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SCHOCK*WIEDLIN*LWIN & THE REFLEXX
Making Memories at Garden Amp
May 14, 2026 Review by Amberlee Meyer
It was supposed to be just another Saturday night in the OC. But the weather turned that night at the Garden Amp. It was warm, nothing out of the ordinary there, but it was the performances on the stage that amped up the temps in Garden Grove. It was a perfect spring evening for an outdoor show, and the bands were locked and loaded.
The lively atmosphere immediately kicked off as doors opened, with fans pouring in for a night of ’80s nostalgia. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Gina Schock and Jane Wiedlin, icons of the legendary girl group The Go-Go’s led the night, supported by Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow, and the ’80s tribute band, The Reflexx.
Annabella Lwin is renowned for her vocal style and for being so young when she experienced success with the band. She was just 13 when the band thanks in part to Malcolm McLaren turned the music world upside down.
This night started off with heavy beats as Lwin came out to “W.O.R.K. (N.O. Nah No! My Daddy Don’t).” We all knew we were in for a special show as Lwin feeds off the crowd and the crowd knew all the words to the song.
Ask anyone there, they’ll say she was sassy, playful, and energetic. She is a true wild-child banshee, giving fans exactly what they wanted!
Songs like “C30 C60 C90,” and “Roustabout” filled the night with electricity.
Other songs that set the mood fo rthe night were her mega-hit “Baby, Oh No,” followed by “White Smoke, Blue Smoke,” “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” “Tell It Like It Is,” before closing out her set with the ’80s anthem “I Want Candy.”
After a very short intermission, The Reflexx took to the stage, and they impressed everyone in the house with their larger-than-life sound. Their robust repertoire of ’80s hits amped up the crowd’s enthusiasm, making it like a high school throwback for Gen X.
If you watched MTV or listened to Top 10 radio, you knew songs like “Bizarre Love Triangle,” “Take on Me,” “Relax,” “Enjoy the Silence,” and “Hungry Like the Wolf.” They were a fun, nostalgic band that played it well! Needless to say, the crowd sang along to every word of every song.
Hats off to the sound crew because they got the stage ready in no time flat. When Gina Schock and Jane Wiedlen hit the stage, The Reflexx stayed on for double-duty as they were the backing band with a few extra players.
Schock who typically plays drums, also played guitar and shared the mic with Wiedlin for this set. Wiedlin immediately grabbed the mic and launched into “Our Lips Are Sealed.”
Immediately it was as if lightning struck because everyone got to their feet the second the first note to the song rung out over the Garden Amp.
The energy kept up through “Get Up and Go,” “This Town,” and began to crescendo with one of their Go-Go’s mega-hits, “Head Over Heels.”
Wiedlin surprised everyone with a song from her fourth solo album “Fur,” “Rush Hour.”
Of course, we can’t do a Jane solo song without a Gina solo song in the mix. “Smile Pretty” was next from Gina and the Schock house.
We definitely went back in time with their Sparks cover of “Cool Places.” Jane really got into this one, and the crowd loved it! The only downside to this show was that they could’ve played all night with their epic catalog of music, but due to local noise ordinance they had to cut it sooner than anyone wanted. But the ladies did it right, the crowd lost their minds when they heard the first drumbeat and guitar riffs to “Vacation.”
The night ended like it started, with a bang as the ladies closed the show with another epic song, “We Got the Beat.”
The entire crowd was up on their feet, singing at the top of their lungs, what a way to say goodnight as the entire band took a bow!
These ladies definitely still got the beat, and everyone at Garden Amp had a night to remember.
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Todd Markel Rock Images
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SID 260515 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR
