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Virgen: Flashback makes them go crazy

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How best to describe a New Year’s Eve party that featured a Gatsby theme and a 1980s cover band at a luxurious hotel in Dana Point?

From Tuesday night into the new day of 2014, the party was alive with mayhem, debauchery, dancing, drinks and grand celebrating.

It seemed only fitting that Flashback Heart Attack, with band members based in Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach, would deliver the goods, as much more than background music.

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It’s been a big year for the band that had its four-year anniversary in November. And, it was capped by this wild party at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort.

Everyone got into the spirit of the trendy theme with women wearing short flapper dresses and long pearls. Men wore pinstriped suits, top hats and some carried a fancy cane.

They were there to have fun.

Perhaps, Flashback Heart Attack’s opening cover song proved to be the appropriate statement, as they began with Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.”

“It seemed to go by so fast,” Don Bronze, a guitarist for the band, said of the party. “It was all a blur.”

The band members use stage names and stay in character throughout the night. There’s also Chaz DeLight (vocals, guitar), Brock Hudson (bass) and Jerry Skiddz (drummer). And, at the St. Regis party, they added a special guest, Tre Cool of Green Day.

It was a surprise addition, but Tre Cool fit right in. He has played with the band before during gigs at The Harp in Costa Mesa and the White House in Laguna Beach.

They all sort of met by chance.

Back in July, Flashback played at the sixth annual Pipeline to a Cure Gala, benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa.

The organization was honoring Mike Ness of Social Distortion. He took the stage and played with Flashback. Ness’ friend, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, attended the event and recorded it on his phone.

A few weeks later Brock Hudson ran into Tre Cool, who lives in Orange County. Tre Cool asked if the bassist is in a band and talk of Flashback came up. Tre Cool knew about them because of the video and a friendship was formed.

“It’s cool to have a guy like him with us,” Don Bronze said. “He just gets it. You know? He’s not pretentious.”

I am also a fan of the band. I met them a few years back at a UCLA fundraiser in Newport Beach. I noticed their ability to wake up what appeared to be mild-mannered rich folks and have them dancing wildly.

Their talent and energy is what has made them well received.

The St. Regis staff was pleased once again with its annual New Year’s Eve party. For the second straight year, the event sold out before it began, as 2,000 tickets were sold, said Sara Hamilton, the marketing and communications manager at the St. Regis.

Flashback also played at the St. Regis party last year.

“We selected Flashback Heart Attack as the band to play again this year because they have such great high energy and a huge local following,” Hamilton said in an email. “They even surprised us with a guest appearance by Tre Cool from Green Day, who joined them up on stage for a set just after midnight. They are just a really fun band that we knew would set the perfect tone for our grand party.”

Don Bronze, who usually sets up the band’s gigs and does all the social media work for the group, says 2014 should be another big year for them.

He can’t reveal all the details, but he says, they’ll play a killer set at a celebrity wedding.

Word continues to spread about this crazy, fun 80s cover band. They’ve played at corporate events and weddings across the nation, and even had a gig in Cabo San Lucas in 2013.

“This year, it’s going to be crazy,” Don Bronze said.

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