Men Without Hats spent the first half of their career building an unlikely monument out of two songs — “Safety Dance” in 1982, “Pop Goes The World” in 1987 — and have spent the years since demonstrating they didn’t need to stop there. Ivan Doroschuk, who wrote “Safety Dance” after being ejected from Montreal clubs for pogo dancing, has kept the band working through lineup changes, decade gaps, and a current moment where ’80s nostalgia has crossed from aesthetic choice into something closer to a full industry. Their December 10 stop in Rochester brings that whole arc to Photo City Music Hall for one night.
About the Show
Men Without Hats formed in Montreal in 1977, evolving from a punk outfit into the synth-pop sound that broke internationally with the debut album Rhythm of Youth and its MTV-era signature “Safety Dance.” Their induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 put a formal stamp on a catalog that needed no endorsement. Doroschuk has remained the constant; the current lineup also includes Sahara Sloan on keyboards and vocals, Sho Murray on guitar, and Adrian White on drums. Sloan, daughter of founding member Colin Doroschuk, joined in 2023, completing what Doroschuk has described as a full-circle moment for the family and the band.
The Rochester show falls during a Northeast winter run following the November 2025 release of On the Moon, recorded with Grammy and Juno Award winner Brian Howes across sessions in British Columbia. The album’s lead single, “I Love the ’80s,” has cleared more than 1.5 million YouTube views; the tracklist also includes a cover of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.” The band has toured with the Totally Tubular Festival, a new wave revue that gathered Thomas Dolby, A Flock of Seagulls, and Bow Wow Wow. Doroschuk described the experience as “like going to a new wave summer camp.” He has also noted the draw runs across generations: “We literally see three generations of fans out there,” he said. “It’s wonderful.” No support act has been announced for the Rochester date.
Venue & Logistics
Photo City Music Hall at 543 Atlantic Avenue is a 400-capacity club in Rochester. For a catalog that started on a dance floor — Doroschuk wrote “Safety Dance” in direct response to being removed from one — there is a quiet logic to playing a room this size. Doors at 6:00 p.m. The show is ages 16 and up.
Tickets
Tickets for the Thursday, December 10 show are $30–$36. No refunds. Buy tickets