English Beat Gets Hoboken to Dance at Maxwell's

Founder and frontman Dave Wakeling brought the latest incarnation of the English Beat to  on Tuesday night. The group performed its genre-crossing, eclectic mix of punk, reggae, pop and dance songs to a standing room only crowd.

The original six-piece lineup, half comprised of native Englishmen and immigrant Jamaican musicians, scored several hits in both the United Kingdom and the United States during the early 1980's, most notably "Mirror in the Bathroom," "Save it for Later," and the politically charged "Stand Down, Margaret." With two guitarists, a bassist, drummer, saxophonist and second singer, the band toured alongside famous contemporaries such as the Police, the Clash, the Talking Heads, the Pretenders, R.E.M. and David Bowie.

After recording three albums the group fractured into two, with Wakeling and fellow singer Ranking Roger forming General Public, and guitarist Andy Cox and bassist David Steele creating the Fine Young Cannibals.

Later in the 1980's Wakeling moved to Los Angeles, and since then has been touring with various lineups as the English Beat. Rankin' Roger remained in England, and alongside orignal drumer Everett Morton currently fronts his own version, recognized there simply as the Beat.

Wakeling and his new group of musicians met the Hoboken crowd near 10:30 p.m. and played until past midnight. They peppered their set with covers, English Beat classics and General Public tunes including "Never You Done That" and "Tenderness."

The diverse crowd—as young as early twenties, as old as early fifties—clapped, danced, cheered, whistled, waved their hands and sang along as the group ran through "Hands Off She's Mine," "Can't Get Used to Losing You," "Best Friend," "I Confess," and its popular rendition of "Tears of a Clown."

In between songs Wakeling's co-lead singer, Antonee First Class, who took over the "toaster" role originally handled by Ranking Roger, addressed the crowd with some improvised poetic ditties. Toasting finds its roots in Jamaica, whereby a singer speaks or chants rhythmically over an instrumental break to generate extra enthusiasm within the audience.

Antonee included a few local themed toasts, including one centering on the phrase, "I had my heart broken in Hoboken" by a girl met on Washington Street.

Later Wakeling joked onstage about walking the city streets earlier in the day and waiting a long time in the line at .

Towards the end of the show, just before the band launched into the signature hit "Mirror in the Bathroom," Wakeling reminded the crowd that the men's bathroom at Maxwell's actually has no mirror.

"Maybe the next time I come back here I'll donate one," he said.

Prior to the show, Patch spoke with Wakeling in the band tour bus. Despite being in his fifties now, he said that playing alongside his younger music partners helps him maintain an energy that comes close enough to matching those earlier pub and dancehall Beat shows.

"You try to hit the stage as best as you can," he said. "Now that I'm older, I'm not as scared as I used to be."

He said that the original Beat lineup was more glib and took its success as a joke.

As for Maxwell's, Wakeling mentioned that he has performed in the club numerous times.

"It's a very challenging space," he said. "It's hot and loud."

"But," he continued, "Halfway through you've forgotten all that, and you're in heaven."

The English Beat will continue its Northeast tour with a swing through New England, and will return for a second show at Maxwell's on Jan. 1.