Category: Uncategorized

Metallica returns to Historic Crew Stadium

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to gift a lot of concert tickets to a lot of people thanks to this gig. Often, especially in the earlier days when I was writing for corporate entities, I would be given a “plus one” with my reviewer tickets. It’s always been important to me to share what I consider to be good music with people that I care about. It’s been awesome to be able to take friends and family members along for the ride over the past twenty years or so.

One of those people that I’ve been able to take to a handful of shows over the years has been my eldest niece. She accompanied me to a Cheap Trick show as an early teen. I was able to bring her to a big festival in Toledo a few years later that featured a who’s who of 80’s hair metal. It featured bands like Ratt and Dokken. We’ve seen Lynyrd Skynyrd and in 2019, for the inaugural Sonic Temple Festival (after they changed their name from Rock on the Range) we were able to see her favorite band at the time: Foo Fighters. I tend to think that, over the years, my writing has gotten better. Alas, comp tickets for big festivals like Sonic Temple have become much harder to get a hold of since I no longer do this for a corporation. I’ve been very fortunate to get free tickets to more concerts than most people probably go to in a lifetime, so I’ll never complain about not getting comped for something that I love to do and have been privileged enough to do countless times. It is frustrating, though, that those opportunities have dried up for some events due to the fact that I’m now just a name and no longer a name with a corporate logo attached to it. I digress.

With that being said, Sonic Temple was not going to be in the cards for me this year, even with as awesome of a lineup that they had organized. Metallica. Korn. Alice Cooper. Alice In Chains. Linkin Park. And on, and on. These are some legendary acts and in a sudden twist of fate, that same niece shot me a text that she had picked up tickets for Sunday as a surprise for her and her boyfriend….and that she had gotten one for me as well! The seeds, that I hope I planted in her brain years ago about live music, have become a passion of hers too. I was touched that they had grabbed a wristband for me as well. Typically, her and her boyfriend go to Ohio’s other major festival; Inkcarceration in Mansfield. They recently moved to Columbus, though, and live within walking distance of Historic Crew Stadium. I went down Sunday morning, to their home, and we walked to the stadium in time to catch one of the opening acts for the day: Fame On Fire.

They were a fun show and we stayed there at the “second” stage for most of the early afternoon. We caught sets by The Plot In You, From Ashes to New, and Badflower. From there we separated for awhile. I was ready to get into the stadium for Chevelle, while they were more interested in seeing Asking Alexandria who has long evaded them. Chevelle was great, as always, and performed for the second largest crowd of the day besides the headliner.

Initially, the band after Chevelle, was supposed to be the iconic Alice In Chains. Unfortunately, due to a medical emergency, they had to pull out two days before the gig. That didn’t leave the festival organizers much time to find a replacement…especially one with the kind of draw that Alice In Chains brings in. They did, however, especially on such short time do an admirable job by adding hometown heroes Beartooth to the lineup. I’ll be the first to admit, that I am not what you would call a huge Beartooth fan. I think they are fine. It has definitely been cool, though, to see them grow over the years. You used to be able to see this band in small venues and this past winter they headlined a show at Columbus’ Schottenstein Center. That’s big time. It was also quite clear that the moment was emotional for the band as well. Lead vocalist Caleb Shomo stopped multiple times to thank the crowd and even towards the end appeared to be shedding some tears. To open an enormous show in your hometown for the biggest band in the world has to be one of those bucket list moments for them.

Outside of maybe AC/DC, there are no current bands in the rock/metal stratosphere that are as big of a draw as the festival headliner: Metallica. They are far and away the largest act that this festival has booked and it’s doubtful, honestly, that that will change. Just as they did when they headlined Rock on the Range in 2017, they absolutely filled the stadium. I’m a huge Metallica fan, but they are not my favorite band. That does not change the fact that they are massive, and at least in the United States, there is nobody else that can do what they are doing. They are bigger now, in 2025, than they even were in their “prime”. The only other act, that I’m aware of, that is playing football stadiums for multiple nights per city is Taylor Swift. I mean no disrespect to her when I say this, but she isn’t playing two completely unique sets each night either where there are zero songs repeated. That is legendary.

And so it was. Metallica came and conquered Columbus yet again. Their Sunday set was a perfect blend of classics and a few tracks from their most recent album 72 Seasons. One of the highlights for me was hearing a stadium full of people echoing back the outro to “The Memory Remains”. Getting to see the biggest band in the world, again, with my niece and her boyfriend at our hometown festival was awesome. Gene Simmons famously stated that “Rock is dead.” Sometimes it feels that way, and the up and comers definitely have their work cut out for them if there is ever going to be a new band to be on that same level as a Metallica or a Led Zeppelin or an AC/DC. But rock isn’t dead. Events like this couldn’t happen if that were true. This festival has grown from a one day affair to a four day event with four stages and 100 performances since 2007. Younger generations of fans and newer bands will have to continue to keep it alive but hearing 50,000 people in a stadium singing along to “One” and “Enter Sandman” has me very optimistic that the legends of yesteryear and the legends of today have laid a more than solid foundation for the legends of tomorrow.

Metallica Set List Columbus, OH Sonic Temple Festival May 11, 2025

  • Whiplash
  • For Whom The Bell Tolls
  • Ride The Lightning
  • The Memory Remains
  • Lux AEterna
  • Screaming Suicide
  • Metal Militia and Hang on Sloopy (medley)
  • No Leaf Clover
  • Cyanide
  • The Call of Ktulu
  • The Unforgiven
  • Wherever I May Roam
  • Fight Fire With Fire
  • Moth Into Flame
  • One
  • Enter Sandman
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Avenged Sevenfold and Poppy burn it down in Columbus

Avenged Sevenfold made their second visit to Ohio’s capital city last night in support of their latest offering; 2023’s Life Is But A Dream…, a project that was five years in the making. They made their initial Columbus stop last May as the Friday night headliner at the Sonic Temple Festival. Admittedly, I was concerned after watching them last year at a festival that has become like a second home for them. Perhaps, it was just the long layoff after the pandemic that had made them seem somewhat rusty. Whatever rust they may have had last May has surely been shaken off by now. Last night at Nationwide Arena the band were in top form. Their proper headlining, fifteen song set saw them focus on their latest record but also dust off some of their more obscure back catalog.

