A winter music and dance extravaganza is planned for Friday night, featuring the Gloucester band SAFETY, which will make its first appearance at "Latitude 43 after hours."
The show, which starts at 10 p.m. — once the dining room closes — kicks off with Deejay X-Press who will provide "energetic mash-ups" in between live sets from the band.
Local musician Dan King put the group together earlier this year, performing Monday nights for six weeks.
"We did it at first for fun and it turned into a popular thing and we decided to keep it going," said King. "We've added new songs and this is going to be our kick off show in 2009."
King, who does a lot of bookings, saw there was a lack of 80s music being performed.
"There were songs we grew up with that we loved and nobody else was doing them," he said. "Nobody is doing Madonna songs and she is such a huge icon of music. No one was doing The Cure. So I went out and found about 10 top musicians who thought the way I did and we got together. We even do a George Michael song. It's a real dance-oriented evening."
The band has been striving to create "80s fever" in various shows throughout the North Shore since the summer.
The band features local vocalists Kascia Murray, who slips on her Madonna bracelets and sings lead vocals to many tunes including the Go-Go's and the Bangles. King noted that Stacey Q. Murray sings backup with local powerhouse Ann Marie Shimanoski, who belts out renditions of songs by the Eurythmics, Talking Heads, the Pretenders and more.
SAFETY also features local favorites Brian King of the group What Time is it Mr. Fox? He sings lead on everything from George Michael to Devo to Prince, while Guy Fiero sings his rendition of tunes by the Happy Mondays, Stone Roses and David Bowie. Colin Harhay, of the group Glostafarians, sings his versions of the Clash and New Order.
"We are switching vocals all night long," said King.
Tony Goddess, of the groups Papas Fritas and Guster, along with Dan King on bass, and Dennis Monagle, of Groove Therapy and Qwill, on drums, round out the band with their talents.
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Gail McCarthy is a staff writer for the Gloucester Daily Times and can be reached at gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com
IF YOU GO
What: Local music/performance group SAFETY, live at Club Latitude 43, in the SAFETY Winter Extravaganza
When: Friday, 10 p.m.
Where: Latitude 43 at 25 Rogers St., Gloucester. Admission is $10.
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