Fans of breezy high-NRG 80s pop recently woke up to the news that the original 'girl power' band, Bananarama, are reforming for the first time in almost thirty years.
The original line up of Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward and Dublin native Siobhan Fahey are heading back on the road for a new UK-wide tour and they have now included a Belfast date to the tour.
The gig at the SSE Arena on November 9 is set to be their only Irish date and tickets go on sale this Thursday at 9am.
The trio were the biggest girl band of the 80s, scoring hits including Cruel Summer, Robert De Niro's Wating and I Heard A Rumour.
Formed in 1979. Fahey quit the group in 1988 to form Shakespear's Sister leading to a massive falling out between herself and the remaining duo. She was later replaced by Jacqui O'Sullivan, but her acrimonious departure meant that the original line-up never toured together.
Past differences have now been put behind them and the band have confirmed that they will be hitting the road in November and December.
"Keren and I have toured as a duo for years, but we never toured or played live with Siobhan," explains Sara.
We’ve been talking about this idea for a while and now the moment has finally arrived it’s incredibly exciting! Lots of fans have often asked ‘please just do one tour with Siobhan,' so now their wishes have come true."
"We’ll be performing all the hits and some surprises too, I really can’t wait it’s gonna be an amazing party every night!"
After initially finding success with Fun Boy Three on their hit It Ain't What You Do, It's the Way You Do It, the band went on to enjoy stellar success and sold 40 million records and even scored a US number one with their cover of Venus.
Famed for their raunchy videos and no holds barred attitude, they later went full pop and teamed up with the Stock, Aiken and Waterman hit factory, who produced a string of hits for the band including I Heard a Rumour and Love in the First Degree.
Comedian Jennifer Saunders has credited the band with providing the inspiration for Absolutely Fabulous and the drunken antics of Eddie and Patsy.
"I once saw one of them coming out of a cab, bottom first and hitting the road and I thought: that’s class," she revealed.
The band last played Ireland without Fahey at Electric Picnic last year and went down a storm, even getting the crowd up on stage to help them belt out Venus.
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Meanwhile the current Bananarama line up (i.e minus Fahey) will be performing at the Beatyard Festival in Dun Laoghaire in August.
