If writer-director John Hughes is known for shaping and distilling our most salient memories of 1980s pop culture, that has a lot more to do with his knack for music choice than you might think. No matter how zeitgeisty his coming-of-age scenarios and disaffected-teen witticisms, the films he’s most associated with wouldn’t be the same without the songs they lodged in our minds: try to imagine “Pretty in Pink” sans Duckie awkwardly lip-synching to “Try a Little Tenderness,” or “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” without the “Twist and Shout” parade-float scene. And that’s just when Hughes was mining the vaults – he also made entire bands’ careers by picking one of their songs. Had “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” not been plucked out of obscurity for “The Breakfast Club,” Simple Minds might still be kicking around Glasgow with bad haircuts.
Fittingly, L.E.S. music hall Cake Shop is mounting an All-Star 34 Band (that number keeps increasing, by the way) Salute to John Hughes on Saturday, a marathon concert featuring bands from the NYC indie scene and beyond (the lineup has yet to be released, but expect "lots of surprises"), all of whom will perform original Hughes tributes or cover one of their favorite songs from the films’ soundtracks. Organizers promise an all-night, two-floor ‘80s dance party. No word on whether there’ll be a $1 peepshow of Sam’s underpants in the men’s room.
Details
All-Star 34 Band (and Counting) Salute to John Hughes
Saturday August 22nd starting at 8PM
Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow Street between Stanton and Rivington Streets; 212-253-0036
Price: “cheap”
For more information, head to cake-shop.com
