Back in 1999 when Blondie released their comeback single “Maria,” I remember many people in familiar circles raving about how surprisingly good it was. And they were correct; the pop gem still holds up. Nearly 20 years later, a similar surprise floated through the new wave air as Blondie released “Fun,” a new single full of disco pomp and wonder, a stern declaration that the band, some four decades into their career, still has that certain pizzazz.
Long story short, we need to stop being surprised by Blondie.
This afternoon the New York legends released a video for “Fun”, and it’s a 3D space rave that’s cooler than anything our grandparents ever filmed. There’s also a desert fashion shoot, a lot of making out, and a fierce-as-fuck looking Debbie Harry.
In praising Harry’s “beautifully enigmatic” presence, director Dikayl Rimmasch says this about the video, via Rolling Stone: “It was amazing to be on the other side of the glass from her when those ‘Debbie moments’ happened… It felt like I had stepped into a parallel dimension.”
Blondie’s new record Pollinator is out May 5, and the band teams with Garbage for a can’t-miss summer tour called The Rage and Rapture that crashes the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion on July 30; Full dates after the video jump.
Rage And Rapture: Garbage And Blondie Tour Dates
July 5 – The Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA*
July 7 – Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA*
July 8 – The Pearl Concert Theater, Las Vegas NV*
July 12 – Edgefield, Troutdale, OR*
July 14 – Idaho Center Amphitheatre, Nampa, ID*
July 16 – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, Englewood, CO*
July 18 – Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, MO*
July 19 – Harrah’s Council Bluffs Hotel & Casino, Council Bluffs, IA*
July 21 – Mystic Lake Casino-Mystic Showroom, Prior Lake, MN*
July 22 – Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL*
July 25 – Artpark, Lewiston, NY**
July 26 – Sony Centre For Performing Arts, Toronto, ON**
July 28 – Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ**
July 29 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY**
July 30 – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston, MA**
August 1 – Beacon Theatre, New York, NY**
August 2 – Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA**
August 5 – The Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC**
August 8 – Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena, Hollywood, FL**
August 9 – Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL**
August 11 – ACL Live, Austin, TX **
August 12 – Southside Ballroom, Dallas, TX**
* w/ John Doe & Exene Cervenka
** w/ Deap Vally