Rose Ballroom becomes “Love Shack” with B-52s

Reno/Sparks, NV -- After thirty years and sales of over twenty million albums, any mystery about the ongoing appeal of The B-52s is immediately solved when you hear them live cranking up "Rock Lobster," "Planet Claire," "Love Shack" or “Roam.” These and other unforgettable dance-rock tunes start a party every time!


Catch The B-52s, the “World’s Greatest Party Band” in concert at 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 in the Rose Ballroom of John Ascuaga’s Nugget.

Formed on an October night in 1976 at a Chinese restaurant on Athens, Georgia, the band named themselves after Southern slang for exaggerated 'bouffant" hairdos. Cindy Wilson, Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, and Ricky Wilson began weekend road trips to New York City for gigs at the famous CBGB's and a handful of other venues. Before long, their thrift store aesthetic and genre-defying songs were the talk of the post-punk underground. A record deal soon followed and their self-titled debut sold more than 500,000 copies on the strength of their first singles, "Rock Lobster," and "52 Girls."

With the release of their second studio effort, Wild Planet (1980), The B-52s and co-producer Rhett Davies proved their success was no fluke with hits "Private Idaho," "Give Me Back My Man" and "Strobe Light."

At the time of their greatest achievements, however, they suffered their greatest tragedy — the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson from AIDS. "He really had a vision…," said sister Cindy Wilson. "He was one of the strongest elements of The B-52s from the beginning." Ricky Wilson's passing in 1985 came just after the sessions for Bouncing Off The Satellites (1986). The album, dedicated to Wilson, had taken nearly three years to complete but was worth the wait, serving up the fan favorites "Summer of Love" and "Wig."

Mourning the loss of Ricky, the band didn’t work as a group for three years. When they reunited, it became “a really healing thing to get together and be creative again,” Kate said. The band began crafting vocal melodies, lyrics and arrangements for a new album. Cosmic Thing (1989), co-produced by Don Was and Nile Rodgers, proved to be the group’s greatest commercial achievement, propelling it to international stardom.

Cosmic Thing hit #1 on the Billboard chart, sold five million copies and yielded their first-ever Top Ten hits — "Love Shack" and "Roam" and a Top 40 hit with "Deadbeat Club." The B-52s advanced their reputation as the greatest party band on the planet to a whole new generation of music fans, playing to sold-out audiences worldwide on a tour that included an Earth Day gig before nearly 750,000 people in New York’s Central Park.

In 2008 The B-52s released their first new album in 16 years, the aptly titled Funplex. With its primal guitar hooks, driving drums and The B-52s' unmistakable vocal style, Newsweek declared, “Like a sonic shot of vitamin B12, the dance-floor beats, fuzzy guitar riffs and happy, shiny lyrics keep the energy going.”

As The B-52s continue to take their party-music revolution into the 21st century they show no signs of slowing down, serving up their own unique blend of music and showmanship to millions of fans around the world.

See The B-52s in concert on Saturday, May 14 at 9 p.m. in the Rose Ballroom at John Ascuaga’s Nugget. Tickets are $50 and $55 and available by calling 800-648-1177, 356-3300 or by visiting janugget.com. “Steppin’ Out” dinner and show packages are also available.