Written by Koletta Persephone DiDio & Maximus Molina
Tangerine and magenta sprays of light fanned across the crowd. A dreamy haze catches on the sequins of prom dresses as a mirrorball lazily spins above an audience immersed in the magic of the 1980s. Crimped locks, teased bangs, side ponies.
While this may sound like a scene from a John Hughes film, this gathering of nostalgia and neon is the work of local tribute band Casio Dreams. Their 80s revival concert took the Knitting Factory back in time, letting the audience relive an era of shoulder pads, cassette tapes rattling in glove compartments and synth lines shimmering like mall skylights — a decade where everything felt slightly dramatic and wholly sincere.
Casio Dreams doesn’t just play a show — their music resurrects a past world. Even if you weren’t born during the decade, the music of the 80s evokes something in practically everyone, and the songs bridge the gap between generations.
“My son had ‘Rio’ by Duran Duran playing in his car,” Drummer Jeff Poole said, grinning. “He asked, ‘Dad, when you were a kid, did you listen to a lot of 80s music?’ We did. We called it the radio. All these songs you love were pouring out everywhere we went.”
Mia Martorelli, a fan of Casio Dreams since the beginning, sees them as more than a tribute band. For her, it’s time travel.
“[80s music] gets people out of their everyday funk, family, work,” Martorelli said. “It’s a gathering for people to let loose, have fun and dance.”
Her voice, feminine and feral in a classic 80s way, lead vocalist Mary Fischer said the band works tirelessly to ensure they create a full experience for fans.
“We try to emulate the artist as much as possible, right down to those little inflections,” Fischer said. “We dress up in 80s [clothes]. We are trying to bring you this whole 80s experience.”
In a modern music landscape full of Spotify fatigue and algorithmic uniformity, Casio Dreams offers something refreshingly analog — authenticity, intention and sound that hits like VHS static and warm neon.
“I wanted to do something no one else in town was doing — a specific type of 80s music,” Poole said. “More synth pop. It’s the music I loved growing up. If it moves me, it’s probably going to move other people.”
Poole fell in love with music through nuance.
“I have a friend who makes fun of me in a good way, [saying] ‘You listen to music like no one else’,” he said. “I’m interested in the building blocks of a song. Obviously, the sum is the thing that everybody enjoys, but I like the process of song construction … I love looking under the hood.”
That obsession with craftsmanship is part of what makes the sound so electric. Their shows don’t aim to impersonate, they make the songs their own.
Through eight years, dozens of synths and more gigs than they can count, the Boise-based group has figured out how to rekindle the fire.
“There’s a lot of nostalgia,” Poole said. We do a lot of 50-year-old birthday parties. Which means you’re a child of the 80s … I think the greatest compliment that we get from people is they say, ‘I forgot how much I loved that song.’”
Casio Dreams has been popular since they started out in 2018, filling venues and playing parties. They know what makes their fans feel like they’re stepping back in time, and where that nostalgia comes back to life.
“Being able to see Casio start and grow into one of the more prominent 80s cover bands in the Valley? It’s been really phenomenal,” Martorelli said. “I’m not gonna lie. I’m just stuck in the 80s. When I hear it live and see the band, it’s like you’re a kid again. You go back in time.”
It’s more than the music for her — it’s the emotion Casio Dreams manages to whisper between the lyrics.
“I’m going to wear my friend’s old dress that she wore to an 80s prom [for their next concert],” she said. “The minute they start, I’m on that dance floor. I barely take a break.”
Martorelli’s sentiment is evidently shared. At the band’s Knitting Factory show, the audience danced in the pit before the stage, swaying and singing along as the venue filled with attendees throughout the night.
“There’s always a handful of people that come up after [a show] and just say how much they loved it and how it just reminds them of being a kid again, or they just have so much fun, they just love it,” Fischer said. “There’s something about that. It’s special — it’s nice to hear that we’re doing a good enough job that people really enjoy it because we love it.”
What’s next for Casio Dreams? They have a packed schedule for the summer with tours across the county. You can check their website for specific dates.
The band has worked hard for their success, and been in high demand through almost word of mouth alone.
“We’re very blessed,” Poole said. “We don’t take it for granted, the response that people have to the band … We want them to leave happy that they chose to spend an evening with us.”
