Men at Work Have A Night Like No Other With Toad the Wet Sprocket
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - July 23: Men at Work bring their "A Night Like No Other" Tour to The Pinnacle. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Men at Work make their return to Music City, USA with a special co-headline performance with Toad the Wet Sprocket and special guests Shonen Knife. It has been seven years since frontman Colin Hay revived the moniker of Men at Work, and he has been touring relentlessly ever since. Hay’s last show in Nashville was just last year, another co-headline venture, this time with Toto and Christopher Cross.
While not supporting any new Men at Work music, their last album being 1985’s Two Hearts, Colin Hay is fresh off the release of Man @ Work Volume 2, a collection of reimagined Men at Work classics, solo tracks, and new material. As a solo artist, Hay has been releasing music consistently since the dissolution of Men at Work’s original lineup. Hay’s also been hard at work with other ventures, notably being a member of Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band.
The night began with “Touching the Untouchables,” a fan favorite from 1981’s Business As Usual. Warm and inviting, the song starts with a rich instrumental anchored by some power-pop percussion giving the track its distinctive 80’s flair. While still undeniably the classic Men at Work sound, since reviving the project Colin Hay has introduced some extra character to many of his compositions, notably with the addition of his wife, Cecilia Noël. Peruvian-born and best known for her band, The Wild Clams, Noël infuses elements of salsa, soul, and other Latin sounds into the music with backing vocals and additional percussion. This makes for a fun dichotomy with Hay, as his distinctive Scott-turned-Aussie accent still resonates over the instrumentation. Speaking of Hay, he has not lost a beat. Now in his mid-70s, he has no problem keeping up with the various vocal inflections he pioneered in his youth, especially on a song as vocally dynamic as “Touching the Untouchables” with its steady verses and soaring choruses.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - July 23: Men at Work bring their "A Night Like No Other" Tour to The Pinnacle. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Skipping ahead in their set, the closing notes of the night were earmarked by the two pillars of the band’s discography (both titans of 80’s pop-rock) in “Who Can It Be Now?” and “Down Under.” The former of the two was immediately recognizable, with its iconic saxophone intro that permeates the entire song flanked by Hay’s exasperatedly upbeat vocal performance. Equally as recognizable, the band effortlessly shift into “Down Under,” inequivalently their biggest hit. This time anchored by sharp percussion and flute, the entire audience is up on their feet at this point, overcome with dance. These songs carry so much power, landing not only due to the sheer weight of the nostalgia hanging onto them, but also the fun, carefree energy enveloping each moment. That is part of the beauty of Men at Work, Colin Hay has meticulously crafted a show that captures the music perfectly but is also laser focused on uplifting audiences.
Setlist
Touching the Untouchables
No Restrictions
Can’t Take This Town (Colin Hay song)
Down by the Sea
I Can See It in Your Eyes
Looking for Jack (Colin Hay song)
Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive
Everything I Need
Catch a Star
No Sign of Yesterday
Overkill
It’s a Mistake
Who Can It Be Now?
Down Under
Be Good Johnny
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - July 23: Men at Work bring their "A Night Like No Other" Tour to The Pinnacle. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
The "A Night Like No Other" tour rolls on, with another month and a half of dates dotting the United States.
You can find all of Men at Works’ upcoming tour dates here.
Jul 24 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple Theatre^*
Jul 26 – Cohasset, MA – South Shore Music Circus^*
Jul 28 – Durham, NH – The Whittemore Center^*
Jul 29 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater^*
Jul 31 – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata Hotel Casino Event Center^*
Aug 1 – Harrington, DE – Delaware State Fair^*
Aug 2 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Evans Amphitheater^*
Aug 5 – Grand Rapids, MI – Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park^*
Aug 6 – Bloomington, IL – Grossinger Motors Arena^*
Aug 7 – New Lenox, IL – New Lenox Performing Arts Pavilion^*
Aug 8 – Council Bluffs, IA – Bluffs Casino & Hotel^*
Aug 10 – Salina, KS – Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts^*
Aug 13 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater^*
Aug 14 – Carnation, WA – Remlinger Farms^*
Aug 15 – Spokane, WA – Shriners Event Center^*
Aug 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden^*
Aug 18 – Reno, NV – Silver Legacy Resort Casino^*
Aug 19 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery^*
Aug 20 – Los Angeles, CA – The United Theater on Broadway^*
^ Co-Headline w/ Toad the wet Sprocket
* w/ Shonen Knife
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - July 23: Men at Work bring their "A Night Like No Other" Tour to The Pinnacle. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
For music fans with their heads still stuck in the 80’s, Men at Work are a must see. With numerous hits, two of which arguably being some of the best of the decade, if not century, and relentless waves of nostalgia, you’ll be hard pressed to not have a good time. For those less familiar with the 80’s pop-rock scene, perhaps even unaware of the post-disco music era entirely, Men at Work are a fantastic gateway into that work. The band is lively, uplifting, and genuinely heartwarming. I fully recommend catching them if you get the chance.