members are wandering around freely backstage now. I just bumped into Chris Stainton from Rubix Cubed, the official '80s cover band of Stuck in the 80s. He's sporting a "Frankie Say" shirt. Nice tribute.

7:10 p.m.: We're running late, but about to get started. I just chatted with Pete Byrne from Naked Eyes and Dale Bozzio from Missing Persons. Just as friendly as you'd want them to be.

7:20 p.m.: OK, my stage introductions are over! And the best part was just hanging with Pete from Naked Eyes for the 5 minutes before going out. Fulfilling his promise, he sang "Rocket Man" to me right before I walked out with the microphone. And as has become tradition, I introduced them by saying, "Please welcome, my good friends ... Naked Eyes!"

I doubt I'll get this silly grin off my face any year soon. For the record, tonight Naked Eyes is opening with a killer version of "Voices in My Head."

7:35 p.m.: People are really enjoying Naked Eyes, so I slipped away backstage again. Martin Fry of ABC just arrived and is saying hello to the Seagulls, who are drinking beers and getting ready to go on next.

8:10 p.m.: Pete just popped by and gave me a copy of his single "Movies I Dream" from the "Piccadilly" album, which is due out in 2009. He peeled off the plastic wrapped and signed it -- "Steve, All the best! Pete Byne." Again, can the night get any better?

Dale from Missing Persons joined us for a quick chat. She told Pete she was always a big fan of his songs and so we all just enjoyed the moment. Dale has a crazed energy tonight -- she looks more eager for the show than I am, which is damn near impossible. A Flock of Seagulls is still on stage, playing "Wishing," a song that never got its proper due, I say.

8:20 p.m.: Seagulls is finishing their set with "I Ran." The crowd is really going nuts. Damn straight. This is '80s Night in Clearwater, and there's no going back to today's dull, monotonous music after hearing these bands play live.

8:40 p.m.: Dale Bozzio and Missing Persons got a huge reaction when they appeared on stage moments ago. Dale is constantly pouring champagne into a glass, which she is sipping between songs. (That's the secret to her ability to hit the high notes, I'm deducting.) She opened up with "Destination Unknown" and the crowd jumped to their feet for the whole song. She's still able to hit that "hiccup" note too.

And to answer the big question: No, she's not wearing the metal bikini that she made famous 25 years ago in all those killer MTV videos. She has on bell-bottom jeans, a big black jacket and a fedora.

9 p.m.: The meet-and-greet is on. About 10 of us are waiting for Martin Fry from ABC. Suddenly there he is, just as cool and unassuming as he was during my podcast interview with him. He introduces himself to everyone and poses for whatever photos we want. He remembers me from our podcast interview, and we have a short talk about that interview and the Las Vegas show. Martin says he has a couple new songs to play tonight that we didn't hear in Vegas.

And then I confess that I think ABC blew Human League away during the Vegas show. He gives me a nice grin, and says "Yeah, yeah? Ah, cheers mate! We sorta thought so too."

Just as Martin is finishing up, Mike Score from Seagulls comes in, and we get a chance for a photo with him. My friend John (who took the photo of Dale above) and I have a quick chat with Mike, asking him about "Space Age Love Song," which Mike confesses is his favorite song too. "The keyboard player from ABC asked how I came up with that song," Mike says. "I told him, I just put my hands on the keyboard and went da-dum, and there it was."

9:25 pm: Intermission time again. The Romantics guitarist just walked by my door, strumming along. No red leather suits tonight.

10:20 pm: You wouldn't believe me if I told you what I've been doing the last hour. Really. Let's just say rock n' roll is still alive, and Dale Bozzio is the current reigning queen of that movement. After her set, Dale signed autographs from the stage, from off the stage, outside in the lobby and then right back the backstage door literally for an hour. Maybe two. I've lost time.

"I'm NOT going to not sign autographs!" she tells the security around her. Once people realize she's there and being so accommodating, she's mobbed non-stop with people wanted ticket stubs signed, requesting hugs, photos, everything.

She ended up in the Green Room with a few hardcore fans and held court for all of us, spinning stories you would simply just insist I'm making up. I think she's still in there. I gave her a good hug a couple of times, just because that's what you do in moments like that.

I've missed the entire Romantics set, but I'm ok with it. I have a photo of Dale hugging me, and a special souvenir for uber-fan Johnny B. Goode. (This will make us even for the Eli Manning autography, buddy.)

