This week, Sidewinder Records released '80s Hit Stripped, a compilation featuring such new wave luminaries as Rick Springfield, Billy Idol, and Howard Jones acoustically reinterpreting their classic hits. And last night at Hollywood's Viper Room on the Sunset Strip, some of the artists on the album celebrated the CD's release with a special, one-time-only show.

Introduced by original MTV veejay Alan Hunter and hosted by witty emcee Thomas Dolby (whose acoustic revision of "She Blinded Me With Science" appears on the CD), the show featured Peter Byrne of Naked Eyes performing folky renditions of "Promises, Promises" and "Always Something There to Remind Me"; Martha Davis and the Motels wowing the crowd with beautiful versions of "Suddenly Last Summer" and "Only The Lonely"; Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's, accompanied by guitarist Brian Bell of Weezer, charmingly cooing her way through "Our Lips Are Sealed"; and Tommy Tutone acoustically rocking out on "867-5309/Jenny" (and apologizing for "ruining anyone's lives" by writing a song with a real-life, and consequently much-crank-called, phone number).

However, the final performance, by Colin Hay of Men At Work, was the biggest highlight of the evening. Whether he was delighting the packed house with between-song banter about being mistaken for the lead singer of A Flock Of Seagulls, or offering stunning performances of "Down Under" (with his wife, Peruvian singer Cecilia Noel, vocally mimicking the song's memorable flute solo) and "Overkill," Hay was a true entertainer who capped this night of stripped-down nostalgia with the perfect feelgood finale.