I’m young…and I’m not just saying that because a birthday’s coming up. But last night, I was transported back to my youth by a band called The Casio Genius. Or they may have been called Vagenius…I’m not entirely sure. Either way, they were every great and horrible 80’s band cliché on a tiny stage for 1 hour at Phyllis’ Musical Inn.

When they were beginning to play, I thought immediately it was a tongue-in-cheek side project for some local musicians. Shoulder strap keyboard (via The Commodores and Howard Jones) played and fronted by an amazing female singer…replete with single feather earring, knee high red leather boots AND leg warmers. Moog keyboard and Bass footboards, guitar and Electric Bass solos played by a blonde, poodle haired band mate (who was actually a hell of a musician) in a Huey Lewis T and bright orange Converse. Standing drummer with a turn of the decade “feather do” banging on a machine triggered kit with snare / handclap slaps and the electronic vocal pitch of the 2 toms (think of the drum sounds from Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam and you’ve got it).

Synchronized hand raises and songs that scaled everyone from Oingo Bongo, The Jets, Yes and Samantha Fox (including a tune titled “I feel like wrecking someone’s home”) made me laugh one second and scream and applaud the next. A friend asked me if I was laughing because I thought it was funny (or something to that effect) and my answer immediately was “No!” I was laughing because it was so exciting and very nostalgic. I realized I hadn’t heard those sounds created live since a Junior High “lock-in” or my Sophomore Sadie Hawkins dance and would (probably) never hear them again – unless I spun my prized copy of Missing Persons or Book of Love.

Turns out, it’s tribute music. Sure the influences are impossible to miss, but all the songs are original, thank you very much. Casio Genius (or whatever the moniker) is a band from LA…on tour…selling records. It may be a stretch, but I can make the connection between modern day Classical music students; listening and studying the masters a baroque, chamber, choral…and creating new compositions in that style.

By the end of the night – the crowd was haggling with the barmaid for “just uno mas!” She replied by throwing her hands up and stepping outside for a cigarette. “Do we have no supervision or authority figure in here?” asked the lead singer, posing Pat Benetar. We were all 15 and at the sleep over…no parents allowed.

(Post Script - 11/10/03 - Turns out, they're called Vagenius...and you thought I was kidding about the red boots...