10:30 p.m.: Martin Fry is outside my room now, dressed in black. Members of Missing Persons are hanging out with him, shooting the breeze. The Romantics are presumably finishing up their set with "What I Like About You." And yes, I've been told Dale's still in the Green Room, telling more incredible stories and sipping champagne.

Final line by the Romantics: "What's what we like about Clearwater, Florida!"

11 p.m.: Here comes ABC. The first song -- "The Very First Time."

11:40 p.m.: No gold suit, but does that really matter? It's ABC. It's Martin Fry.  They ran through a quick set of about six songs. Sadly, no "All of My Heart." But they did a particularly soulful version of "Be Near Me," which was just as endearing. And they had everyone on their feet for "Poison Arrow," "How to be a Millionaire," "When Smokey Sings," and the finale -- "The Look of Love."

Has it really been 25 long years since those songs were top of the chart? Tonight, nobody could remember. And nobody really cared.

I'll post photos of my encounters with Martin, Dale and Mike Score sometime soon, when the buzz from tonight's show wears off. In the meantime, special thanks to all my new friends who showed up tonight wearing "Stuck in the 80s" t-shirts. That meant a lot to me. A very special high-five to Jason Matteucci at Ruth Eckerd for sharing his photos with me. And as usual, never-ending thanks to the entire staff at Ruth Eckerd, who are like family to me on nights like this.

I hope everything was good in the world tonight!

[Photos by Jayson Matteucci of Ruth Eckerd Hall]

Final summer blast -- at a discount

Some great news for Tampa Bay '80s fans: Ruth Eckerd Hall is running a sale on tickets for this Saturday's "Regeneration Tour" stop in Clearwater.

Fans can buy four tickets for $80 now. Remember, the show starts promptly at 7 p.m. -- an early start time because there are five bands set to hit the stage, starting with Naked Eyes -- one act that you MUST NOT MISS.

For those outside the bay area, no sweat: I plan to blog live from backstage. You can just play your "greatest-of" CDs while you read along.

For those who still doubt that '80s music is the ultimate power in the universe, here are links again to interviews with Martin Fry of ABC and Pete Byrne of Naked Eyes.

• Listen to the ABC interview: Features the new single "The Very First Time" along with clips from their other hit songs.
• Listen to the Naked Eyes interview: Features a song off their upcoming "Piccadilly" album, along with an acoustic version of "Always Something There To Remind Me," as well as other great songs you've forgotten.

'I feel it in the air. Summer's out of reach'

Labor Day is nearly here along with the sobering reality: The summer concert season is nearly over. Let the depression sweep over us.

There's one big show left for us in Tampa Bay: the Regeneration Tour stop on Saturday at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall. It's an appropriately poetic ending this year for the Stuck in the 80s gang, which has witnessed reunion shows by Van Halen, Morris Day and The Time and The Police, along with other mega-shows by Tom Petty, George Michael and Bon Jovi.

So once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more. Don't be surprised if Martin Fry or Pete Byrne catches me with less than dry eyes by the end of Saturday's show.

What we know before that fateful moment is this: What was your favorite show so far in 2008? And what other great '80s artists are you still waiting to see for the first time in concert?

I knocked out a TON of never-seen-before shows this year: Well, frankly everyone I saw was for the first time. But I still have a dozen or more on my wish list.

Send your stories and wish lists via comment or e-mail (stuckinthe80s@tampabay.com) and we'll use it on this week's podcast.

Catch SIT80s live on radio today

If you're in the Tampa Bay area, tune to WMNF 88.5-FM today from 4 to 6 p.m., when I'll be joining my good friend Flee during his weekly radio show, "Sonic Detour."

We'll be spinning tunes from the bands playing Saturday's Regeneration Tour stop in Clearwater at Ruth Eckerd Hall. And Flee will be giving away a pair of free tickets to the first person who can answer a fiendishly clever trivia question I've cooked up.

I also have a few other treats in the works, including clips from interviews with Martin Fry and Pete Byrne to play. Plus, expect a few songs you've probably never heard on the radio before: the acoustic version of "Always Something There to Remind Me" and the new ABC single "The Very First Time" off the just-released album "Traffic."

If you're outside Tampa Bay, no fear -- WMNF streams its show live on the Internet. Here's a link to download today's show. In the meantime, I'm happy to take requests on which songs to play today from ABC, The Romantics, Missing Persons, A Flock of Seagulls and Naked Eyes.