The opener for this tour is alt-pop-metal outfit Poppy. Admittedly, I was unfamiliar with her or her band prior to last night and I didn’t have high expectations. I’m glad that I went into it with an open mind, however. I’m sure that I am not the target demographic for her music and will admit that it was certainly not in my wheelhouse of something that I’d normally listen to. With all of that said, there was something about the performance that drew me in. I can’t explain it. There were elements of techno, metal, and pop that fused into an oddly enjoyable blend of music. All I can say is I had never heard or seen anything quite like it before last night. I would explain it as if you mixed Rob Zombie with In This Moment and K-Pop. I’m generally not one that would be described as a very artistic person, but her performance was certainly art. I can and do appreciate that. While I might not understand it, I was entertained and drawn into it, and in retrospect there were things about her performance that fits with the experimentation and progressive path that A7X has been on since Hail To The King was released.

Poppy Set List Columbus, OH 3/26/2024

  • 1. Bloodmoney
  • 2. Church Outfit
  • 3. Bite Your Teeth
  • 4. I Disagree
  • 5. X
  • 6. Hard
  • 7. Sit/Stay
  • 8. V.A.N. (Bad Omens cover)
  • 9. Fill The Crown
  • 10. Anything Like Me
  • 11. Scary Mask
  • 12. Concrete

Shortly after 9 p.m. the lights dimmed and Kvinsky’s Nightcall played over the speakers as the intro before Avenged Sevenfold took the stage to kick off the night with a pair of songs from the new album. It’s no secret that over the course of the past two albums the band has been experimenting with new sounds. Like bands before them (Rush, Iron Maiden, Metallica, etc.) they’ve been pushing the boundaries into new territory. Avenged Sevenfold no longer fits into a cookie cutter box of a proper metalcore band. They’ve grown. They’ve evolved. That’s okay, too. How boring would it be, for them, to continuously make the same record over and over again? Do I have a fondness for their earlier work? Absolutely. I do enjoy seeing a band grow, though, and both The Stage and Life Is But A Dream… have grown on me with each listen.

The new tracks held up well in the live setting and of course the crowd went nuts for the songs from the “classic” era of this band. For a band that I worried about potentially being lost less than a year ago; those fears have been put to rest after seeing them last night. M. Shadows in particular seemed to be having fun again and his vocals were stronger than they’ve been in a long time. With eight studio albums now under their belt, during a career spanning twenty five years, there is always going to be a gripe with any set list that they choose to perform. Of course I want to hear “Beast and the Harlot“, but I’ll gladly trade that for a band that is still challenging themselves to make new music. That means the fire still burns within them. If that fire still burns, then you’ve got a band that is going to continue to create. Bands that create, want to share their art and perform it live. Give me that. Bands that become bored, don’t last. I need live music more than I need to hear a particular song. I’m thankful that Avenged Sevenfold is still driven to create and bring us their live show. Inspiration breeds motivation, and has led this band back to being on top of their game. They were on top of their game last night.

Avenged Sevenfold Set List Columbus, Ohio 3/26/2024

  • 1. Game Over (2023)
  • 2. Mattel (2023)
  • 3. Afterlife (2007)
  • 4. Hail To The King (2013)
  • 5. We Love You (2023)
  • 6. Shepherd Of Fire (2013)
  • 7. The Stage (2016)
  • 8. Roman Sky (2016)
  • 9. Blinded In Chains (2005)
  • 10. Bat Country (2005)
  • 11. Nobody (2023)
  • 12. Nightmare (2010)
  • 13. Unholy Confessions (2003)
  • 14. Save Me (2010)
  • 15. Cosmic (2023)
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K.K.’s Priest headlines night of metal in Columbus

K.K.’s Priest performing at The King of Clubs, Columbus, Ohio 3/16/24 Photo by Chad Hobbs

K.K.’s Priest invaded the comfy confines of Columbus’ venue The King of Clubs on Saturday night. The all-star cast that Judas Priest legend K.K. Downing has put together to represent both his storied Priest career as well as two albums of new heavy metal made their first visit to Ohio on this tour and brought a pair of bands with them to warm up the crowd. The tour package paired several heavy metal legends with several legends in the making as well.

Switzerland’s (minus one, Philly guitar virtuoso Courtney Cox) Burning Witches made their second appearance at the music venue that has quickly became the local favorite for a variety of music, but has specialized in giving headbangers a place to feel at home. Last time they visited, they were on tour supporting Cox’s former band; The Iron Maidens. While she admittedly made a comfortable living in the world famous Iron Maiden tribute act, the lure of creating original music with like minded people led her to accepting a full time gig with the Witches last summer.

As is the case with most metal music, this band brings a powerhouse rhythm section with Jeanine Grob on bass and Lala Frischknecht on drums. The aforementioned Cox has assumed lead guitar duties while founding member Romana Kalkuhl handles rhythm guitars. They are led out front by the next great siren in heavy metal, Laura Guldemond. Her stage presence is what sets their performance apart from many of their contemporary counterparts. They play heavy, heavy metal yet haven’t forgotten the idea that performing live should be fun. Guldemond’s confidence while commanding a crowd is reminiscent of the legends of the genre. Even while there were issues during the first song with her microphone and the documented physical struggle that this tour has been for Kalkuhl, they soldiered through and refused to let their performance be hampered. This is a band that is only going to continue to grow its fan base as corporate radio continues to die and more avenues become available to get real metal music to the masses.

