Review of the "Disco 80: C.C. Catch, Samantha Fox, Bad Boys Blue, Ottawan" concert

A lively preview of the upcoming carnival, accompanied by a huge dose of positive energy and a carefree mood among everyone—and for most of those in attendance, a return to their youth (or even childhood). That’s how this year’s latest musical event, held at Atlas Arena, can be summed up in a few words. To put it another way—the Disco 80 Festival was a fitting conclusion to a very successful concert year for the Łódź venue!

Ottawan, Samantha Fox, Bad Boys Blue, and C.C. Catch—this lineup of performers seemed to guarantee a fantastic time on one of the longest nights of the year. And indeed it did, as all four acts treated several thousand spectators to a one-of-a-kind musical journey back through several decades. At times, it was very sentimental, though—and this is worth noting—with a noticeable dose of modern arrangements. Anyone who wanted to revisit the timeless rhythms straight out of the ’80s and have a great time doing so in a large crowd certainly didn’t regret showing up at Atlas Arena that day.

Ottawa to start things off

The first act of this four-act disco spectacle began a few minutes past seven in the evening, when the duo Ottawan took the stage. They kicked things off with “D.I.S.C.O.,” which conquered dance floors across Europe exactly 45 years ago and immediately secured its place in the pantheon of genre classics. Among the subsequent tracks, we heard, among others, “T’es Ok (T’es Ok, T’es Bath, T’es In” and a cover of the hit “Aicha,” which was popularized in the mid-90s by Algerian singer Khaled (shortly thereafter, the band Magma released a Polish version).

Then it was time for another cover—this time, we were treated to an original interpretation of the song “Toca Toca,” which has been taking discos by storm for twelve years thanks to the (then) Romanian duo Fly Project. In the meantime, the singer didn’t shy away from chatting with fans, and while engaging with the audience is always appreciated, in this particular case, the overly long remarks—in my opinion—unnecessarily slowed down the performance’s momentum. To bid farewell to the Łódź audience, Ottawan saved his second-biggest hit, “Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart).” Raised hands swayed rhythmically not only on the dance floor but also in the stands, though this came as no surprise, since we were, after all, dealing with one of the biggest dance anthems of the early ’80s. The characteristic disco beat, synth riffs, and a chorus designed for the audience to chant along to, encouraging everyone to party together—this combination, despite the passing of the years, still effectively brings a smile to listeners’ faces.

Samantha, who can't be stopped

After a short intermission, Samantha Fox took the stage in Łódź by storm. But before she stepped onto the stage, all eyes were on the two dancers accompanying her, who, bathed in a navy-blue glow, performed a sensual intro to “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now” in fluorescent outfits. And only then did the British singer appear on stage—of course, in her signature high heels and skimpy shorts. Yet it’s hard to dismiss this outfit as the whim of a capricious star, as the 59-year-old’s figure and physique are the envy of colleagues in the industry three times her age.

Vocally, too, it was hard to find fault with anything. The aforementioned “Nothing Gonna Stop Me Now” immediately got the audience dancing, and the subsequent songs only turned up the already high temperature in the Atlas Arena. Literally a moment later, everyone in the hall was transported in their minds for a few minutes to a beautiful island overflowing with paradisiacal views. “La Isla Bonita”—one of the megahits by Madonna, the Queen of Pop—sounded very natural and convincing in Samantha’s rendition. So much so that more than a few people in the Atlas Arena likely began planning a vacation trip along the trail of sun, palm trees, and golden sand at that very moment. No wonder, then, that at the end of the song, the North London-born singer received a thunderous round of applause!

A rock element in the disco scene

“Who wants to dance with me?” the blonde star asked flirtatiously before the next song. And since there are some offers in life you just can’t turn down, an enthusiastic squeal rose from the audience—one that could probably be heard all the way to Kalisz Station. And right after that, the fast-paced “Santa Maria” blasted from the speakers. The next song, in turn, began with rhythmic clapping that smoothly transitioned into “I Only Wanna Be With You.” Few people remember that this song dates back to the mid-60s and the phenomenal Dusty Springfield. But much of the credit for this goes to Samantha, whose version can still get even the stiffest person moving on the dance floor and remains perhaps the most recognizable (and others who have tackled this song include Tina Arena, Vonda Shepard, and Shelby Lynne).

Shortly after that, Samantha proved she also has a rocker’s spirit. Many people rubbed their eyes in surprise when she stood among her guitarists and, accompanied by them, struck up the riff from “Seven Nation Army”—the hit by The White Stripes that’s often heard at various sports arenas. As it turned out, it was a very enjoyable and—let’s admit it—quite original intro to “Hot Stuff,” the song that cemented Donna Summer’s position in the music industry in the late 1970s.

Photo by Ernest Cendrowski

The Finale: A Manifesto of Femininity

Right at the end of the show at Atlas Arena, the British star performed her first two singles, which had taken the hearts of fans around the world by storm. So first, we had a blast with the incredibly energetic “Do ya do ya,” and then Samantha and her crew launched into the timeless “Touch Me (I Want Your Body).” It’s worth noting that before we heard the dance version of this track, we were treated to a rather impressive ballad-style rendition. “See you soon, I love you,” the star shouted, bowing deeply as she spoke.

