August 1, 2026 – Stir Cove – Council Bluffs, IA
Saturday night, August 1, 2026, was a beautiful night for live music at Stir Cove in Council Bluffs, Iowa. This time, the night felt like stepping into a time machine and heading straight back to the 80s.
Howard Jones was the headliner, but there was plenty of fun before he took the stage. The whole night had a great throwback energy, and Stir Cove was the perfect setting for it.
The evening kicked off with Richard Blade, who helped take the crowd on a musical journey through the 1980s. Blade is a British-American radio, television, and film personality originally from Torquay, England, and he is best known for his work with new wave and 80s popular music. He was a DJ at KROQ-FM in Los Angeles from 1982 to 2000 and has been a host on SiriusXM’s 1st Wave classic alternative station since 2005.
Throughout the night, Blade made several appearances between sets, counting down some of the top new wave hits from each year of the 80s. It was such a fun way to keep the energy going between bands. Instead of feeling like dead time during stage changes, it felt like part of the show.
The first live set of the night came from Modern English, and you could tell they were having a blast.
Modern English is an English new wave and post-punk band formed in Colchester, Essex, England in 1979. The band is best known for songs like “I Melt With You,” “Hands Across the Sea,” and “Ink and Paper.” Their current lineup includes Robbie Grey, Gary McDowell, Michael Conroy, Steven Walker, and Roy Martin.
If you would have asked me before this night if I would ever get to hear “I Melt With You” live, I probably would have thought you were crazy. It happened, though, and it was awesome. That song is one of those 80s classics that instantly makes everyone smile, and hearing it outside on a beautiful summer night was a pretty cool moment.
After another fun DJ set from Richard Blade, it was time for The English Beat. Fans really got their money’s worth with this one because they were joined by members of General Public.
The English Beat formed in Birmingham, England in 1978 and became known for a sound that blended ska, pop, soul, reggae, Latin music, and punk rock. Their early lineup included Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger, Andy Cox, David Steele, Everett Morton, and Saxa, later joined by keyboard player Dave “Blockhead” Wright.
The band released three studio albums in the early 1980s: I Just Can’t Stop It, Wha’ppen?, and Special Beat Service. They also gave fans plenty of memorable songs, including “Mirror in the Bathroom,” “Save It for Later,” “I Confess,” “Too Nice to Talk To,” “Can’t Get Used to Losing You,” “Hands Off…She’s Mine,” and “All Out to Get You.”
They sounded great and put on a really fun, energetic set. The mix of ska, reggae, and new wave had people dancing, and it kept the night feeling light, upbeat, and full of movement.
After some more fun with Richard Blade, it was time for Wang Chung. I have to admit, next to Howard Jones, these guys were the act I was most looking forward to, and they absolutely delivered.
Wang Chung is an English new wave band formed in London in 1980 by Nick Feldman, Jack Hues, and Darren Costin. The name Wang Chung comes from Chinese and means “yellow bell,” which is the first note in the Chinese classical music scale.
The band found major success in the United States during the 1980s, with five top 40 hits between 1983 and 1987. Some of their biggest songs include “Dance Hall Days,” “Everybody Have Fun Tonight,” and “Let’s Go!”
Their set was so much fun, and the crowd loved every second of it. They had a great energy onstage, and the songs still sound just as catchy today. When they closed with “Everybody Have Fun Tonight,” it felt like a full-on 80s dance party had broken out at Stir Cove. It was impossible not to have fun during that one.
Wang Chung Setlist:
After a brief intermission, the sun had gone down, and it was finally time for Howard Jones and his band.
Howard Jones is a British musician who became one of the defining figures of 80s synth-pop. Between 1983 and 1986, he had ten top 40 singles on the UK singles chart, including “Like to Get to Know You Well,” “What Is Love?,” “New Song,” and “Things Can Only Get Better.” His debut album, Human’s Lib, reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, and around the world, he had 15 top 40 hit singles between 1983 and 1992.
In the United States, “No One Is to Blame” reached number four on the charts, and several of his other songs landed in the top 20. He was also part of the 1980s Second British Invasion and performed at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985. Over the course of his career, he has sold more than eight million albums.
This was my second time seeing Howard Jones live, and I think this show was even better than the first. His set had the perfect blend of newer songs and older hits, which kept the longtime fans happy while still showing that he is not just living in the past.
He looked and sounded great, and his band was fantastic. There was a positive energy to the whole performance, and the crowd was into it from start to finish. People were dancing, singing along, and clearly enjoying every moment.
Howard Jones Setlist:
Encore:
What made the night so fun was that it never felt like a simple nostalgia show. It definitely brought everyone back to the 80s, but the artists still had real energy and personality onstage. Modern English, The English Beat, Wang Chung, and Howard Jones all gave the crowd something memorable, and Richard Blade tied the whole night together perfectly.
It was a great night of music, dancing, and memories at Stir Cove.
If you ever have the chance to see any of these legendary artists live, make sure you do. It will bring you back to a simpler time when neon colors, hair gel, and new wave music ruled the airwaves.
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