  • Burning Witches Set List
  • 1. Unleash The Beast
  • 2. Wings of Steel
  • 3. Hexenhammer
  • 4. Lucid Nightmare
  • 5. The Dark Tower
  • 6. Burning Witches
Burning Witches performing at The King of Clubs, Columbus, Ohio 3/16/24 Photo by Chad Hobbs
Burning Witches performing at The King of Clubs, Columbus, Ohio 3/16/24 Photo by Chad Hobbs

Los Angeles’ heavy metal staples L.A. Guns were up next. I always love seeing bands from the 80’s era that got pigeonholed into the “hair metal” scene unjustly. Firstly, most of the bands from the era are great anyway and the “hair” label cheapens their contributions to heavy metal music. A lot of them have their metal “cred” challenged on the basis of cheesy music videos for the newly founded MTV or because they happened to write a ballad or two. L.A. Guns are no exception to the rule, but this being the second time seeing them live in the past few years, I’m happy to say that they are just a kick ass heavy metal band that are even better live. The key to most of these bands that paved the way for the heavier stuff that would come in later years, is that when you see them live, you hear these songs the way they were actually meant to be heard. Live, loud, raw. The casual metal fan may only know this band for their radio friendly hit, “The Ballad of Jayne”, (which is a great song by the way) and completely may not be aware that this band is actually much closer to Motorhead than they ever were to Bon Jovi.

Tracii Guns is one of the most well known guitarists to come out of the 1980’s metal scene. In fact, while Ozzy Osbourne’s “Diary of a Madman” was blaring over the speakers as the band was taking the stage, Guns played along in what is one of the coolest ways to kick off a concert I’ve ever seen. While it’s pretty obvious where the “Guns” in L.A. Guns comes from; his namesake is also where the “Guns” in Guns N’ Roses comes from too as for a brief time L.A. Guns merged with Axl’s band Hollywood Rose. The pairing didn’t last long, however, and L.A. Guns forged ahead. Handling lead vocals since 1987 (save for a four year stretch in the ’90s), is Mr. Phil Lewis. His vocals were on point all night. He informed the crowd prior to the performance of “Jayne” that he’s been struggling with his vocals but that he would try hard to get through the song. He sounded great and one could not be blamed for thinking that he was full of it. In fact, Ripper Owens of the evenings headlining performers would later playfully call him out for being full of shit.

  • L.A. Guns Set List
  • 1. Cannonball
  • 2. Electric Gypsy
  • 3. Over The Edge
  • 4. Sex Action
  • 5. Speed
  • 6. Hell’s Bells (instrumental jam of AC/DC)
  • 7. Never Enough
  • 8. The Ballad of Jayne
  • 9. Rip and Tear
L.A. Guns performing at The King of Clubs, Columbus, Ohio 3/16/2024. Photo by Chad Hobbs

At about 9:45, the headlining act for the night took the stage. K.K. Downing is a founding member of Judas Priest. The same Judas Priest that is quite obviously on the Mount Rushmore of heavy metal bands with Sabbath, Maiden and Metallica. Don’t try to argue. His decades of playing twin harmonizing guitar with Glen Tipton in Priest formed one of the most iconic and recognizable sounds in metal music. In 2011, Downing’s time in Priest came to an end and after many years of not performing the beginnings of what would become K.K.’s Priest began to take shape right before and during the pandemic.

The new project, K.K.’s Priest, would be a combination of both some of his best work from the Judas Priest heyday as well as fresh and new music that would remain true to what his vision of the band was. Who better to recruit for lead vocals than Akron, Ohio’s Tim “Ripper” Owens who actually was in Judas Priest for a pair of albums when they reunited without Rob Halford briefly around the turn of the century. His vocal parallels to Halford are eerily close and his work with Iced Earth was my favorite that they put out. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see him perform with Iced Earth, so I’ve been looking forward to seeing him live and combined with Downing whom I hadn’t seen since 2009’s Judas Priest tour; you might say that Saturday night was a show that I was excited for.

Rounding out the band are guitarist A.J. Mills, bassist Tony Newton, and drummer Sean Elg. The hard hitting quintet opened the night with the first single from their first record; 2021’s Sermons of the Sinner. From the opening riff of “Hellfire Thunderbolt” to kick off the set and through second encore song; this was just a classic, old school metal show. With Owens piercing vocals ripping right through you and heavy riffs and plenty of double bass pedal holding it all together, the show surpassed all of my expectations and has now taken over the top spot for shows that I’ve seen at The King of Clubs. It was also a fantastic way to kick off my 2024 concert run. The night was a celebration. A celebration of the legacy of K.K. Downing and his work over the past 50+ years. It was a celebration of the legacy of Tracii Guns. It was a celebration of the future of all three of these bands. It was a celebration of the 3rd year anniversary of Columbus’ new favorite music venue. The show was sold out. Towards the end of the show, Owens remarked that after the end of this tour that the band would reconvene in England to work on the follow up to 2023’s The Sinner Rides Again album. I’m excited for that and hope that they will once again spend an evening with the headbanging faithful in Columbus, Ohio when they inevitably tour in support of whatever comes next.

  • K.K.’s Priest Set List
  • 1. Hellfire Thunderbolt
  • 2. One More Shot at Glory
  • 3. The Ripper (Judas Priest cover)
  • 4. Reap the Whirlwind
  • 5. Night Crawler (Judas Priest cover)
  • 6. Burn in Hell (Judas Priest cover)
  • 7. Beyond the Realms of Death (Judas Priest cover)
  • 8. Hell Patrol (Judas Priest cover)
  • 9. Brother of the Road
  • 10. The Green Manalishi With The Two Prong Crown (Fleetwood Mac cover)
  • 11. Breaking The Law (Judas Priest cover)
  • 12. Victim of Changes (Judas Priest cover)
  • *Encore*
  • 13. Strike of the Viper
  • 14. Raise Your Fists
K.K.’s Priest performing at The King of Clubs, Columbus, OH 3/16/2024. Photo by Chad Hobbs
K.K.’s Priest performing at The King of Clubs, Columbus, OH 3/16/2024. Photo by Chad Hobbs
K.K.’s Priest performing at The King of Clubs, Columbus, OH 3/16/2024. Photo by Chad Hobbs
K.K.’s Priest performing at The King of Clubs, Columbus, OH 3/16/2024. Photo by Chad Hobbs
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Arena rock legends come to Morrow County

Mount Gilead, Ohio. It’s a small village in rural Morrow County. At the last census, Mt. Gilead only had a population of 3,500. However, in 2022, a group called Finley’s Entertainment organized an event at the Morrow County Fairgrounds called Freedom Fest Ohio. Apparently, the event was so successful that its second incarnation was held this past weekend at the same venue. This is big news for Morrow County. We don’t get concerts like this. When an evening of rock acts were announced for this year’s four day event, I knew that I couldn’t miss an event like this that was virtually in my back yard (Go Cardington-Lincoln Pirates!).

