Two of the great power pop bands of all-time, New Jersey’s The Bongos and California’s The Rubinoos, are teaming up for a three-date East Meets West mini-tour of venues in New Jersey.
The Bongos were primarily active in the 1980s, led by vocalist and guitarist Richard Barone and also including guitarist James Mastro, bassist Rob Norris and drummer Frank Giannini. They were major progenitors of the Hoboken, N.J., pop scene, college radio favorites and made the leap to national recognition with the advent of MTV. Their breakthrough song “Numbers With Wings” (1983), garnered the group a major cult following and was nominated at the first MTV Video Music Award presentations.
Related: Bongos’ Richard Barone releases Greenwich Village tribute album
The Rubinoos are an American power pop band that formed in 1970 in Berkeley, CA. They are perhaps best known for their singles “I Think We’re Alone Now,” a cover of the Tommy James and the Shondells hit (1977), “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” (1979) and for the theme song to the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds. The group has a significant enduring cult following among fans of the power-pop genre. The group, which formed in 1970, released their first few albums on the much-loved Berserkley label, also the home of Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers for several years. The Rubinoos are vocalist/guitarist Jon Rubin, guitarist/vocalist Tommy Dunbar, drummer/vocalist Donn Spindt and bassist/vocalist Al Chan.
Watch the Rubinoos perform “Peek-a-Boo” in 1978
Bongos/Rubinoos East Coast Tour Dates (Click here for tickets):
10/20 — Wonder Bar — Asbury Park, NJ
10/21 — Mexicali Live — Teaneck, NJ
10/22 — At The Tabernacle – Mt. Tabor, NJ
The Bongos will also perform a matinee show on Sunday, October 23, at Cafe Nine, in New Haven, CT.
Watch the Bongos’ video for “Numbers With Wings”
