RetroVertigo is a pure '80s band playing the music we loved growing up with.

John Barrett-Bill Marcie Properties Downtown Sounds

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Life is tough for an ’80s-themed pop/rock band in the Upstate. You don’t have the same limitations as other cover bands. You aren’t tasked with covering one genre or one band’s songs — you must cover an entire decade’s music and do it justice.

Marlon Slater, drummer for RetroVertigo, claims his band does ’80s music justice every time they perform. He says the beauty of covering an entire decade in music is the quantity of songs and the potential for constructing a quality set list every night.

“Everyone in the band had ’80s music in their youth,” Slater said, “If one or two of us don’t like a song, we can put our own twist on it so it becomes enjoyable.”

RetroVertigo covers such popular acts as Duran Duran, Simple Minds, Bon Jovi, Prince and Tears for Fears. The band mixes pop hits like “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Jessie’s Girl” with rock songs like “Rebel Yell” and “Working for the Weekend.”

There aren’t too many songs the band won’t play. According to Slater, there are a few songs the band is incapable of playing because of production values. He said RetroVertigo can’t pull off songs with the backing of several instruments or orchestras.

“We also won’t play songs that have become caricatures of themselves,” Slater said, “Those songs are just part of old fads that faded away. In other words, we refuse to play anything by New Kids on the Block.”

RetroVertigo played Downtown Sounds last year and Slater said the band enjoyed the hottest show of 2007. He honestly believes it was the hottest gig the band ever played, although they are not afraid to brave the summer heat again tonight.

“Last year I lost five pounds and drank 13 bottles of water in three hours,” Slater said, “But it was all worth it; we’re looking forward to returning for the crowds.”