The Romantics in Sacramento

About The Romantics

The Romantics formed in Detroit in 1977, hitting their stride when new wave and punk were still figuring out how to coexist. They made lean, efficient rock songs that did one thing really well: get stuck in your head. Talking in Your Sleep became their signature, a track so perfectly constructed it sounds like it should have been on the radio for decades before it actually was. What I Like About You came later and proved they weren't one-hit material—it's just as catchy, just as direct. Their whole thing was stripping things down. No excess, no pretense. They weren't reinventing rock, they were reminding people why the basic formula works. The band broke up in the 80s, reunited, broke up again, and came back once more because some songs are hard to let go of. If you've heard their stuff, you probably didn't realize how much of it you knew.

Their shows are straightforward and efficient. Crowds sing every word back to them, particularly during Talking in Your Sleep. There's a lot of movement in the room but it's loose, not mosh-pit intense. They play tight, don't waste time, and clearly enjoy the fact that people still show up.

Known for Talking in Your Sleep, What I Like About You, Gimme Some, One in a Million, Body Talk

The Romantics + Sacramento

The Romantics have a sparse but solid history in Sacramento. They last played the region in July 2016 at Thunder Valley Casino, bringing their power-pop hits to the venue. The setlist likely included staples like 'What I Like About You' and 'Talking in Your Sleep,' the kind of songs that defined their '80s run and still hit with their original punch. It's been years since they've been back, and the gap speaks to how touring patterns have shifted for bands of their era.

The Romantics in Sacramento News

• The Romantics Drop Out of ’80s-Themed Totally Tubular Festival Tour Due to “Medical” Reasons; The Tubes Added to the Trek American Songwriter · Jun 7, 2024
• 2024 Summer Concerts: May and June concerts happening across the Sacramento area KCRA · May 13, 2024
• Hobo Johnson Announces Australian Tour Dates For His 'Won't Do A Shoey' Tour themusic.com.au · Jul 6, 2023
• Upcoming concerts in Sacramento include Kevin Hart, Ne-Yo, and more CBS News · Apr 11, 2023
• Watch David Paich Join Toto in Concert for First Time Since 2019 Ultimate Classic Rock · Apr 5, 2022

Live Music in Sacramento

Sacramento's live music scene has always been more interested in country, hip-hop, and local rock acts than the power-pop and new wave bands that defined The Romantics. The city tends to favor its own—homegrown artists and regional touring circuits—over nostalgia-driven '80s acts. That said, venues like Thunder Valley Casino have historically been willing to book legacy acts for audiences who want to relive their college years.

Sacramento road trip to see The Romantics?

Stay in Midtown Sacramento, where the neighborhood actually feels alive—walk to restaurants, bars, and galleries without planning logistics. Dinner at The Kitchen restaurant offers precise, ingredient-focused cooking that pairs well with the area's wine bar culture. Spend an afternoon at the Crocker Art Museum, one of the country's oldest art institutions, or wander the American River Bike Trail if you need to clear your head before the show. The neighborhood's tree-lined streets and vintage architecture beat anywhere else in town.