Had it not been for a sea of smartphones waving in front of the stage, it could have easily been October 12, 1983 — with The English Beat playing to a capacity crowd. Fans of all ages filled the Culture Room and danced the night away to the sounds of new wave, rock, punk, reggae and ska. The lads from Birmingham, England delivered an energetic show filled with tight musical chops and powerful vocals. It was the kind of performance you’d expect from veterans with years making records and playing live. From the moment The English Beat plugged in, the 80s were definitely alive and well in 2013.
