Pop duo Bananarama are set to return to Australia, kicking off a national tour at the Crown Theatre in Perth.

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The band recently had an acclaimed tour of the UK and the USA which saw Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin reunited with original member Siobhan Fahey. That series of live shows resulted in their latest DVD and album Live at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo.

Bananarama last played a show in Perth in 2016, and fans – who knew all their dance routines – had a great time at the show which had an amazing party vibe.

The band have released 10 albums of material over their long career and have scored a plethora of hits including Shy Boy, Robert De Niro’s Waiting, Venus, I Want You Back, Nathan Jones, I Heard a Rumour, Cruel Summer, Rough Justice, More Than Physical, Do Not Disturb, Love in the First Degree and Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye. 

The band hold the title of the most successful girl group of all time with their many, many hits. After their Perth show Bananarama will head to Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and The Gold Coast.

The History of Bananarama

The band formed in London in 1979. Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward were childhood friends, they met third member Siobhan Fahey while they were all studying to be fashion journalists.

The trio used to do impromptu gigs with punk bands. In 1981 they were living above a rehearsal room used by Steve Jones and Paul Cook from the Sex Pistols. The punk rockers helped them get their first record made – Aie a Mwana, a disco tune sung in Swahili. It became an underground hit and lead to their first record deal with London records.

The band first recorded some tunes with ex Specials singer Terry Hall and his new band Funboy Three. Bananarama sang backing vocals on Funboy Three’s T’ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It) and they returned the favour on Bananarama’s song Really Saying Something.

Bananarama teamed up with producers Jolley and Swain for their first three albums producing a run of hits including Shy Boy, Robert De Niro’s Waiting, Cruel Summer, Do Not Disturb and A Trick of the Night.

On their third record the band worked with producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman on two tracks; More Than Physical and Venus. Their cover of Shocking Blue’s Venus was a massive hit around the world.

For their fourth album the band worked exclusively with Stock, Aitken and Waterman creating the mega-selling Wow! record. The hits kept coming with Love in the First Degree, I Can’t Help It, Nathan Jones, I Heard a Rumour and I Want You Back.

Around this time founding member Siobhan Fahey decided to leave the band. The singer had recently married Eurythmics member Dave Stewart and formed a new band Shakespear’s Sister.

Fahey was replaced in the band by Jacqui O’Sullivan and the band re-recorded several of the songs on Wow to feature O’Sullivan’s vocals. They also had a hit with a charity single, a cover of The Beatles Help, which saw them teaming up with Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French and Katy Burke.

At the end of 1988 the band recorded a new tune Love, Truth and Honesty, which featured on their first ‘Greatest Hits Compilation’.

For their fifth album Pop Life the band only recorded a few tracks with Stock, Aitken and Waterman, preferring to work with producer Youth. This album featured the singles Only Your Love, Preacher Man, Tripping on Your Love and a cover of the Doobie Brothers’ Long Train Runnin’. The album was still popular, but the music world was changing as grunge and techno emerged.

By the time the band’s next album ‘Please Yourself’ came around in 1993, Jacqui O’Sullivan had left, and the trio became a duo. Returning to producers Stock and Waterman – who had now made a bunch of hits for Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Mel and Kim, Rick Astley and whole stable of artists – the band returned to their euro-beat sound.

Please Yourself featured the ABBAesque tune Movin’ On and the catchy Last Thing on Your Mind – which would become a hit for STEPS a few years later. They also recorded an updated version of the ’70s disco tune More, More, More. Despite being a brilliant album – the songs didn’t chart as high as their previous hits and the band broke up with their record company.

Bananarama have never stopped recording though, in 1995 they released the album Ultaviolet / I Found Love which featured the single Every Shade of Blue. In 2001 they released an album in France titled Exotica which saw them re-record many of their earlier hits.

In 2005 they released the album Drama which saw them back in the UK charts. The new album spawned the hits Move in My Direction and Look at the Floor (Hypnotic Tango).

In 2009 the band returned with Viva which featured the songs Love Don’t Live Here Anymore and Love Comes. The band also indulged their love of covers taking on Fox’s sexy 70’s tune Single Bed, iiO’s Rapture and The Runner, which was originally recorded by The Three Degrees.

The bands most recent output has been the EP Now or Never which contained their take on the Maroon 5 tune Moves Like Jagger. The band have recently revealed their currently back in the studio working on their eleventh studio album.

The band’s first six albums have just been re-released on coloured vinyl and coloured cassette.

Tiffany and Amber are coming too

Joining Bananarama on the tour will be 80’s pop singer Tiffany, and 90’s star Amber. Tiffany scored a huge hit with her songs I Think We’re Alone Now and Could’ve Been. More recently Australian audiences have gotten to know her intimately as a contestant on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. 

Amber is best known This is Your Night, Sexual (Li Da Di) and the disco anthem If You Could Read My Mind. Amber was last in Perth for Dance Mania back in 2016. Amber chatted to OUTinPerth had shared her memories of recording the theme song to the film 54 and what it was like writing a song for Cher.    

Tickets to the shows go on sale on Monday 29th October. 

Tour Dates

Sunday 17 February
Crown Theatre | Perth, WA
All Ages
ticketmaster.com.au | Ph: 136 100

Tuesday 19 February
Thebarton Theatre | Adelaide, SA
All Ages
ticketmaster.com.au | Ph: 136 100

Friday 22 February
The Forum | Melbourne, VIC
18+
ticketmaster.com.au | Ph: 136 100

Saturday 23 February
Canberra Theatre | Canberra, ACT
All Ages
canberraticketing.com.au | Ph: (02) 6275 2700

Sunday 24 February
Enmore Theatre | Sydney, NSW
All Ages
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849

Wednesday 27 February
Eatons Hill | Brisbane, QLD
All Ages
moshtix.com.au | Ph: 1300 438 849

Thursday 28 February
The Star | Gold Coast, QLD
All Ages
ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849