The event serves as an entertainment option for our rural county but also is a major fundraiser for the United States Law Enforment Foundation (USLEF) where a dollar of every ticket sold was donated to that organization. Friday night headliner, Poison’s Bret Michaels and his band announced that they would also match the donation made to the charity.

When I say that this a huge opportunity for my county, I can’t overstate that. We don’t have concerts here. We don’t see many celebrities roll through our towns. To say that I was nervous of the impression we would make on these rock heroes is an understatement. Boy, was I wrong. The organizers of this event did it right. This was a truly professional concert. A real, and professionally built stage was there for the acts, complete with professional sound and lights. Like other major festivals in the area, there was plenty of food truck options as well as restrooms. The crowd was big and appropriate size for these acts. Being from such a rural area, I had reservations on whether our community would support the concert. They turned up in a big way, even with a less than ideal weather forecast. I was proud to be there, and proud of my fellow Morrow County community for turning up.

San Francisco’s Jefferson Starship kicked things off at 6:00 and really surprised me. I’d seen the two acts that followed them many times, but I wasn’t sure what to expect from Starship. I thought they did an admirable job of mixing in the appropriate amount of Jefferson Airplane songs into their set list. Jefferson Airplane, who were one of the leaders of the psychedelic rock movement of the mid to late 1960’s, would later face turbulence in the group before forming Jefferson Starship in 1974. Their show was good, particularly with their vocalists Cathy Richardson and original member David Freiberg. I thought the highlights of their performance were the Airplane classics “Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit”.

After a short break, 1980’s rock radio staples Night Ranger took the stage. This marked my third time seeing these guys after previous concerts in Mansfield and Marion, and as usual they were excellent. I know that this tour is celebrating the 40th anniversary of their sophomore album, Midnight Madness, which features several of their biggest hits, including the iconic “Sister Christian”. With that said, “Eddie’s Comin’ Out Tonight” from their debut record needs to permanently be in the set list! Although, this was my first time seeing them in a support role, so I’d imagine putting a set list together when you are used to being the headliner must be a daunting task. I enjoyed that they mixed up their set a bit and that they include the Damn Yankees two biggest songs as well, a nice nod to bassist and vocalist Jack Blades time in that super group as well. Their performance certainly made it known that the headlining act was going to have to be on their top performance to earn that title.

Night Ranger Set List Mount Gilead, OH

  • 1. You Can Still (Rock In America)
  • 2. Four In The Morning
  • 3. Sing Me Away
  • 4. Coming Of Age (Damn Yankees cover)
  • 5. The Secret Of My Success
  • 6. Night Ranger
  • 7. *Drum Solo*
  • 8. High Enough (Damn Yankees cover)
  • 9. When You Close Your Eyes
  • 10. Don’t Tell Me You Love Me
  • 11. Sister Christian

Moments after Night Ranger left the stage, the skies opened and the heavens fell down in the form of monsoon conditions for about 15 minutes. The Morrow County faithful stayed strong, and settled in, after all this agricultural community isn’t afraid of playing in the mud. Quite literally, there were folks that made an impromptu slip-n-slide out of a tarp and were having a great time. The rest of us sat in the pouring rain and drank beer. Besides, this rain was nothing compared to the literal monsoon that I was in for a Poison/Def Leppard/Cheap Trick concert at Blossom Music Center some 14 years ago or the Iron Maiden/Alice Cooper show in Indianapolis of 2012. It was a good, solid summer rain though, and I didn’t see a soul heading for the exits.

The headliner on this tour, dubbed “Parti Gras 2023”, is of course the Bret Michaels band. He’s most well known as the lead vocalist for the 1980’s hair band Poison. Bret takes a lot of flak from every direction. Certain bass players, from other certain hair bands that possibly don’t even play live and like to pretend that they weren’t also a hair band, (cough, Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue) have taken shots at Poison. The former reality TV show “Rock Of Love” also made Bret an easy target for criticism. Here is what I’ll say about all of it: The dude was and is still one of the best entertainers in the industry, and he was willing to bring that to little, ole Mount Gilead, Ohio. Sure, I know the ladies love Bret Michaels, but I’m a fan of his songs. He has played them on the biggest stages in the world. Just last summer, he played with Poison in the Cleveland Browns football stadium, and here he was on Friday night at the Morrow County Fairgrounds. Say what you want about hair metal, or the eyeliner, or any of it; but the guy is a genuine and down to earth rock star. I’ve seen his solo band once before and Poison a handful of times and he has always made sure to acknowledge who the real heroes in this country are, without making it a political thing. Because guess what, patriotism is not something that is supposed to be political, and he hasn’t forgotten that. On this night it was heroes of law enforcement that were brought on to the stage for some recognition, just as I can recall him bringing out cameras to send love to troops overseas during Poison concerts during the height of the War on Terror. That’s not being political. That’s being a stand up dude that has perspective. I’ve always appreciated that about Bret and his live shows. He’s there to party (or Parti?) and there is no mistaking that, but the freedom to live the life he lives and do the job he does came at a price, and he takes the time to acknowledge that. Every time.

