I remember when the B-52s first came out: they were unique in some ways, yet they were this bizarre twisted version of the 50s nostalgia that the 70s was awash with. There was nothing like them before, and I’d say there hasn’t been anything like them since.
Surprisingly, this video of their act before their first album shows that they already had their act down cold before they became famous. They got better clothes and makeup, but their performances were already worked out.
There’s a number of videos of them at the Downtown Cafe in Atlanta in 1978. Here’s Dance This Mess Around:
But “52 Girls” and “Rock Lobster” is there as well.
Smart People I Know 
Thanks so much! What a treat. Takes me back to my college days in 1979 where the B’s blasted from many a dorm room although some people just…didn’t…get it!
Ha! Ya, I forgot that. The B-52s are a bit over the top for some. But for the rest of us, they are great.