One of the oddest and most transgressive bands America ever produced came out of the South. Go figure. This group of Athens, Georgia, weirdos broke onto the scene in 1978 with “Rock Lobster”—following it up with a bevy of big hits, including “Love Shack” and “Private Idaho.” At first blush, their debut single sounds like a dadaist mash-up of surf-rock tropes, post-punk yawps, new wave synths and doo-wop cooing. But listen closer and you’ll hear the gender-bending themes hiding beneath the beehives. In retrospect it’s clear: “boys in bikinis, girls with surfboards”is a not-so-subtle dig at the toxic machismo of late-’70s surf culture.
The B-52’s
Mon, 6:30pm, $95+
Mountain Winery, Saratoga
