Perhaps it was all a distraction from the nuclear "spectre of doom" that hung above everyone's heads back then, muses Jason Crewes of the band Never Ending 80s. "We were all worried that the bomb was going to go off at any minute."

Performing as JC Ant, Crewes is one of two lead singers in the five-piece band that launched a year ago with one gig, a bit of fun to reignite the musical spark of the era.

"We're trying to bring back that experience of seeing a band in the '80s," he says. His stage name and look are adopted from English musician Adam Ant and his New Romantic fashion sense.

His co-singer, Juliane Di Sisto, who goes by the name of Julez Electric, crafts her look as a "little bit of Cyndi Lauper, a little bit of Whitney".

"People would do '80s songs as part of a greater show but there was nobody really devoted to bringing back not just the music but the style of performance," Crewes says.

Their three-hour concerts are a time warp into the past, belting out sing-a-long hits and medleys from Michael Jackson, INXS, Madonna, Cindy Lauper, Prince, George Michael and more.

"The '80s was kind of the apex of musical ability being geared towards pop music," Crewes says. "You've got the best-trained musicians who are focused on pop music."

The audience response has been "incredible" from the beginning, according to Crewes. After their debut in February, the band played more than 45 shows last year.

"One thing that's been most amazing to me is that there's no break in generations," says Crewes. "We have people at our shows who are 18 and we have 70-year-olds."

He puts it down to the enduring musical legacy of the decade and the "unbridled joy" in the music.

"Everybody's getting into the spirit of it; they're dressing up and they're so committed to joining us on this trip back in time," says Crewes. 

The Never Ending 80s will be bring their retro show to Club Sapphire on Friday, February 24. Doors open 8pm. Tickets $25. This is an 18 and over event.