Again, like Night Ranger before him, we’ve got to find a way to get “Fallen Angel” and “Cry Tough” back into the set, but I digress. The vocalist has put a solid band around him while he worked through a set list of mostly Poison classics. The crowd ate up every moment of it. The thing that gave me hope was a teenage couple, whom I assume was from out of town (he wore a Bishop Watterson football shirt), who were belting out every word to every song a few feet away from my wife and I. I wasn’t even born when Jefferson Starship and Night Ranger had their biggest success and I was an infant when Poison burst onto the scene. To see kids, who weren’t even born when I saw Poison on their 20th anniversary tour in 2006, being the next generation to keep classic rock music alive is a heartwarming thing. I hope the folks at Freedom Fest Ohio will continue to bring rock acts like this to our community and that hopefully the festival is here to stay.

Bret Michaels Band set list Mount Gilead, Ohio

  1. Talk Dirty To Me (Poison cover)
  2. Look What The Cat Dragged In (Poison cover)
  3. Ride The Wind (Poison cover)
  4. *Bret Michaels harmonica solo*
  5. Your Mama Don’t Dance (Loggins and Messina cover)
  6. Something To Believe In (Poison cover)
  7. Give It Away (Red Hot Chili Peppers cover)
  8. Unskinny Bop (Poison cover)
  9. *Drum solo*
  10. Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Poison cover)
  11. Nothin’ But A Good Time (Poison cover)
  12. *Encore* Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover with members of Jefferson Starship)
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Ranking: Poison

To celebrate the upcoming Bret Michaels band and Night Ranger concert appearance with special guests Jefferson Starship at Freedom Fest Ohio in tiny Mount Gilead, Ohio tomorrow night; lets take a stab at ranking the most essential songs from Bret’s main band Poison. Those classic, hair metal anthems are sure to be peppered throughout the set list and it’s high time we rate the best of the best!

Poison performing their traditional opening song; “Look What The Cat Dragged In” in St. Louis, Missouri

The following are my rankings of the 15 Greatest Poison tracks! Agree? Disagree? Vote at the end of the article!

There are still tickets available and can be purchased here! Having seen Poison five times or so and the Bret Michaels band once before, Mount Gilead, Ohio ought to be ready to party. While Poison, and hair metal in general gets a lot of grief for being cheesy, Michaels always puts in a genuine performance that will have you singing along and leaving with a smile on your face. You can check out my review of Poison’s Cleveland performance last summer right here. Also while there, make sure to visit our friends at Legend Records at their downtown shop for all of your music needs until 4pm on Friday and also at the festival. Hit up King’s Krossing Food Truck for your hunger needs during the concert as well! Lastly, make sure to vote below for what YOU think is the greatest Poison song of all-time!

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Brit Floyd brings another great gig to Columbus

Everywhere you look, there are tribute acts these days, that are keeping the music of rock’s greatest legends alive. Most of them do a great job of that. Brit Floyd, however, is in its own separate category. Most tribute acts don’t have their own PBS special. Most tribute acts aren’t playing in some of the largest venues available. The attention to detail is what sets them apart from any other tribute act out there. This music certainly speaks to me and I can appreciate the effort that they put into it, allowing these iconic songs to breathe and remain relevant for decades after their release.

So it was, when the band visited Kemba Live (formerly Promowest Pavilion, The LC Pavilion, and Express Live) for their annual tour across the U.S., keeping these timeless songs alive for legions of Pink Floyd fans. Making this tour a little extra special, is that it is coinciding with the 50th year anniversary of the release of their iconic album; The Dark Side Of The Moon. It is one of the greatest selling records of all time and excitement was in the air because on the run of current gigs, they are playing the album nearly in its entirety. For a band that has no shortage of legendary records, it is no small feat to play one of them in full and still appease fans clamoring for the rest of the catalog as well. Yet, they did just that, as they do each time.

As always, they weaved back and forth through some of Floyd’s greatest anthems, while also sprinkling in some of their more obscure songs from the 1960’s Syd Barrett era as well as some of the lesser known 80’s and 90’s tunes. Led by guitarist and lead vocalist Damian Darlington, he is also their visionary and musical director, Brit Floyd keeps the show fresh each year by mixing in new songs and utilizing the effects and production that you would expect from a tribute of this magnitude. Like stated earlier, the attention to the details makes their live performances a spectacle to both be seen and heard. The lights and lasers are phenomenal and the musicianship is flawless; but the trio of backing vocalists (Eva Avila, Genevieve Little, and Chess Galea) are the piece that gives this show the authenticity that you want. Avila, in particular has the tall task of tackling the vocal solo for “The Great Gig In The Sky”; and with each year that passes, she nails it with perfection and receives a very well deserved standing ovation.

This show is worth the money you’ll spend to see it. After seeing the legendary bassist and vocalist of the original band last year; Roger Waters puts on a phenomenal show to this day, I must admit that it is always refreshing to see Brit Floyd allow the music to do the talking. Floyd can certainly be taken for a thinking man’s band, which is why Waters’ chastisement of western politics isn’t necessary between the songs as they already make those statements on their own. There is no need for us and them banter at a Brit Floyd show, and as the performance moved forward and the sun set on the Columbus skyline, the aforementioned lights and lasers took over the night sky and further enhanced the experience. Seriously, choose any colour you like, and it was represented in a storm of flickering lights and atmospheric lasers; namely on songs like “One Of These Days” and Comfortably Numb”.

