Photo provided by Jay Gilbert

To those taking an unsuspecting stroll along the Fox River as thousands of concertgoers poured into Aurora’s RiverEdge Park, it might have looked like a time capsule was suddenly cracked open from the days when MTV was essentially YouTube and malls were the extent of social networking.

That’s because the “I Want My 80s” Tour was in town, topped by easily one of the decade’s hugest stars, Rick Springfield, who brought all the hunky hits and the electronically-saturated “Automatic,” the title track to a brand new album.

Believe it or not, the headliner is now 74-years-old, but could’ve quite possibly passed for somebody half his age as he cranked up the guitars to “Affair Of The Heart,” “I Get Excited” and his rum-drinking buddy Sammy Hagar’s “I’ve Done Everything For You.”

Though Springfield eventually slowed it down ever so slightly for “Don’t Talk To Strangers,” he soon ignored the advice to get a hearty helping of the “Human Touch” while walking all around the front section of the swooning audience, and of course, ended still wishing he was “Jessie’s Girl,” eased over with the satisfaction of everyone screaming along.

Another factor in the sizable draw surely came from The Hooters, who have more or less always been around their native Philadelphia and business is apparently booming overseas, but haven’t been to the Chicago area in a whopping 30 years to the month!

Nonetheless, the band was super tight, reminding those who may have forgotten “I’m Alive,” which went straight into the harmony-stacked “Day By Day” and the ska/reggae-flavored “Why Won’t You Call Me Back” off the comeback collection “Rocking & Swing.”

In fact, The Hooters were extremely eclectic, turning in the hypnotic “All You Zombies” one minute, plus the stomping folk of “Karla With A K” and “Twenty Five Hours A Day” the next, coming across as a probable precursor to the entire Mumford & Sons movement.

Co-frontman Eric Bazilian even tackled the ‘90s alt-rocker he wrote for Joan Osborne, “One Of Us,” followed by a sped up version of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time,” penned by fellow co-founder/singer Rob Hyman, then ending where it all began via the dazzling “And We Danced.”

Englishmen Paul Young recalled the blue-eyed soul likes of “Come Back And Stay” and “Everytime You Go Away,” while rock and roll opener Tommy Tutone dialed up “867-5309” to round out the totally tubular flashback.

For additional information on Rick Springfield and The Hooters, visit RickSpringfield.com and HootersMusic.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at RiverEdge Park include Hollywood Nights: The Bob Seger Experience (Sept. 1); REO Speedwagon and Edwin McCain (Sept. 2) and Fiestas Patrias (Sept. 9-10). For additional details, visit ParamountAurora.com/RiverEdge.

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