Pull on your high-tops and grease up your mullets. The Legwarmers, billed as “The Ultimate 80s Tribute Band”, are headed to Philly’s Trocadero on October 13th.
What makes The Legwarmers more bodacious than your typical 80s cover band?
“I encourage people to come out and see for themselves,” lead guitarist Gordon Gartrell (yes, his stage name’s a Cosby Show reference) says elusively. Still, you don’t have to be MacGyver to discover why they’ve been successfully throwing epic dance parties for over 10 years.
Photo by Eileen Colton
The DC-based, seven-member band plays a set that rivals the length of a Springsteen concert, averaging 45 monster hits per show over the span of three hours. With over 200 songs in their repertoire, ranging from The Pixies to Wham to Michael Jackson, there’s something for everyone to get into the groove.
Even more impressive than their marathon set lists is their actual performance—everything you hear is being played live.
“We don’t have any pre-recorded stuff or use anything like drum machines. That disqualifies some songs from our set because some 80s songs, such as Cyndi Lauper’s “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough”, have so many layers of keyboards and drum machines that it’s really hard to do them live without a laptop playing half the music you hear,” Gartrell explains. “Sometimes you can tweak [a heavily synthesized song] and get away with it, but we have to feel we’re doing the song justice. We’re into the fact that we’re all-live onstage.”
The Legwarmers bang out those live hits one after the other, taking just a brief 20-minute break halfway through the show for the thematically ubiquitous costume change.
“We like the songs to go one right into each other. We almost want to be like a DJ, where one song ends and the next starts right away so people don’t really have time to catch their breath.”
It’s a formula the band—whose lineup has remained virtually unchanged save for one member—has been perfecting since its creation in 2002. Gartell says The Legwarmers initially started as a sort of silly side project; unexpectedly, it quickly snowballed in popularity.
“When we first started we were kind of leaning on more New Age-y stuff, like XTC, but then more people started coming and we needed more broad appeal songs, like Bon Jovi or Def Leppard.” As they added more and more hits to their shows, the audiences became bigger and bigger.
“We’re growing every year. I used to fear that people would just be over it—not just us, but the 80s in general—but I think it’s clear that that’s not gonna happen. It’s still fun and people are still coming out, so I don’t see the end in sight at all anytime soon.”
Gartell believes there are essentially two types of people who see The Legwarmers: those who lived through the 80s and enjoy it on a nostalgic level, and those who weren’t necessarily around— or even born yet—but enjoy a romanticized idea of it.
“We enjoy everyone coming out. I think it’s a nice mix. Everyone comes out to have a good time. The music itself is danceable; there’s a feel-good aspect to it.”
Illustration by Alex Fine
Besides indulging in the obvious danceability of songs such as “Footloose” or “Rebel Yell”, you can enhance your Legwarmers experience by dressing as if you’ve just emerged from the DeLorean after an adventure with Doc Brown. Naturally, the band dons full 80s regalia, and they encourage the crowds to go all out as well.
Gartrell has seen it all, from a guy in a full-body Teen Wolf suit (“my favorite”) to a complex Stay Puft Marshmallow Man costume. He feels that dressing up, even if it’s just donning a bandanna or pair of acid-washed jeans, adds a fun element of participation to the show.
“The way we look at it is, if you were willing to walk through Chinatown in spandex, you are all-in for the evening. You’re ready to have a good time and rock out,” he says. “We’re obviously all about that. I like looking out and seeing a sea of ridiculous wigs and things like that.”
Gartell offers a simple summary of what to expect at their October 13th Trocadero show:
“Expect about 45 huge hits, right back to back, with a lot of jump kicks, keyboards, guitar solos, drum solos, and ridiculous outfits. If you want to dress up, you will be amongst like minded friends. Come on out, everyone, and have a good time.”