I think the thing that sets the Floyd music apart from its contemporaries is that the music grew with them and their experiences. There is something in their discography  for any and everyone. I’m not what you would expect to be the stereotypical Pink Floyd fan. I’m polar opposites with Roger Waters in many ways, but as I’ve aged and hopefully became more wise, the different eras of this band resonate in different ways. That’s also why I never tire of this music. I can listen to this band at all times. When pondering the meaning of life, The Dark Side Of The Moon, is the go-to. If I want a good story that weaves through the effects of war, trauma, and brain damage, fame and fortune and its inevitable crash and burn, then I’ll put on The Wall. Angry at the world and politics in general? Animals will scratch that itch. Have a need for introspect and longing for the way things were or might have been? Throw on 1975’s Wish You Were Here. Reflecting on life, past mistakes, being present in the now, and looking to a different future? Go ahead and listen to The Division Bell. And on and on. I’m convinced that there will never be another band that will be able to eclipse what Pink Floyd’s music did. I love the blues. I can listen to straight ahead, blues based rock music with the best of them. But Pink Floyd is and was something different. Theirs is a music that you feel. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see Pink Floyd live on their final tour, because I was eight when they visited Columbus’ famed Ohio Stadium and played to over 75,000 fans. That is still the largest, non festival concert crowd to see a band in the Horseshoe. With that being said, I’m very grateful that a band like Brit Floyd exists so that I can also enjoy these songs in a live setting and hear them the way  that they are meant to be heard. With Brit Floyd continuing to be on top of their game, I look forward to future celebration tours for some of these other albums as well. Come to think of it, 2024 will mark the 30 year anniversary of both The Division Bell and the tour that would be Pink Floyd’s last. Perhaps, next year’s trek may honor that. Whatever is next, I look forward to the experience.

Brit Floyd Setlist

  • 1. Speak To Me/Breathe (In The Air)
  • 2. What Do You Want From Me
  • 3. Yet Another Movie
  • 4. Round And Around
  • 5. Empty Spaces
  • 6. Young Lust
  • 7. Sorrow
  • 8. The Gunner’s Dream
  • 9. Time
  • 10. The Great Gig In The Sky
  • 11. Fearless
  • 12. Pigs (Three Different Ones)
  • 13. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)
  • 14. See Emily Play
  • 15. High Hopes
  • 16. Money
  • 17. Us And Them
  • 18. The Happiest Days Of Our Lives
  • 19. Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2
  • 20. Wish You Were Here
  • 21. One Of These Days
  • 22. Brain Damage
  • 23. Eclipse
  • 24. Comfortably Numb
  • 25. Not Now John
  • 26. Run Like Hell
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Ranking: Foo Fighters

The inaugural Sonic Temple Music and Art Festival made its debut in 2019. The final headliner to close out that event was the Dave Grohl led Foo Fighters. After back to back to back years of COVID related issues preventing the festival returning until now in 2023, it is fitting that Foo Fighters will return to once again to close out the festival. When the concert used its former moniker, Rock On The Range, there were several iconic moments that perhaps can only be appreciated if you were there. Special moments that make your hair stand up and gives you goosebumps. The tributes to Chris Cornell by Corey Taylor and Taylor Momsen come to mind just days after Cornell’s passing. Soundgarden were set to headline the event that year. When Foo played in 2019, they also laid claim to some of those special moments. Actor and comedian Pauly Shore was at the concert to headline the comedy tent and had just lost his dad in the nights before. Grohl and company brought Shore up on stage and when they performed “My Hero” in dedication to Pauly’s dad, there couldn’t have been a dry eye in the stadium. Later, they also brought out The Struts lead singer Luke Spiller to duet with Taylor Hawkins on the Queen and David Bowie classic “Under Pressure”. That moment was pretty special at the time, but even more now due to Hawkins’ untimely passing last year. I’m confident in my belief that when they return to the main stage at Historic Crew Stadium next month, that there will be another moment or two that will be cemented in the lore of this festival.

Started in 1994 after the death of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana’s disbanding, Grohl formed Foo Fighters as a side project for him to continue to make music. Initially, he played all of the instruments, as this was meant to simply be a creative outlet for him to share his ideas and songs that he hadn’t previously done in Nirvana. The quality of the songs and the demand for more, ultimately led to putting together a group of musicians to tour and make subsequent Foo records with. It paid off as the Foo Fighters went on to become one of the biggest rock bands of the past thirty years, selling millions of records, playing concerts to millions of fans, and ultimately getting themselves inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021! Don’t miss them during what is sure to be an unforgettable performance in May. Tickets can be purchased here! As always, I’ve linked my Top 20 Foo Fighters songs for your listening pleasure below, but please make sure to vote in my poll at the top of the page to let your choice be heard!

  1. Let It Die
  2. The Pretender
  3. Everlong
  4. Times Like These
  5. My Hero
  6. Best Of You
  7. Learn To Fly
  8. These Days
  9. Walk
  10. All My Life
  11. Monkey Wrench
  12. I’ll Stick Around
  13. Breakout
  14. This Is A Call
  15. Big Me
  16. Run
  17. No Way Back
  18. Have A Cigar (Pink Floyd cover)
  19. Resolve
  20. Generator
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Play it pretty, forever: Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd. Few bands throughout the history of time have carried the weight that the group from Jacksonville, Florida has had to endure. Their history is well known. One of the biggest bands of the 70’s were tragically cut down in their prime when their plane ran out of fuel and crashed in a Mississippi forest. They were on their way from South Carolina to Louisiana for the next show of their 1977 tour. Their lead singer, Ronnie Van Zant, and lead guitarist Steve Gaines would perish in the accident. Steve’s sister and backup vocalist Cassie Gaines as well as their assistant road manager and both pilots would also succumb to the crash. The surviving passengers, including the rest of the band, were very seriously injured.

Gary Rossington performing with Lynyrd Skynyrd in Columbus, OH in 2012. Photos by Chad Hobbs.

Over the course of time, the band would begin to put the pieces back together with Van Zant’s younger brother Johnny taking over on lead vocals. As if Death had some sort of vendetta against them, tragedy would strike this band over and over and over again throughout the next 45+ years. Many other members that have graced this band have gone on to pass away since the plane crash. No matter the circumstances, the surviving members have always continued to forge a path forward and carry on the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s music.

