The whimsical post-punk rock of Surplus 1980 has been entertaining fans at small clubs and bars in the SF Bay Area for years. This film is a behind the scenes look at the band’s chance to play a very big show at the UC Theater in Berkeley in April of 2024. It’s a sneak peak into the preparation they undergo and a behind the scenes look backstage at the big show.
The band was started by Moe Staiano over a decade ago. Moe began performing music in the Bay Area in the mid 1990’s. He quickly connected with the local improvised music community and started his own label Dephine Knormal Musik, featuring his solo and band projects as well as work by others (including a single by Nels Cline!).
Before the end of the 90’s Moe began performing very large ensemble pieces as Moe!kestra!, where you might see 40 or more musicians playing under Moe’s frenetic conducting. I was honored to be invited to play in a few of these. I’m a big fan of Glenn Branca and Rhys Chatham (see my interview with Rhys), so it was thrilling for me to be actually playing in a large, dense, loud and dissonant ensemble like this. Moe himself played in a Rhys Chatham conducted 100 guitar piece in 2013.
The sound of Surplus 1980 can occasionally include dense passages like this, but more often their songs are very tightly composed, intricate rhythm driven guitars and percussion with Moe’s vocals punctuating through as another rhythmic element. True to the band’s name, it’s as if you threw into a blender The Talking Heads and Devo, with a dash of the B-52’s.
Moe continues to be very active in new ways. He recently started doing a radio show on KALX Berkeley. You can hear him this Monday January 26 from 10pm - midnight.
You can also see him perform:
Feb. 15, 2026 Moe Staiano Ensemble plays: The Parting Gift - Music for 8 Guitars Drescher Ensemble Studio 2201 Poplar St.
Apr. 4, 2026 Moe Staiano Ensemble plays: Music for 24 Guitars Drescher Ensemble Studio 2201 Poplar St.
I want to thank Moe and the band for letting me into their world for a moment, and letting me share it with you. I’d also like to thank the many test viewers who gave me valuable feedback for this final cut. Enjoy the film.
Credits
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Scorps151, Surplus 1980 @ UC Theatre (Full Live Show) | Berkeley, CA | 4/6/2024
shot on location at Mori Pt. Pacifica CA, Rehearsal Studio Oakland CA, UC Theater Berkeley CA
Written, Edited and Directed by Rick Rees