One could get the impression that both she and the audience were eager for more. However, the event’s format didn’t allow for any additional performances, as the next artist—whose work is inextricably linked to the spirit of the ’80s—was waiting backstage for his turn. It’s a real shame we weren’t able to rock out to even one more of Samantha’s songs (e.g., “I Surrender” or “Hold On Tight”)…

From British soil to Polish soil

At around 8:35 p.m., the words “Good evening, Łódź” rang out from the stage in perfectly decent Polish. The author of these words was John McInerney—the only surviving member of the original Bad Boys Blue lineup. For some, the fact that this 68-year-old from Liverpool is so fluent in our language was likely quite a surprise, but it’s worth remembering that the musician has been connected to our country for many years. What’s more, these ties are mainly to the Łódź region, as McInerney divides his time between the city of the Beatles, where he grew up, and… Rzgów, where he lives with his current wife, Sylwia. What’s more, John’s wife, just like her twin sister—Edyta—has been singing backup vocals for Bad Boys Blue for over a dozen years.

When he’s not on tour, the lead singer of BBB can apparently often be spotted on Piotrkowska Street. It’s no surprise, then, that McInerney felt right at home at Atlas Arena. So much so that before he took the mic himself, he let his daughter Scarlett show off her vocal talents. And well, it must be said that the teenager has clearly inherited her parents’ talent, as her rendition of U2’s “Every Breaking Wave” delighted the audience.

All the best

The rest of the concert was dominated by Bad Boys Blue’s biggest hits. McInerney kicked things off with “Train To Nowhere,” and then, without further ado, moved on to the next hits. “A World Without You (Michelle),” “I Wanna Hear Your Heartbeat (Sunday Girl),” and “Pretty Young Girl” echoed through the arena one after another. And since there was probably no one in the audience who hadn’t heard these songs at least once, the atmosphere was electric both in front of the stage and among the rows of seats in the stands. Just as it was during the next hits… “Kisses and Tears,” “Gimme, Gimme Your Lovin’,” and “Save Your Love” also caused a sensation.

To the delight of the audience, McInerney had no intention of wasting a single second of his time; with his characteristic stage ease, peering out from under his baseball cap with a smile, he pulled one ace after another from his repertoire. Thanks to this, we discovered that songs like “House of Silence,” “Come Back and Stay,” and “Don’t Walk Away Suzanne” are still a pleasure to listen to nearly four decades after their release. And they’re great to dance to. Of course, the crowd’s beloved “I Totally Miss You” couldn’t be left out. And the crowning moment of the performance was, of course, “You’re a Woman.” To say that everyone at Atlas Arena was having a wonderful time at that moment would be an understatement… It’s also worth noting that a nice bonus to the Christmas wishes was the performance of a holiday song by the entire McInerney family. It may seem like a small thing, but it brought so much joy!

The Power of Dance Mixes

At around 9:30 p.m., Caroline Catherina Müller—C.C. Catch’s real name—took the stage. Like the three performers before her, the Oss-born singer really enjoys performing in Poland, a fact that was evident from the very beginning. To greet the Atlas Arena, the former queen of the disco scene—whose hits are still eagerly remixed by DJs across Europe—sang a medley of her greatest hits. She was ably accompanied by two dancers, one of whom also provided vocal support—giving the songs a more modern sound.

It’s worth mentioning that the German singer of Dutch descent, along with her dancers, also performed simple yet visually appealing choreography. It was clear that performing live is still her true calling. And just as with Samantha Fox earlier, one could venture to say that this passion for music allows her to appear, in every respect, younger than her age would suggest (and C.C. Catch is already 61). That is why C.C. Catch does not shy away from intense medleys featuring snippets of her biggest hits. After all, the second item on her setlist in Łódź was another medley—though, of course, in a different arrangement than the previous one.

He churned out hit after hit

The first song performed in its entirety was “Heaven and Hell,” which the audience—judging by the intensity of the applause—received with great enthusiasm. “You’re wonderful,” the artist remarked briefly, and invited everyone to sing along to “Jump in My Car.” “I Can Lose My Heart Tonight” was also a blast—but then again, it’s a concert staple, written and composed for C.C. Catch (like many other hits) by the master of the genre: Dieter Bohlen of Modern Talking.

Then the German singer performed “Are You Man Enough” with gusto, ending the song with a dramatic kneel. In fact, this very track was posted on C.C. Catch’s official YouTube channel as a memento of the performance in Łódź. The concert at Atlas Arena marked the end of the Polish leg of this year’s tour across the Old Continent, but before “Soul Survivor,” the artist and her dancers had already announced an imminent return to our country. And that song? Well, to quote a classic, our feet just couldn’t help but dance…

Photo by Ernest Cendrowski

The charm of old memories

In the last three songs of the evening, the artist from across our western border once again opted for so-called “megamixes.” On the one hand, it’s a cool approach that really gets the crowd going, but personally, instead of a medley of different songs, I’d have preferred to enjoy three more songs in their entirety. Especially since there’s plenty to choose from—I’ll just mention the songs performed in bits and pieces: “House of Mystic Lights,” “Cause You Are Young,” “Strangers By Night,” “Backseat of Your Cadillac,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” and “Nothing But a Heartache.”

That doesn’t change the fact that the entire evening more than lived up to the concertgoers’ expectations. There’s no denying that Ottawan was the weakest link—both in terms of sound and stage production. But the three acts that followed effectively made up for any sense of disappointment that some might have felt at the start. Amid the pre-holiday rush, it was nice to take a few hours off from everyday life and realize that these former idols haven’t lost their stage charisma and can still enchant crowds with their songs. And given the nature of disco music, that’s no easy feat!