That legacy was already rock solid before the plane crash, but with yesterday’s news of Gary Rossington’s passing, it feels like the final chapter of this epic will soon be complete. Rossington was one of the band’s lead guitarists and was the last remaining original member of the band. He wasn’t the flashy, look-at-me, guitar virtuoso type. The songs that the band wrote were good enough to stand up on their own. I always respected that about him. His bandmate Rickey Medlocke is a fine guitar player himself and plays with an intense enthusiasm that often puts him in the spotlight, but Rossington’s underrated songwriting and steady playing from the shadows are a fitting metaphor for this hard working, mysterious band. Lynyrd Skynyrd has been in the midst of their farewell tour for the past several years, trying like hell to visit each city that put their music on the map one last time. Their plans had included wrapping up their touring days this year. I imagine that they may finish their scheduled dates before gracefully bowing out and leaving behind one of the most beloved musical legacies, shrouded in heartache and mystique, secure in the fact that they did things the right way. In the wise words of both Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant beckoning to Gary Rossington, before playing “Free Bird” to close out their concerts: ‘Play it pretty for….(every city they have played).‘ One thing I hope is certain, now that he’s made it home to the rest of the band, the heavens are surely getting a concert for the ages that hasn’t been seen since 1977.

I first saw Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2006 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Skynyrd has always held a special place in the heart of my family, so I made sure that that gig was a family affair. I was fortunate to catch nearly every tour, since then, whenever they made stops in Ohio. To give you an idea of just how well respected Lynyrd Skynyrd is, ponder the following artists that I’ve seen support them on tour: 3 Doors Down. Hank Williams, Jr. .38 Special. Blue Oyster Cult. ZZ Top. Justin Moore. Alex Winston. Shooter Jennings. Bad Company. Black Stone Cherry. The Marshall Tucker Band. Are you kidding me? Most of these bands have iconic legacies of their own, but from the up and coming bands of the future all the way to classic rock royalty; nobody minded opening up for Lynyrd Skynyrd. And can you blame them? Could you imagine being the band that had to try and go on after them just playing “Free Bird”? Get outta here.

A few highlights included seeing them from the front row at the small venue now known as KEMBA Live, being an approved photographer and concert reviewer of their 2012 and 2013 shows in Columbus and Cincinnati, and lastly seeing them (likely for the final time) in an arena show in Toledo where I was able to take all of my children to see the mighty Lynyrd Skynyrd band. That Toledo show happened to be the 41st anniversary of the plane crash, and as always, they left everything out there on that stage that night. I will truly miss seeing this band when they leave the stage for good.

I leave you with my ranking the Top 15 Lynyrd Skynyrd songs that Gary Rossington wrote or co-wrote:

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Turning 40: The Number of the Beast

The greatest metal album of all time turns 40 today! That distinction goes to Iron Maiden’s 1982 release; The Number of the Beast. While the band’s two prior releases are special in their own right, TNOTB saw them reach their full potential and kicked off a run of classic albums that would dominate the rest of the 1980’s.

Featuring the genre’s best bass player, founding member Steve Harris, this record saw the band go from supporting act to headliner around the world. It would be the last one with drummer Clive Burr but the first with former Samson singer Bruce Dickinson. The album is Burr’s finest accomplishment on the sticks and Dickinson’s voice transitioned the band from more of a amateur hard rock outfit to something entirely different but meeting Harris’ vision for the group. Soaring vocals that rivaled those of Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford took them to new heights. Childhood friends Dave Murray and Adrian Smith traded off guitar solos on the record and again combined with Harris to form the signature “Maiden gallop” that their songs are still known for to this day.

The frightening album art, along with it’s title, unfortunately led to the record being pigeonholed as some sort of devil worship. Perhaps the creative lyrics went over the heads of many critics of the time, but the stigma was attached to the band for several years. The record led the band to fall victim to folks burning and smashing their albums and protesting their concerts in the United States. Nonetheless, all of the extra attention caught the eye of teenagers looking for something different and was a commercial success. It became Iron Maiden’s first record to reach the Top 40 on the U.S. Billboard Charts. It produced two iconic singles in “The Number of the Beast” and “Run To The Hills” and was certified Platinum in the U.S. and virtually everywhere else in the world. This band has sold over 85 million records and 20 million of those were just this album alone. Its staying power and longevity speak for itself.

I discovered the record as a thirteen year old coming of age moron in roughly 1999, while going through my dad’s old cassette collection. Remember cassettes? I was immediately drawn to the cover art; as any thirteen year old boy probably was back in 1982. Upon placing the cassette in my stereo I was greeted with the heaviest thing I’d probably ever heard to that point. Invaders doesn’t have some melodic, build up intro like the more modern Maiden songs do. From the first note, it is an in your face metal onslaught. Most metal bands in the 80’s were making songs about girls and parties. Not Maiden. Invaders tells the tale of some ancient Saxons being invaded by and falling victim to Norse Vikings. Probably not the type of music that was popular with the chicks but nevertheless the type of music that would inspire future metal titans like Amon Amarth and Sabaton.

The second track is one of the album’s absolute gems and has the aforementioned type of intro that the band would become known for. Children of the Damned starts off with a melodic intro and was inspired by the TV show Village of the Damned. The song starts out nice before transitioning into a heavy metal classic that showcases the band at their peak. Rarely played live, I was able to hear it performed in Detroit on the Book Of Souls World Tour in 2016.

The next track is The Prisoner which was based off of the British TV show of the same name. It’s another song that is rarely played live, but I was fortunate enough to catch it in Indianapolis in 2012 during the Maiden England tour. The song was inspired by a character in the show who is taken hostage in a village that might seem to be too perfect, but in actuality is a prison as there is no free thought or freewill.

22 Acacia Avenue is another underrated masterpiece that is probably due to it’s lyrical content; but as a song it flat out jams. The song is a sequel to an earlier song about the band’s favorite made up (or was she?) lady of the night. First appearing in 1980’s Charlotte The Harlot, this song tells the third person view of her life before the narrator ultimately rescues her from her life of sin. In Charlotte the Harlot, the song is much more upbeat and has a very punk rock vibe to it. However, in 22 Acacia Avenue, the corner she works on and the song warns of the dangers of the lifestyle she has chosen on the streets. I hope that someday I will hear this one performed live.

