To the pleasure of some and the disgust of others, 80’s pop culture is coming back with unstoppable force. No matter what your view is on the 80’s revival, Montreal’s top 80’s cover band, Fantasy is here to stay.
This faade of a band formed in 1998 under the name Dynasty, spending three years becoming a solid 80’s cover act.
Out of the popularity of the band sprung the mockumetary style film, Dynasty-The Movie, which added to their notoriety and amplified the intensity of their tour dates.
In 2002, two members left the band. The remaining members formed Fantasy, the self-proclaimed “the sweetest 80’s cover band ever.”
Being talented and educated musicians, all seven (and on occasion eight) members of Fantasy create an energetic, never ending show filled with costumes, toys and rocking tunes.
In true 80’s chic, Fantasy, perform in Spinal Tap-esque style. All members of Fantasy take on an individual persona of a fictitious stage identity as popularized in 80’s cult hit, Spinal Tap.
Sporting spandex, ski boots, goggles, stonewashed jeans, and crimped or big wigged hairdos, Fantasy can bring anyone back to the 80’s with a nostalgic vengeance.
Covering everything from Madonna, Prince, U2, Brian Adams, to Devo and Simple Mind, Fantasy mix it up for the huge crowds who dance all night at venues such as La Sala Rosa, Tokyo Bar, and Le Swimming.
“Tron,” the percussionist, explains that Fantasy collectively “know around 15,000 songs, and play around five dozen.”
When asked why Fantasy is to dedicated to spread their love for 80’s tunes, “Tron” reveals their genre selection is based on nostalgia: “It brings back memories of my childhood…I miss arcades and loot bags and lemonade stands.”
So, is Fantasy simply a musical release from other projects, and reality in general, or a more serious endeavor? “Tron” insists that, “for me it’s a serious musical release…I’m serious…the answer makes sense!”
Fantasy is an incredibly energetic and animated band. With a reputation for playing three-hour long sets, its no surprise that show-goers dance so hard that the floor literally shakes!
The band members project their sense of humor throughout the show while executing their songs with complete precision. They seem to have as much fun playing as the audience has being there, and in true Spinal Tap style, this band definitely does “go to 11!”
Fantasy has big plans for the future. Bassist, “Ron” explains that the band’s future endeavors include “the making of more videos, forming a hot dance squad [called] The Fantasizers and kicking off a 2004 Australia-Japan-Slovakian tour that includes a monumental return to Montreal around April.”
On a more realistic note, Fantasy are a part of Tension X’s new 80’s inspired jeans ad campaign that includes wicked photos and a new video, soon to be released.
With that in mind, it’s obvious that the 80’s revival is a more serious craze than Fantasy, in reality are!
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Dynasty – The Movie can be viewed online at
http://winvault1.vaultstudios.com/dynasty/dynasty.asf.
