The B-52s have announced an expanded edition of their David Byrne-produced 1982 EP, Mesopotamia, which restores the project to their original vision. Titled Ancient Culture: Mesopotamia Revisited, the deluxe reissue includes unreleased outtakes, alternate mixes, and a 1982 concert recording.
Available as a 3xCD/3xLP set and on streaming services on August 21st, the collection’s first disc is a remaster of the original six songs, adding three previously unreleased tracks. A second disc features remixes of songs from the expanded version of the project, while the third contains a recording of the B-52s’ April 19th, 1982 concert at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom. Pre-orders are ongoing.
The recording sessions for Mesopotamia began in 1981 with Talking Heads’ David Byrne, but were cut short by management, who rushed out the six-track EP. Vocalist and keyboardist Kate Pierson would go on to compare the experience of being relocated from Athens, Georgia, to a communal house in Upstate New York to The Shining.
In addition, the band’s democratic approach to writing clashed with Byrne’s studio approach, as he pushed their signature surf-punk sound toward denser arrangements on “Loveland” and hypnotic grooves like “Deep Sleep.” Despite this, the release still hit No. 35 on the Billboard 200.
In September, the B-52s will reunite with DEVO for an eight-date co-headlining tour. Tickets can be purchased at Vivid Seats, where fans can save $20 off their first order of $200 or more by using promo code VIVID20 at checkout.
Ancient Culture: Mesopotamia Revisited Artwork:
Ancient Culture: Mesopotamia Revisited Tracklist:
Disc 1: Mesopotamia (Full-Length Version)
01. Mesopotamia
02. Deep Sleep
03. Adios Desconocida *
04. Queen of Las Vegas
05. Nip It in the Bud
06. Loveland
07. Cake
08. Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can
09. Big Bird *
Disc 2: Mixes
01. Loveland (International Mix)
02. Cake (International Mix)
03. Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can (International Mix)
04. Loveland (Tom Durack Remix)
05. Deep Sleep (Tom Durack Remix)
06. Mesopotamia (Tom Durack Remix)
07. Cake (Tom Durack Remix)
08. Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can (Tom Durack Remix)
09. Nip It in the Bud (Tom Durack Remix)
Disc 3: Meso-America: Live At The Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, April 19, 1982
01. Party Out of Bounds *
02. Give Me Back My Man *
03. Big Bird *
04. Cake *
05. Lava *
06. Loveland *
07. Mesopotamia
08. Planet Claire *
09. 606-0842 *
10. Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can *
11. Dance This Mess Around *
12. 52 Girls *
13. Nip It in the Bud *
14. Rock Lobster *
15. Private Idaho *
* = w/ Previously unreleased
The B-52s 2026 Tour Dates:
07/11 – Freehold, NJ @ ParkStage Summer Concert Series
08/21 – Lincoln, CA @ Thunder Valley Casino Resort
09/17 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre ^
09/19 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Acrisure Amphitheater ^
09/20 – Shakopee, MN @ Mystic Lake Amphitheater ^
09/24 – Ridgefield, WA @ Cascades Amphitheater ^
09/25 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena ^
09/27 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena ^
10/30 – Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre ^
10/31 – Palm Desert, CA @ Acrisure Arena ^
^ = w/ DEVO
