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Human League playing shows w/ B-52s & Men Without Hats

The Human League

The Human League recently released Credo, their first LP in ten years and ninth overall, though according to a source quoted on Wikipedia, it “will not be available domestically in the US or on iTunes.” The album is out now overseas. Maybe that will change, Regardless, the classic new wave band has scheduled some shows in the United States.

Though all dates haven’t been announced yet, it looks like The Human League will tour from California to NYC, kicking things off at Totally 80s Hollywood Bowl” on September 2nd along with The B-52s, The Fixx, and Berlin. The B-52s will also join them on other dates, as will fellow old school new wavers Men Without Hats who are the only opener at the NYC show at Best Buy Theater on 9/23. Tickets for that one go on AmEx presale at 10am today (5/18), and on regular sale on Friday.

Men Without Hats recently played SXSW, a fact that amused many in attendance. Houston Press caught them:

Every year at SXSW, Aftermath scans the schedule of hundreds and hundreds of bands and always has the same reaction: “They’re still around?”

This year it was Canadian synth-pop safety dancers Men Without Hats. Since Aftermath was already going to be at Club de Ville Friday to interview Cheap Trick/Candy Golde drummer Bun E. Carlos and the Hats – who turned out to be founder Ivan Doroschuk (in a cowboy hat), two hired guns on synths and another on guitar – were closing out the night, we said, “Why the hell not?”

We’re glad we did. Yes, there was the “S-s-s-s…A-a-a-a…F-f-f-f…” portion of the evening, at which point the entire tented patio became a sea of cameras and some very amusing dancing (above), but there’s a little more to the Hats than that song, which is still as sleek and joyful as ever. It’s no albatross Doroschuk only hauls out because he has to, that’s for sure, as proved by the singer’s own enthusiastic choreography during the 1982 hit.
For one thing, there’s also “Pop Goes the World,” an afterthought these days but itself a 1987 smash and practically as perfect a little pop song as you’re going to find even today; we watched more than a few people who banked on leaving after “Safety Dance” turn right back around.

B-52s meanwhile will be touring a bit in June. Tickets are on sale for a June 11th NYC show at Irving Plaza.

All known tour dates and some new and old Human League videos, below…


The Human League – (Keep Feeling) Fascination

The Human League – Mirror Man

The Human League – Human

The Human League – Don’t You Want Me

The Human League – Love Action (I Believe In Love)

The Human League – Night People

The Human League – Never Let Me Go Official Video

B-52s — 2011 Tour Dates
JUN 09 Boston, MA. Bank of America Pavilion w/ The GoGos!
JUN 10 Tarrytown, NY Tarrytown Music Hall
JUN 11 New York, NY Irving Plaza
JUN 14 Verona (Syracuse), NY. The Turning Stone Resort and Casino
JUN 16 Clarkston (Detroit), MI. DTE Energy Music Theater
JUN 17 Highland Park, IL Ravinia Pavilion
JUN 18 Kettering (Dayton), OH. Fraze Pavilion w/ the GoGo’s!
JUL 16 Atlanta, GA. Atlanta Braves’ Turner Field
SEP 02 Hollywood, CA Hollywood Bowl
SEP 08 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery
SEP 09 Jacksonville, OR Britt Festivals Gardens And Amphitheater
SEP 10 Woodinville, WA Chateau Ste Michelle Winery


THE HUMAN LEAGUE – 2011 TOUR DATES (more dates TBA)
Saturday, May 21 Territorios Festival
Friday, June 17 Sonar Festival 2011
Friday, July 1 Hop Farm Festival
Monday, July 4 ZMF Festival 2011
Wednesday, July 6 Tollwood Festival
Thursday, July 7 Les Ardentes Festival
Saturday, July 30 The Magic Loungeabout Festival
Sunday, July 31 The Rewind Festival – Scotland
Saturday, August 13 Flow Festival
Saturday, August 20 Flashback Festival
Sunday, August 21 The Rewind Festival – Henley
Friday, September 2 The Hollywood Bowl *
Sunday, September 4 Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, NV * +
Thursday, September 8 Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA * +
Saturday, September 10 Chateau Ste Michelle Winery, Woodinville, WA *
Thursday, September 15 The Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO +
Friday, September 23 Best Buy Theater +
* w/ B-52s
+ w/ Men Without Hats