Events

People recall the Motels for their 1980’s chart toppers “Only the Lonely” and “Suddenly Last Summer,” both excellent examples of moody, new-wave to synth-pop crossover from the early MTV era. But bewitching singer/songwriter Martha Davis was never thoroughly content to be a pop star, and the first two Motels albums, which preceded their Stateside chart success (although, tellingly, were hits in Europe and Australia), spoke to significantly quirkier musical aspirations. In fact, 1982’s All Four One, which markedly raised the band’s profile, was initially rejected by Capitol for not being commercial enough… so began the corporate meddling that eventually led Davis, now 63, to an extended hiatus. The newly minted Martha Davis and The Motels—actually, Motels 4.0—is a capable six-piece with a disc of fresh material on the way. Hear them do the new and the old, upstairs at the Studio at the Waiting Room on Friday, January 9.