Berlin Performs at The Canyon Club on Dec. 5

Jenny Lester

Eighties pop sensation, Berlin, will be at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills on December 5. There have been quite a few lineups of the synth-heavy quintessential eighties pop group over the years, but singer Terri Nunn has always been at its helm. The Southern California based group occasionally plays in its current form in and around the Los Angeles area.

Berlin appeared at the forefront of the new wave eighties synth pop scene. The band was founded in Orange County in 1978 by bassist John Crawford, and for a few years struggled to gain attention and respect from the music industry. Most mainstream radio stations and record labels were more or less confused by the band’s sound and thus unwilling to put faith in the group. As is often the case with artists ahead of their time, however, the rest of the world eventually caught up with Berlin’s ingenuity and the group enjoyed its first hit single, “A Matter of Time.” The band continued to chase less-mainstream outlets for their music, such as Los Angeles rock radio station KROQ. Eventually, Berlin produced their first (and last) top-20 hit, “Take My Breath Away,” most recognized as the theme of the 1986 film, “Top Gun.”

After Berlin’s fourth and least successful album, “Count Three & Pray” in 1986, the group disbanded and went their separate ways. However, Terri Nunn was the lone member to hold on. She assembled a new group of musicians and has continued to perform and record albums under the band’s name; the most recent, “Animal,” that was released in 2013. In 1999, the group opened for the Go-Go’s West Coast reunion tour, and for a brief period, the original band reunited to play a sold-out show at The Roxy thanks to VH1’s show, “Bands Reunited.”

The Canyon Club, a popular stop for musicians touring regionally and nationally, will host Berlin and supporting acts. The evening begins with local Simi Valley rock band, Dizzylilacs, and continues with Devon Rowland & The Crazy Hearts, which classifies their genre as being, “pure real rock.” Frontwoman Devon Rowland and her bandmates can be seen consistently playing in and around the greater Los Angeles area. Whether you’re an eighties junkie, a synth-sympathizer or just looking for night of nostalgic fun, the Berlin concert at The Canyon Club promises to be a high-energy 2014 escapist’s dream.

Berlin will be playing at The Canyon Club December 5. Tickets can be purchased here.