Another Page In Your Diary: Yaz Announces Reunion Tour

It blows my mind how there’s probably more youngsters out there that think Yaz is a birth control pill when back in my time they were a nifty little new wave dance band that I absolutely adored.
I’m surfing the internet at work, albeit haphazardly, as I come across a news item from the day prior that I completely overlooked. It was one of those headlines where you read it a few times before clicking on the link because you’re sure…you’re positive…that it’s a typo or, perhaps, an item that doesn’t really apply to your side of the planet.
“Yaz(oo) announces reunion tour dates.”
Holyfuckingshit.
Here’s the thing: Yaz released two albums, toured for only one of them, and then promptly disbanded, proving that the emotional qualities and icy disconnect of their material was very real and those few that had the opportunity to see them live were very lucky.
Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke’s personal break up ultimately meant that their music was like a photograph of an old relationship, with the second album You And Me Both the snapshot of the actual breakup. You logically assumed that the finality, like your own former relationships, was permanent.
And then you read about a brief reunion tour in which, at least at this point, there is no hint at a permanent reconciliation. It seems that this tour, deemed “Reconnected Tour” is the proper swan song they never had a quarter-century ago.
So immediately, I’m excited, to the point where I’m almost in tears in disbelief, searching for anyone in my fucking place of employment to share the news.
“Have you ever heard of Yaz?”
No.
“What about ‘Yazoo’” (like the English nomenclature would trigger something)
No.
“What about Depeche Mode? The guy in Yaz started them.”
Yeah, I have heard of Depeche Mode.
“Well, he left them to start Yaz….and then he left Yaz and started Erasure.”
I think I’ve heard of ‘Erasure.’
The reality was, Yaz was pretty big back in the day, and they could have been bigger had they managed to keep their personal affairs out of their professional ones. But then again, there wouldn’t have even been a band if it weren’t for their personal affairs.
By the time I get around to looking for tickets (read: 10 minutes after learning about the shows) all of the good seats are gone. I did find a pair of 4th row tickets for a hefty price, but understand that I’m going to have to negotiate some supreme skills to get my wife to allow yet another jaunt, which means that I’m going to have to take her. And when you add this together, those 4th row tickets suddenly turn into much cheaper balcony spots because I’m going to half to pace the finances and do a few things for the wife..
That’s not a ban thing mind you. It’s just means that the highlight for her will be something different from what it will be for me.