Howard Jones performs at the Masonic in San Francisco on Feb. 6, 2024. Photos: Vanessa Solis.

SAN FRANCISCO — British synth-pop progenitor Howard Jones kicked off a month-long tour with fellow new-wavers ABC on Thursday night at the Masonic. Jones emerged onstage in sunglasses and a long furry coat covered with triangles of various colors, looking a bit like your cool aunt just returned from an herbal medicine retreat. He strapped on a keytar and picked out the intro to Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” before launching into “Pearl in the Shell,” from his 1984 album Human’s Lib.

Next, Jones broke the ice with a rendition of “Like to Get to Know You Well” as the older crowd got to its feet. Shedding the coat, revealing a black outfit with silver threading and lots of sparkles, he proceeded to move around the stage singing the anthemic chorus to each corner of the theater.

Jones was joined by bassist Nick Beggs, who played in English new wave band Kajagoogoo. Jones explained that Kajagoogoo never had the chance to tour America following their big hit, “Too Shy.” The singer then sat down at a piano and offered his own rendition of the song, with Beggs filling the hall with powerful bass lines. Afterward, Beggs kissed Jones on the head.

One of the most dramatic moments of the night came when Jones sat at his keyboard to deliver haunting ballad “No One is to Blame,” from Human’s Lib. The crowd rose to its feet and sang along, with many couples holding each other close during the tender song.

But attendees also belted “throw off your mental chains” during “New Song” as Jones picked out that song’s nimble melody on his keytar, and joined in the calland response section of “Life in One Day.”

Before playing the last song of the night, an energetic rendition of “Things Can Only Get Better,” Jones explained that he’d always been an optimist.

During the last song, before thanking fans and sending them into the cold and rainy night, Howard Jones sang the iconic words, “And do you feel scared? I do/ But I won’t stop and falter.” The band transformed the final verse into a contemporary-sounding deep house track with throbbing bass and EDM-like percussion.

While the tour opener did appear to have some technical glitches, with the headliner struggling at times with his in-ear monitors, he and his band were all smiles and clearly having a great time.

Earlier in the evening, ABC, fronted by original vocalist Martin Fry, ran through an opening set full of hits and deep cuts. Fry’s backing band included Toshi Yanagi (“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”) on guitar; bassist Andy Carr, who’s played with Belinda Carlisle; Santana’s Jimmy Keegan on drums, and Rob Hughes on saxophone.

Looking a bit like a gameshow host or silver fox President from any 1990s action film, Fry paced the stage in a gold satin jacket and black slacks. Most of the band, in fact, was dressed in suits and ties. Yanagi offered dramatic flourishes on “Show Me,” and a searing solo on “(How to Be) A Millionaire.”

“Let’s go back to 1980-something,” Fry said between songs. Attendees rose to their feet for the band’s biggest hits, including “Poison Arrow” as well as main set closer “Be Near Me,” from 1985 album How to Be a Zillionaire, and single-song encore, “The Look of Love.”

British radio host Richard Blade served as the evening’s master of ceremonies, entertaining the audience with an extended new wave history lesson before and between the bands. He played songs by The Police, The Cure, Depeche Mode and even outlined “what your Duran Duran crush says about you.” Based on the enthusiastic enthusiastic reaction to the music, Blade’s lecture was obviously mostly a review.