By Josh Bell
Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip 8 p.m. Jan. 1, $32.50 advance, $36 day of show, 21+. 702.733.7625
Oftentimes when classic bands reunite, the excitement fizzles out quickly. One or two reunion tours and/or albums later, the group members have once again gone their separate ways, and fans are left in the lurch. Not so with influential 1980s new wave band The Psychedelic Furs, who reunited in 2000 and are still going strong, anchored by original members Richard and Tim Butler. The Butler brothers are joined by longtime members Mars Williams and Paul Garisto, among other players, bringing the Furs’ synth-soaked classics (including “Pretty in Pink,” the title song from John Hughes’ 1986 teen movie) to audiences both old and new.
The Furs’ brand of synth-pop is mixed with moody art rock, but the band they’ll be playing with in Las Vegas, The Fixx, is a brighter, peppier ’80s act, known for songs like “One Thing Leads to Another” and “Saved by Zero.” The pairing may seem a little odd at first, but the bands share a dedication to forging ahead with new music even decades into their careers, and both were part of the soundtrack for an entire generation’s coming of age.