Podcast: Pete Byrne and Naked Eyes

Pete Byrne is one of the good guys from the '80s music scene. And because the universe has a sick sense of humor at times, bad things tend to happen to good people.

As the co-founder of Naked Eyes, Pete had a rough go of it during our golden decade. Despite the success of songs like "Always Something There To Remind Me" and "Promises, Promises," the band's record company didn't want them to tour.

"I think it hurt us a great deal," Pete told me this week. "I've been back on the road for three years. Everybody knows my songs, but there are still a lot of people who don't know the name. The marketing of Naked Eyes wasn't the best."

Alas, years stuck in the studio eventually drove Pete and his parter Rob Fisher apart in the late '80s. When they finally got back together in the late '90s to start work on a new Naked Eyes album, tragedy struck. Rob died during stomach surgery. It'd be another 5 or 6 years before Pete would try again.

But his persistence has paid off, and Naked Eyes is winning fans over again with Pete's passion for music, a long-overdue slew of live appearances across the U.S. and a new album coming in 2009. Naked Eyes is the opening act of the Regeneration Tour, stopping in Clearwater on Aug. 30 at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

He's also the special guest on this week's Stuck in the 80s podcast, which features a ticket giveaway for the Clearwater show. The podcast features a few Naked Eyes songs you may have never heard before -- elegant tunes such as "Emotion in Motion" and "Voices in my Head." I know you'll get a kick out of those, as well as Pete's story about hanging out with Paul McCartney the night he recorded the vocals for "Alway Something There To Remind Me."

Click here to listen to the show. Or click here to get all our shows for free via iTunes.

Want free tix to the Regeneration Tour?

A chance to see ABC, Missing Persons, Naked Eyes and more on tour is rare. But to see them for free? That's like tripendicular, ya know?

Here's the scoop: Stuck in the 80s has 5 free pairs of tickets to the Aug. 30 stop of the Regeneration Tour at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall. We're giving them away to our listeners and readers, but to find out how to get a chance at them, you'll have to wait for the Naked Eyes episode of Stuck in the 80s, which will go online Saturday. Listen to the show and you'll find out how to enter.

But there's more: Among the five winners, one will be chosen to receive a pair of backstage passes. I kid thee not. There might be better things that happen to you this summer (and if so, then we all hate you.)

Tune in Saturday and good luck.

Promises, promises: Naked Eyes today!

It's no secret any longer that the Regeneration Tour is easily the can't-miss concert ticket of the summer. With a lineup that includes The Human League, ABC and a handful of other treasures from the 80s, it's a much-needed trip back to a time when artists were genuine, music still meant something and songs were worth memorizing by heart.

But I think the real secret ingredient of the tour comes right up front with the first act on stage -- Naked Eyes. When the tour hit Las Vegas earlier this month, singer Pete Byrne strolled onstage with his guitar, a wide grin on his face and strummed one simple chord before slowly and gently crooning...

I walk along the city streets you used to walk along with me,
And every step I take reminds me of just how we used to be.
Well, how can I forget you, girl?
When there is always something there to remind me.

I was captivated, immediately thrown back 25 years to a time when what video came next on MTV was by far the biggest concern of the day. I sprang to my feet, unable to articulate a single sentence during his entire set, left only to look to each of the fans and friends standing around me and see that everyone was as caught up in the moment as well. That's the definition of total joy.

On Aug. 30, Pete and the Regeneration gang will play Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall, and I'm slated to introduce him on stage. (Tune in to the podcast for news of a SPECIAL TICKET GIVEAWAY from Stuck in the 80s, including a pair of backstage passes to the grand-prize winner!)

So imagine how cool it will be to actually speak with Pete Byrne later today. Pete is phoning in from the road (today, they're in Monterey, Mexico, believe it or not) to chat during this week's Stuck in the 80s podcast.

You can expect the usual uncontrollable adoration that comes with me interviewing one of my '80s heroes. But I think you'll learn a whole lot more about Pete and his love of music. In the meantime, feel free to add any suggested questions for me to ask. But just like at the Regeneration show, I know mine  already by heart.

[Photo by Russell Baer]

'Now that you're gone, I still want you back'

The Regeneration Tour may have left Las Vegas, along with the rest of the Stuck in the 80s party-goers, but the show marches on across the country, including tonight in Universal City, Calif. (Click here for a full list of dates.)

