Gonna party like it's 1989

Flock of Seagulls hairdos, fluoro tights and leg-warmers will be acceptable attire, if only for one night, at a fundraising event in Nelson on Friday March 12 to help the aid effort in earthquake-ravaged Haiti and briefly revive the glories of the 1980s.

The Eighties For Haiti benefit show at The Boathouse is bound to bring back more than a few memories, good and bad, with a big screen featuring a non-stop string of 80s clips for four hours, featuring the likes of Duran Duran, Phil Collins, Madonna, Blondie, Culture Club, Inxs and Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

People are encouraged to rummage in their closets to find long-lost outfits from the decade of bad taste and excess, and there will be plenty of prizes for those sporting the most interesting get-up.

Organiser Mic Watson dreamed up the idea and received good support after pitching it to businesses around town.

Watson has helped with aid work around the world, witnessing first-hand the misery people suffer in Third World countries after disaster strikes. It's a night for people to stop worrying about their own issues and think of those who are suffering in Haiti.

Watson says he is a "huge" fan of 80s music. "The 80s are definitely the most popular period of time that people relate to ... In the 80s there was a fusion of lots of different music forms, so it was so accessible to a broader market and is still hugely popular."

• The Eighties for Haiti benefit show is at the Boathouse on Friday March 12 between 8pm and midnight. Tickets are available at the door and cost $15, with proceeds going to the Red Cross Haitian Earthquake Appeal. A full bar and light food will be available.

- © Fairfax NZ News