Nearly 45 years after the release of the Loverboy’s smash hit, “Working For The Weekend,” the ode to the long-awaited reward of a Friday night following the work week continues to ring true.  On this particular Friday at the Hertz Arena, a capacity crowd of 8000 let its collective hair down for a night of 80’s rock and roll.

When I arrived at the venue, the crowd was settling into their seats amidst a light haze from the stage fog machines and a slight chill from under the makeshift flooring that covered the home ice of The Florida Everblades. Not long after, the crowd erupted into in cheers as the lights descended signaling the start of the weekend party. As the band took the stage, the drums opened the tempo of “Notorious” from 1987’s, “Wildside.” Guitar, bass, and keys followed until the spotlight hit frontman Mike Reno as he strutted on stage; his distinctive voice cutting through the coliseum sounding every bit as crisp as it did from the speakers of my ‘71 Pontiac LeMans my sophomore year of high school.

The Canadian outfit hailing from Calgary, is one of many popular bands courtesy of our northern neighbor that contributed to the soundtrack of many teens’ formative years in the early ‘80’s. With all but one original member, Loverboy hasn’t missed a beat in its ability to deliver hits from both its front and back catalog.

At 69, Reno has traded in his leather pants for more sensible attire, but continues to sport his trademark red bandana, seen in early MTV videos, now for sale at the band’s merch table. Joining Reno are guitarist, Paul Dean; Keyboardist, Doug Johnson; drummer, Matt Frenette, and bass player, Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve. Sinnaeve replaced original bassist Scott Smith in 2000 following Smith’s tragic and untimely death, a loss the band and fans continue to struggle with.

Loverboy got its start in 1979 and released its self-titled first album, “Loverboy.” The record hit platinum in both Canada and the US, fueled in part by the A-side hit, “Turn Me Loose.” It was the 1981 follow-up, “Get Lucky,” that catapulted Loverboy to stardom. That record contained several hits including, “When It’s Over” and “Lucky Ones,” but is best known for the mega, “Working For The Weekend,” anthem of a working generation that was “going off the deep end, looking for a little romance.”

Since then, the band continues to record and tour with nine studio albums to their name, four of which have gone multi-platinum. Just last year, the band released its fourth live album, “Live in ‘82,” which it supported with an extensive tour. For a listing of the band’s dates through July, including the current short stint in Florida supporting ‘80’s supergroup Styx, check their website.

It always amazes me how music can spark vivid memories from my past. Several of the fans I spoke to before the show shared that similar experience. Loverboy’s set last night at Hertz Arena was no exception. The band instantly took this music lover in his 60th year back to high school and helped me jump start the weekend I’d been working for.