This is one of those tours you'll kick yourself for missing if you decide to pass on it. ABC and The Human League do sets that will have your head and heart spinning with delirium. You'll hear just about every hit from their careers, along with a few new tunes that will have you running to iTunes.

Open letter to ABC's Martin Fry: For the Aug. 30 show down here in Clearwater at Ruth Eckerd Hall, try adding "All of My Heart" to the set-list. You'll be doing me a big favor.

The "Dream" is realized

LAS VEGAS -- Put the Regeneration 2008 Las Vegas tour stop officially in the books now.

Our gang of 80s addicts just returned home to our luxurious suite at the Luxor after the four-hour music fiesta. With a wet bar stocked with all the necessary poisons -- and not a bag of Funyuns in sight -- here are the highlights of tonight's mega-concert.

HALFWAY HOUSE: Let's get the sad news over with first. The auditorium was only halfway full tonight for the Regeneration show. But with Rod Stewart and Pat Benatar also in town tonight, 80s fans were scattered across town.

LOUD AND PROUD: I've never been at a concert with more enthusiastic fans. People were on their feet most of the night, singing along word for word to almost every song. The performers on stage seemed surprised by the devotion.

SAFETY DANCE: Though it wasn't billed as a dance party, performers on stage repeatedly encouraged fans to ignore security personnel and to dance up next to the stage. The bouncers finally gave up and let people go nuts.

NAKED EYES: Pete Byrne was in top form, starting the show bravely with an acoustic version of "Always Something There to Remind Me," which transformed into the full electronic version we all love. They only had four songs, but their finale -- "Promises Promises" -- brought the first standing ovation of the night.

A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS: Singer Mike Score knew what the fans wanted -- the hits -- and delivered with strong performances of "Space Age Love Song" and "Wishing" before finishing up with "I Ran."

ABC: Martin Fry was the star of the night, no question about it. The band played two songs off their new "Traffic" CD, then showered the awed fans with "Be Near Me," "How To Be a Millionaire," and "When Smokey Sings" before finishing up with "Poison Arrow" and "The Look of Love." They could have played for another hour and the fans would have still wanted more.

BELINDA CARLISLE: The Go-Go singer used ABC's backup musicians as her band and did both solo and Go-Go tunes during her set. "Circle in the Sand" was a popular pick with our group, but her finale of "Mad About You" was the highlight.

THE HUMAN LEAGUE: Wow. Just wow. The stage was totally redesigned for the headliners, and Phil Oakey didn't disappoint. The band whipped through their greatest hits, starting with "Mirror Man" and then springing into "Heart Like a Wheel," "The Lebanon," and "Human." The finales were "Fascination" and "Don't You Want Me." The band returned for an encore -- the long awaited "Together in Electric Dreams" -- before calling it a night.

So with the music done, and the review written, it's time to record some audio for our upcoming Vegas podcast. And pour a glass of amber magic.

FIVE MORE GREAT QUOTES FROM TONIGHT:

5. "After I make love, I make love again..."

4. "Oh, Mike, you're really good at this."

3. "I still love the Hooters."

2. "Just wash it off and come over here."

1.  "Who brought the Funyuns?? DALY!!!"

Anyone know how to fly a plane?

Today's the big travel day to Las Vegas for a group of brave (read: "foolish") Stuck in the 80s fans who are congregating (read: "drinking then passing out") in Sin City for the Morris Day and The Time show and the Regeneration Tour.

It's probably a bad time to confess that ever since seeing all the "Airport" disaster movies of the '70s, I'm a wee bit anxious about flying. But I figure as long as I'm not flying Trans Global airlines and the captain doesn't look like Jack Lemmon, Dean Martin or George Kennedy, I should be OK.

But then there's 1980's "Airplane," and my confidence drips away. What mystic force caused me to watch this movie 4 hours before heading to the airport is anyone's guess. But here are the lines from the movie that scare me most.

TOP 5 FLYER-UNFRIENDLY LINES FROM AIRPLANE:

5. "I've got to concentrate... concentrate... concentrate... Hello?... hello... hello... Echo... echo... echo... Pinch hitting for Pedro Borbon... Manny Mota... Mota... Mota..."

4. "The life of everyone on board depends upon just one thing: finding someone back there who can not only fly this plane, but who didn't have fish for dinner."

