With Lazrluvr, the ‘80s make a comeback Sunday at Sierra Nevada

Ah, the ‘80s! While many were getting their first home computer and cell phones, I was busy changing diapers and climbing the corporate ladder.

Occasionally, I’d turn on the radio to catch Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna. Music was dramatically changing from the classic rock era of the ‘70s. There were synthesizers and something called New Wave, which I never really understood.

It wasn’t until the movie “Back to the Future” that I realized the “Me Decade” (the ‘70s, according to Tom Wolfe) was dead and gone.

The “Decade That Made Us” (and my children) was a time of Duran Duran, lip synching, money and more money, break dancing, and “Where’s the beef?”

If you’re a child of the ‘80s and long for big hair, there’s a new band in town – Lazrluvr – that will take you back, like a jet-powered DeLorean.

Some of the best musicians in Western North Carolina have come together to jog your memory. Check them out this Sunday at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. It’s guaranteed to be bodacious.

How do you pronounce your band’s name, and how did you come to have it?

“Laser Lover” is how our band’s name is pronounced! Honestly, the idea just popped into our heads while we were imagining what a far-out ‘80s night to remember would look like!

Who are the members of the bands and what do they do?

Eric Congdon, guitar and vocals; Mariah Martin, vocals; Walker Astin, bass; Brad Curtioff, keyboards and synthesizer; Franklin Keel, electric cello; Sam Frame: percussion; and Boy Roca, vocals

When, how and why did this band form?

2020 was a devastating time for a lot of people, and we hoped to put a show together that would bring joy back into our community. We decided on the ‘80s because of the community and warmth in nostalgia. So, we wanted to do it right and have a collaboration for the books!

What type of music do you play?

We’re an ‘80s tribute ensemble, performing all genres of the 1980s.