The Bangles bring a night of their greatest hits to The Ridgefield Playhouse on August 26

They’re the groundbreaking pop-rock band best known for their smash hits ‘Manic Monday,’ ‘Walk Like An Egyptian,’ ‘In Your Room,’ ‘If She Knew What She Wants,’ ‘Walking Down Your Street,’ and ‘Eternal Flame,’ as well as ‘A Hazy Shade Of Winter’. 

Rock historians view The Bangles as one of the greatest all-female bands, lauded for their inventive incorporation of '60s folk rock, sunny SoCal harmonies and Beatles/Byrds/Beach Boys influences into a sound all its own. Now, guitarists Susanna Hoffs and Vicki Peterson and drummer Debbi Peterson return with a night of their greatest hits at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Friday, August 26 at 8 p.m. as part of the Pepsi Rock Series powered by Xfinity.

Kicking off the night is Cardiac. Cardiac is much more than a band, it is a creative project dedicated to connecting spirits and spreading hope. The band consists of seasoned musicians who combine raw emotion and delicate movements. There is graceful harmony and yet severe force in the melodies and rhythms. Enjoy a night with dinner and a show! Visit 850 Wood Fired Pizza (424 R. Main Street, Ridgefield) and enjoy a free draft beer with dinner when tickets are presented. Media sponsor for this fun night of music is Danbury’s Hit Music Station – 98Q.

The Bangles hit the road in '82 opening for The English Beat, and in the process got signed to Columbia Records. Former Runaways lead singer Michael Steele replaced Annette Zilinskas on bass, and the Bangles began a steady climb to the top. The band released their first full-length album, All Over The Place in 1984, with the singles “Hero Takes A Fall” and “Going Down To Liverpool,” making a splash on college radio.
Opening for Cyndi Lauper's ‘84 tour exposed them to an ever-widening audience, and helped their 1985 album, Different Light, make a huge impact. Featuring the hits If She Knew What She Wants, the Prince-penned Manic Monday, and the smash dance track “Walk Like An Egyptian,” the Bangles rocketed to superstardom. Egyptian charted at Billboard's #1 for four weeks in a row - a feat no other all-female band had ever achieved. A smash national tour, and awards including Single of The Year, Best MTV Video Performance, and a BMA helped solidify the band's status.

In '87, the Bangles recorded a hard rocking cover of Simon & Garfunkel's “Hazy Shade Of Winter” for the Less Than Zero soundtrack that rocketed to #2 on the charts. That summer found the band at the peak of its popularity, and back on the road for the 'Bitchen Summer' international tour. In early 1988, the Bangles released Everything, with two more chart hits: the rocking In Your Room, and the seminal ballad “Eternal Flame,” which was a #1 hit internationally and has become a romantic classic, performed recently on singing competitions “The Voice” and “American Idol.”

Despite (or perhaps because of) their successes, the band was exhausted, tensions were high, and in 1989 they decided to take an extended hiatus, canceling the rest of their world tour. In 1990, the Sony released The Bangles Greatest Hits album. The band members stayed in touch, but serious talk about reforming the Bangles didn't begin until Susanna’s husband, award-winning director/producer Jay Roach, needed an original song for his film, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. In 1999 the girls headed back into the studio to record “Get The Girl” for the Austin Powers soundtrack, and The Bangles formally announced their reunion in 2000. In July 2003, the Bangles proudly released the power-pop driven Doll Revolution, their first studio album in over a decade. In 2005, longtime bassist Michael Steele elected to retire from the band, but drummer Debbi Peterson, and guitarists Susanna Hoffs and Vicki Peterson continued performing and touring internationally. 

Remarkably, the Bangles’ second time around has lasted longer than the first, as the three longtime partners harmoniously coexist with their respective husbands and children; making music together is now another familiar, rewarding part of their lives. Much has changed in the lives and careers of Vicki, Debbi and Susanna since that first time they played and sang together in the Hoffs family garage years ago.

For tickets ($75), call the box office at 203-438-5795, or visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.