Awesome '80s
The Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay closed their concert, "Songs of a Man's Heart / I Love the '80s", with a high-energy, joyfully nostalgic performance of Mark Brymer's "Awesome '80s" medley at Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, on May 17, 2024. As the program's grand finale, the piece served as a celebratory tour through some of the decade's most iconic songs, sending the audience out on a wave of pure '80s exuberance.
Brymer's medley is built for spectacle, weaving together fragments of the era's most recognizable hits with quick stylistic shifts, infectious rhythms, and crowd-pleasing transitions. The Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay embraced the format with enthusiasm, navigating the rapid-fire changes with both polish and palpable joy. Each new song fragment landed with a fresh burst of energy, drawing recognition and smiles from the audience as familiar hooks emerged one after another.
The chorus's strong ensemble unity was particularly evident in this kind of stylistically varied work. Crisp entrances, sharp rhythmic timing, and confident dynamic shifts kept the medley feeling cohesive even as it moved through different musical moods. Clean blend across all sections allowed Brymer's layered harmonies to shine, while clear diction ensured that each iconic lyric came through cleanly to the audience. Subtle theatrical touches — punchy accents, playful phrasing, well-timed pauses — added to the medley's sense of fun without ever sacrificing musical precision.
Dynamic shaping helped the work feel like a true journey rather than a simple string of tunes. Quieter, more reflective fragments gave way to broad, anthem-style choruses, with the chorus moving between the moods with seamless control. Allendale United Methodist Church's acoustics supported the energy beautifully, allowing the medley's biggest moments to fill the sanctuary while preserving clarity in the more delicate sections.
Audience response built steadily throughout the performance, culminating in enthusiastic applause as the final notes rang out. Within the broader program, "Awesome '80s" served as the perfect closer — a triumphant celebration of the decade that anchored the second half of the evening. Through Mark Brymer's clever arrangement and the Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay's spirited, polished performance, the chorus sent the audience home with a renewed appreciation for the music of the 1980s and a reminder that some of the best parties end exactly where they began: in the joy of singing together.