Then comes the aforementioned, controversial title track. Contrary to popular activist beliefs at the time, the song is not an ode to Lucifer. Rather, the song is the reflection of a nightmare that Steve Harris had after viewing the sequel to The Omen. A quick look or listen to the lyrics could have calmed a lot of the outrage that this song created. Rather than running from it, the band embraced it, and rode the momentum of this moment all the way to the bank and then some. This was the second single released on the record and it has become one of the defining songs in the history of heavy metal. They’ve played this song on every tour I’ve seen them play.

Run To The Hills was the first single from the record and is probably the most popular and well known song from the band, at least here in the States. On the very rare chance that a radio station will play any Maiden music, you have about a 95% chance of it being Run To The Hills. From the catchy intro and piercing vocals the song was an instant hit and is usually in the set list when the band tours. The song is a back and forth tale from the perspectives of both the Native Americans and their conquerors from Europe. It’s an absolute metal classic.

Arguably their most popular song is followed by the “weakest” track on the record. Gangland isn’t necessarily a bad song but it doesn’t seem to fit. Written by drummer Clive Burr and guitarist Adrian Smith, it is from the perspective of life dominated by organized crime. Again, it isn’t a bad song, but when placed next to the song that it replaced on the album you can see why Steve Harris now believes they made the wrong choice. However, now knowing that this would the last album to feature Burr on the drums, I believe he delivers one of his all time best performances in this song. So, while the song isn’t catchy nor all that memorable in the Maiden catalog, it does show Burr going out in his prime with one of his best performances.

Total Eclipse was initially left off of the album and was instead used as the B-Side for the Run To The Hills single. This was the decision that Harris regretted. It’s a much stronger song than Gangland and would have been better served on the record. When the album was remastered and re-released in 1998, it was added as it should have been to begin with as it is a great straight ahead metal jam. I’d love to hear this one live.

The finale, as is common with this band, is the strongest track on the album. I’ll go further. I will opine that this is the greatest heavy metal song ever written. Throughout their career Iron Maiden have been known more so for their massive “epics” than their singles. They’ve released some doozies, like Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Phantom of The Opera, and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. The crown jewel of them all, though, is Hallowed Be Thy Name. It is the one that closes most Maiden shows. I assume this is because it is too good to follow with something else. Lyrically, it tells the tale of a man that is awaiting death at the gallows and the reflection of his life during his final moments. The song has everything that a heavy metal song should have. It’s got a build up intro. It has, arguably, Dickinson’s finest vocal performance. It features the classic Maiden gallop and twin guitars trading off masterpiece solos. Burr’s drums and Harris’ bass play are out of this world as well. All metal songs since and in the future should be measured against it and THAT alone is the deciding factor in making this the greatest metal album of all time. It would still be considered an all time classic without Hallowed, but its presence elevates it to the #1 slot in my not so humble opinion.

Cheers and Happy Birthday to The Number of the Beast.

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Rock in peace; July 2021 in memoriam

A brutal July has come and gone in regards to the untimely passing of several members of some of rock’s biggest bands.

On back to back days, July 14/15, bluesy hard rock band Cinderella lost two members of their band family. On the 14th, guitarist Jeff LaBar was found deceased. Unfortunately, hours later on the 15th they were made aware of the passing of long time touring member Gary Corbett had also passed away from lung cancer. LaBar played on each of Cinderella’s records and Corbett had been their long time live keyboard player. I’ve long maintained that Cinderella was the best and simultaneously most under rated of the “hair” era bands. I was fortunate to see the band perform live twice before their long time hiatus.

Days later on the 17th, long time Kansas violinist Robby Steinhardt passed away from pancreatitis. He hadn’t been a performing member of the band in quite some time, but during the band’s hey dey was credited for his violin work and being the co-lead singer of the band. Their frequent use of violins in rock songs, gave Kansas a sound that was fairly unique to them.

One of Steinhardt’s vocals was for the song Cheyenne Anthem

Unfortunately, on July 26th the losses would continue, and this time would hit the metal world hard. Former drummer of and co-founder of Slipknot Joey Jordison would pass on. He had been ill for awhile and it appears that he died in his sleep. Jordison, who cited Keith Moon (The Who) and John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) as influences of his, had won many awards for his drumming talents. These included being named the greatest drummer by the following publications: Rhythym magazine and Loudwire. He also won the Drummies Award for Best Metal drummer in 2010.

Jordison featured on Slipknot track Duality

That same day, metal vocalist Mike Howe, of Metal Church took his life at age 55. He was the bands second vocalist, manning the microphone from 1988-1996 and again from 2015 until the time of his death. At the time of his passing, the band had been working on a new album.

One day later, the rock world would lose a true titan in ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill. Hill, had recently left the road with some hip issues and had asked their long time guitar tech to cover for him. It appears, at least for the time being, that the band will continue on with this lineup as Billy Gibbons has said Hill asked for the band to carry on. Top’s most impressive feat had been that the Texas three piece had never had any lineup changes since their formation in 1969. As one of the longest running and stable rock bands in history, tributes and condolences poured in from throughout the rock world. ZZ Top, with Hill holding down the bottom end, were able to maneuver as a blues band, a southern rock band and in the eighties as one of the most commercially successful pop-rock bands with a slew of iconic music videos during the rise of MTV.

I was fortunate to be able to see ZZ Top twice. They were the first band to headline the Rock on the Range festival in 2007. The festival would go on to become the biggest rock festival in the United States before becoming the Sonic Temple festival in 2019. That first year ZZ Top closed the night and I recall being impressed as I was close enough and could see members from several of the newer bands of that time (Evanescence, Buckcherry, Hinder) standing to the side of the stage in awe of the icons performing in front of them. Icons.

ZZ Top performing their biggest “Hill” song, Tush.

Rock in peace to them all.

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