It appears that Stage West is making an effort to target new attendees. With Avenue Q running this past summer, Monty Python’s Spamalot scheduled for April, and now ’80s Solid Gold as their traditional Christmas revue, the company is putting forward shows attractive to the late 20s to 40s demographic – a positive for both the theatre and those who want to attend.

I have enjoyed most of the revues at Stage West. Shows like California Dreaming II, Canadian Explosion, One Hit Wonders and Two Hit Wonders are some of my favourites from the decade that GayCalgary has been attending and reviewing Stage West shows. As someone whose taste in music covers a broad spectrum of types and eras, it has been a fun ride. ’80s Solid Gold is the first show that features a set that takes place entirely in my lifetime. I was a kid, but I loved the music, and a lot of it is presented brilliantly in this show.

It wouldn’t be fair to single out any of the ensemble – Andrew Ball, Amber Bissonnette, Katie Beetham, AJ Bridel, Jay Davis, Joel Gomez, Jennifer Kee, Jeremy LaPalme, Andrew McGillivray, Nikki Ponte and Brent Thiessen –everyone on this stage is given a chance to shine. With the always solid band – Konrad Pluta, Jeff Fafard, Michelle Gregoire, Brad Steckel and Rob Vause – backing them up, the cast brings the songs of the ’80s to life in their own unique way.

So let’s talk about the songs then. Different people will have different favourites from this decade, but for me, hearing the long-time hits that are still a regular in my music list – and, when possible, my concert viewing – was a treat. Songs like Heart’s "Alone", which is never an easy song to tackle; Queen’s "Another One Bites The Dust"; and Bette Midler’s "Wind Beneath My Wings" brought back a flood of memories. "Like a Prayer" – the end of a set dedicated to Madonna and George Michael – recreated the original, complete with gospel choir. Foreigner, Journey, U2 and many more have their moments. Even Cher’s biggest hit from the ’80s was delivered incredibly well. At first I was a bit disappointed that the classic "If I Could Turn Back Time" outfit wasn’t recreated. In retrospect, however, that outfit is best left to Cher herself – and drag queens, of course.

There are glaring omissions – I was surprised that an ’80s show wouldn’t include the biggest artist of the era: aka Michael Jackson, or his sister Janet, or the iconic Prince. They announced a sequel during the show that promised to feature artists like Jackson and Tina Turner. There remains a bit of a bias in Stage West shows that still slants pop music itself. To many, the ’80s was also about bands like Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, and various other bands, ‘hair’ and otherwise. Pop like New Kids on the Block, "Weird Al" Yankovic and New Order. For others, the evolution of hip-hop is what defined the ’80s, with artists like The Fresh Prince, Salt-N-Pepa, The Beastie Boys and Run DMC – which speaks to what an incredible decade the ’80s was. The show, really, would have to depend on taste. Should the Stage West audience and producers be willing to rock out a bit more will remain to be seen.

Whether you grew up in the ’80s or just love the music, ’80s Solid Gold is a fantastic evening out, showcasing some of the best of the era. I am eagerly awaiting part two and the chance to experience more of my favourites. In the meantime, don’t miss out on round one – you won’t be disappointed.