3. "I know but this guy has no flying experience at all. He's a menace to himself and everything else in the air... yes, birds too."

2. "They bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash."

1. "There's no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?"

Talk to you soon from Vegas!

Planning the perfect concert experience

This is a big concert week for a small group of Stuck in the 80s fans and particularly me. And big concert weeks require a lot of strategic planning.

It begins tonight with seeing Journey for the first time in 27 years. (And seeing Heart for the first time ... Cheap Trick for the third time.) But it continues with a small contingent of blog/podcast fans going to Vegas to see Morris Day and The Time on Friday and the Regeneration Tour on Saturday.

Considering the historic significance behind all these shows (Morris' first reunion show in 20 years; a rare U.S. appearance by The Human League), there's added pressure on the planning -- anything to make sure these became ideal experiences.

So without further hyperbole, here's my fool-proof, 10-step "day-of" plan for a great concert experience.

1. TAKE THE DAY OFF: Concerts are better enjoyed when you not rushing to the venue from the office. Plus, at our age, a nice afternoon siesta after a late afternoon, pre-concert feast of Taco Bell gorditas never hurts.

2. NO PLAYING THE MUSIC OF THE BANDS YOU'RE SEEING: Sure, it's OK to overdose on Journey's new album in the weeks leading up to the show, but I have a strict policy against it on gameday. I want the music to feel fresh. (I should say that my frequent concert pal Sean Daly maintains the opposite of this rule.)

3. CHOOSING A WARDROBE: Don't wear the shirt of the band you're going to see. ("Don't be that guy," as Jeremy Piven says in "PCU.") These days, I go with my patented black Tommy Bahama knockoff shirt, usually with jeans and shoes that won't be ruined by sloshing through concert arena muck. But by all means, mentally undress those of the opposite sex who wear the faded baby-doll concert tees from previous tours.

4. BRING A GOOD FRIEND, NOT A DATE: You won't remember the date's name a month from now. But your friend and you will talk about the show 'til the day you're both sitting side by side in the nursing home, waiting for your sponge-baths.

5. ARRIVE EARLY: Back in the old days, when it was general admission to most arena shows, this was mandatory if you wanted good seats. Now it just makes sense so that you can relax and even browse the concert tees (Hint: take then back to your car after purchase, since you parked so close).

6. GO EASY ON THE DRINKS: A shocker, I know, but everyone remembers the tragic ending to my "ziplock bags of rum" story from the Sting concert back in '85. To this day, I rarely have more than one or two drinks before or during a show. Remember, you don't drink beer ... you only rent it. And I hate paying the rent check while missing out on great tunes.

7. KNOW THE SET-LIST: This is a controversial practice of mine, but lately I try to look up the band's set-list on the Web ahead of time, so I know at what point in the show is a good time to grab a hot dog or a final beer. You want to be surprised? Fine. But I was more than happy at the Rush concert to head for my car early rather than listen to the 10-minute, head-numbing encore of "YYZ."

8. MINIMIZE DANCING: At our age, chances are you can't dance anyway. Feel free to stand up, sway around like someone sucker-punched you, but don't annoy your neighbors by pulling out moves best left to the days when you only had to shave twice a week.

9. SING ALONG: I'm anti-dance, but pro singing-at-top-volume. Go figure. Chances are no one can hear you anyway. You honesty think I'll have my mouth shut if Journey plays "Stone in Love?" I'll be in full air-guitar mode as well. Have fun -- it's a concert.

10. PULL A FERRIS THE NEXT DAY: Oh, yeah, the dreaded "stomach flu" (nod, nod, wink, win, know what you mean) -- why does it always strike the morning after the big show? Surely the boss won't begrudge you a few extra hours of downtime. (Oh, he will? Then schedule a phantom doctor or dentist appointment. You'll actually get sympathy for showing up late.)

Will I pull a Ferris the day after this long concert week ends? No need. I'll be vegging in our private pool cabana at the Luxor in Vegas on Sunday with the rest of the die-hard '80s fans. That's my final rule in concert planning: Allow plenty of time afterward to bask in the memories with those who went with you.

[AP photo]

10 days 'til Vegas: Join us or else!

Just 10 days until the first-ever Stuck in the 80s get-together in Las Vegas. Are you still sitting on the fence about coming along to see Morris Day and the Time on Aug. 1 ... AND ... The Regeneration Tour, starring The Human League, ABC, Belinda Carlisle, Naked Eyes and A Flock of Seagulls on Aug. 2?

