Ultimate 80’s Party hosted by Tiffany – Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN – February 7th 2020

Ultimate 80’s Party hosted by Tiffany – Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN – 2/7/2020

Review and photos by Kate Klaus

Inside the beautiful Varsity Theater in downtown Minneapolis, the scene could have

almost been mistaken for an 80’s high school dance, with attendees in bright neon outfits, big

hair, leather, and leg warmers, with an energetic mix of Aqua Net and White Claw. The initially

sparsely populated dance floor quickly packed as the DJ on stage filled the theater with loud

and lively 80’s classics. The crowd was dancing and singing along, clearly excited for a party

before the first band had even started.

Ladies of the 80’s opened up with a fully costumed and choreographed rendition of the

Bangles classic “Walk Like an Egyptian”, and the crowd was instantly fired up. As they

transitioned into “Walking on Sunshine”, the sound of the crowd singing along was almost

louder than the band themselves. Their set continued with multiple costume changes and a

cast of character portrayals, including Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper, and Madonna. All of the

transitions between songs were flawless, with alternating leading ladies Raven and Vixxen

taking turns representing the powerful superstars of 80’s music. Supported by musicians

MaxLRose, Pretty Van Halen, and Bon Joey, they sailed through classics like “Girls Just Wanna

Have Fun”, “Like a Virgin”, “Warrior”, and “Funkytown”. As they closed their set with “I Love

Rock and Roll”, the crowd was electrified, and the excitement building for Tiffany’s appearance

was palpable.

Unfortunately, that excitement dwindled somewhat in the hour plus that the crowd

waited for Tiffany to arrive once Ladies of the 80’s had finished their set. While this time was

filled with a great Michael Jackson impersonator and more great music from the DJ, who’s

adorable hair twirling and head bopping was a perfect 80’s act, you could feel the overall

frustration in the crowd as the time passed, to the point that there was almost an audible groan

from the floor as each 80’s classic transitioned into another new song, signaling a longer wait

for Tiffany’s arrival. The frustration was reaching a tipping point when Tiffany appeared on

stage, and the crowd seemed to instantly forget their irritation, as she was welcomed with

shrieks and cheers reminiscent of the great Tiffany mall tours of the 80’s. She proceeded to

apologize, and explain that not had she only just flown in, that she was unwell, which was

apparent from the congestion in her voice. She thanked everyone for their patience, support,

and love, and spoke of the honor she felt being a representative of such a great time in music,

and was gracious and heartfelt in her words for her fans.

She spoke of her new album in progress, which she described to be “more rock”, and

spoke of inspiration from Dave Navarro and the Foo Fighters, and a change from some of her

previous albums, so it will definitely be one to watch for. She closed out her “hosting” of the

evening by performing her well-known hits “I Saw Him Standing There” and “I Think We’re

Alone Now”. Despite clearly being under the weather, she performed with great energy and

that famous Tiffany smile, and added a little more of a rock take on the songs than the original

pop hits. All in all, while brief, very worth the wait, and a perfect closing to a lively night of 80’s

music, dance, singing, and fun.