We'll give you one reason each day for the next 10 days, leading up to our epic journey to the land of 99-cent shrimp cocktails and 190 Octane frozen drinks.

Today's magic number... TEN: The number of albums released by Martin Fry and ABC, from the landmark "The Lexicon of Love" in 1982 all the way to "Traffic" in 2008.

Fry joined the Stuck in the 80s podcast a few weeks ago and was easily one of the best interviews we've had on the show. Expect to see our gang of 80s fanatics on our feet for the entire ABC set, singing along to classics like "Poison Arrow," "Be Near Me," and "How to be a Millionaire."

We still have one extra ticket in our block of seats for both the Morris Day and the Regeneration shows. E-mail me if you're interested in coming along. It's a can't-miss event. Don't believe me? You've got nine more reasons coming over the next nine days. Oh, you'll change your mind. Or you'll slowly go insane.

Phil Oakey never stops having fun

There's something just sublimely simple and happy about talking to a guy like Philip Oakey, the long-time frontman of The Human League.

Like fellow Sheffield native Martin Fry of ABC, Phil seems to motor through life with a smile on his face and a warm greeting for those who want to talk about his music. The Human League's upcoming headlining status on The Regeneration Tour, which brings the band to the U.S. for its biggest tour in 20 years, gave me a chance to chat with Phil for a half hour last week for the Stuck in the 80s podcast.

What will you discover during the interview? Phil hates making music videos. He prefers dance music to ballads (though he's no fan of Madonna's latest disc). And if all goes well, there'll be a new Human League disc for us all to enjoy in 2009.

Click here to download the show, featuring the interview and loads of music. Or click here to get all our shows for free via iTunes. If you have time, drop us a blog comment and tell us how we did. Unlike Phil, co-host Sean Daly and I require constant positive reinforcement.

NO CHAT TONIGHT: Now that we're in the midst of summer-vacation season, let's move our chats to every-other week, skipping our chat tonight. Oh, I'll probably be online here anyway and on yahoo messenger ("spears22") if you want to talk about Phil, the Vegas trip, the new podcast or what happened at 80s Night at the Rays game last night. Always feel free to drop me an IM, e-mail or blog comment.

Dead or Alive cancels tour

For one band, the 2008 Regeneration Tour is over before it even gets started. Dead or Alive -- led by the always eclectic Pete Burns -- has dropped out of the tour due to an illness in the band, according to Regeneration officials.

Instead, A Flock of Seagulls will fill in for DOA on all the tour's West Coast dates. (Seagulls was already slated to handle all the East Coast gigs.)

GET CONNECTED: The Regeneration Tour's message boards officially went online this week. Log in and find out who else is going to the show nearest you. The boards also have the latest info on the upcoming shows, including the Aug. 2 Las Vegas stop where the Stuck in the 80s gang is attending.

The A-B-C's of Martin Fry

Our latest Stuck in the 80s podcast is now online, featuring an interview with ABC's Martin Fry.

New to ABC? Then you'll enjoy this show because it's packed full of clips from the band's biggest hits, including "Look of Love" and "Poison Arrow" but also lesser-known gems like "All of My Heart" and "Ocean Blue."

Plus, you'll be among the first people to hear ABC's brand-new single "For the Very First Time" off the band's upcoming "Traffic" album.

Click here to download the show. Or click here to get all our episodes for free via iTunes.

TICKET GIVEAWAY: More details on getting free tickets to 80s Night at Tropicana Field -- featuring Kool & The Gang and Rubix Cubed -- are in this episode too! Even if you don't score free tickets, come buy a ticket and hang with Sean Daly and me anyway. (And check to see if I've got any "ziplocks" on me.)

Ready to get Regenerated?

This summer's most impressive 80s music fest -- the Regeneration Tour -- is starting to ramp up its publicity machine. Now there's an official website to keep fans up to date on tour news.

Only 16 dates have been announced for this tour, which includes The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, ABC, Dead or Alive, A Flock of Seagulls and Naked Eyes.

Keep your eye on the Aug. 2 date for Las Vegas, because a group of Stuck in the 80s fans are planning to attend (yeah, myself included.) Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 10. E-mail me at stuckinthe80s@tampabay.com if you want more information on what we've got planned for that weekend.