The King of Clubs, located on Columbus’ northern side, has quickly made a name for itself for all of the right reasons. Time and again, seemingly week after week they are announcing new concerts for their venue that are meeting a need in the city. The Al Rosa Villa is gone and The Newport and Kemba Live venues have largely ignored metal and hard rock acts for the past several years. The King of Clubs has risen to the challenge and filled that void for the most loyal fans in music.
The Iron Maidens, the world famous “only female tribute to Iron Maiden”, returned to the club for their third visit in as many years on Saturday night. While it may have felt like deja vu for most of the band, one member was making her debut for the Columbus venue. Shani Kimelman is currently filling in as one of the guitarists while Courtney Cox is doing the same for the Swiss metal band Burning Witches. Having only been on the road with the Maidens for a week or so, Kimelman handled her duties wonderfully and traded off some of heavy metal’s most famous guitar solos with long time lead guitarist Nikki Stringfield. As always, bassist Wanda Ortiz had the tall task of handling Steve Harris’ iconic bass lines. Lead vocalist Kirsten Rosenberg brought the “Air Raid Siren” screams to new highs and on some of the most challenging songs, I thought that she was at her best. This quite possibly may have been her best performance of the five times that I’ve caught this band.
Photos taken by Sydney Hobbs
I must say, though, as my wife has started to dabble in the world of drums herself; I have started to have an even greater appreciation for the work that goes on at the back of the stage. Drummers tend to get forgotten or taken for granted, but percussionist Linda McDonald really does hold it all together. With the famous riffs, one of the world’s greatest vocalists, and heavy metal’s greatest bass player; it’s easy to kind of forget about the drumming in the Iron Maiden catalog. I spent some time watching and listening to McDonald’s drum work in particular and she flat out kicked ass up there. While she might not be front and center of the stage, her role and performance cannot be minimized.
As usual, the ladies played a nice mix that represented a large portion of the Maiden catalog. Typically, they do play at least one of their more modern tracks (post-1995), this time they did not. This year’s visit was all about the classics and they pulled it off flawlessly. Highlights included the first of the Iron Maiden “epics”, “The Phantom of the Opera” from their 1980 debut album; as well as “Deja Vu” (a criminally underrated track) and of course the greatest metal song of all time; “Hallowed Be Thy Name“.
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
Talk Dirty To Me (Poison cover)
Look What The Cat Dragged In (Poison cover)
Ride The Wind (Poison cover)
*Bret Michaels harmonica solo*
Your Mama Don’t Dance (Loggins and Messina cover)
Something To Believe In (Poison cover)
Give It Away (Red Hot Chili Peppers cover)
Unskinny Bop (Poison cover)
*Drum solo*
Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Poison cover)
Nothin’ But A Good Time (Poison cover)
*Encore* Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover with members of Jefferson Starship)
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!
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.
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!
With the recent release of their new single, “Nobody”, and their new upcoming album Life Is But A Dream…; Avenged Sevenfold seems like the proper place to pick up my series on the bands that are going to be playing at this year’s Sonic Temple Music Festival. A7X is no stranger to Columbus’ Historic Crew Stadium, they’ve played this event under its former moniker, Rock on the Range, in 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2018. They headlined a night of the festival during those three most recent appearances. This will be their first time back since the name changed to Sonic Temple, but they will once again be headlining the evening. They’ll likely also be supporting the new album when they take the main stage in May. With the record set to come out in early June, Sonic Temple seems like a logical time to try out the new tunes on the 40,000 plus that will be in attendance.
Avenged Sevenfold has always held a special place to me, as they are one of the metal bands that I grew up with. I was still pretty new in the world of metal as a 17 year old kid when I first heard “Chapter Four” while playing Madden NFL 2004 on my PlayStation 2. I remember thinking that they sounded unlike anything that anybody else was doing at the time. Two years later, when they once again appeared on Madden NFL 2006 with “Bat Country”, I was hooked. After hearing “Bat Country”, I decided to start going back into their catalog and discovering their earlier work. I’ve always enjoyed whenever I’ve been able to find an up and coming band before they break through into the main stream. Of course, a few years later, they would absolutely explode and crossover from metalcore favorites to mainstream giants with the release of Nightmare in 2010.
Similar to Metallica and the grief they get about the “black” album, A7X had a noticeable change of sound as well as the tragic death of one of their bandmates. I tend to disagree with those that disparage either band. Yes, their sound changed with the “black” album and Nightmare, but both records flat out rock. They are still heavy. I often try to rationalize with the detractors by telling them that musicians are artists first. An artist doesn’t make a living by painting the same picture over and over. As a band ages and their experiences change, it is natural for their sound to change. That has nothing to do with “selling out” and everything to do with life’s greatest truth: growing up. If KISS wrote “Christine Sixteen” at this point in their life; that’d be pretty weird. Likewise, why should we expect a band like Avenged to write a song like “A Little Piece of Heaven” in their forties?
While Nightmare broke them into the mainstream, it also put them under the intense microscope of heavy metal fandom. In the world of heavy metal, there are only two bands currently that are bigger draws than Avenged. Iron Maiden and Metallica. And like those two bands, every song and album that Avenged releases will be endlessly scrutinized. For Hail To The King, a record that paid homage to their influences, they would hear criticism of ripping off of those bands. When they released The Stage they suddenly were too progressive for some. As expected, there were plenty of mixed reviews and opinions on “Nobody” upon its release last week. At first listen, it’s a far cry from their metalcore days. However, it has grown on me with each subsequent listen. I enjoy the progression of most of the bands that I listen to. At some point, bands have to decide whether they are content playing their greatest hits night after night like Journey; or do they want to continue to create and evolve. Some bands change their sound and it isn’t always for the better. I don’t believe that is the case most of the time, however. Some fans might fall off along the way, as has happened to all of the modern metal giants; but they’ve also gained more fans along the way. You can bemoan an album like Nightmare for marking a change in sound; or you can appreciate that an album of its stature opened up the band to millions of other people whom would have never heard them and then go back and discover their back catalog.
I leave you with my Top 15 Avenged Sevenfold tracks of all time! I’ve also linked them for your listening pleasure!
Headlining the first night of Sonic Temple 2023 is Tool. The legendary band hails from Los Angeles, California and are made up of eccentric front-man Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, drummer Danny Carey and bassist Justin Chancellor. One of the most mysterious and private bands in rock music, Tool has released five albums to date. Their first studio album, Undertow, was released in 1993; while their most recent effort, Fear Inoculum, came out in 2019. Their works have certainly been created with quality in mind, rather than quantity. Nonetheless, Tool remain one of the most popular bands with one of the most die hard fanbases in the game. I once met a girl in a college music course, that was such a Tool fanatic that she argued that every album we discussed was somehow a ripoff of Tool. Even music by bands that predate this one by decades. I digress.
While she may have been a bit kooky with that take, there is certainly a reason that the band has sold over 14 million albums worldwide and sells out concerts everywhere they go. I’ve ranked my favorite Tool tracks and linked them for your listening pleasure below. When they make their second appearance at Historic Crew Stadium in May, which song will you be most hoping to hear? Vote in my poll or add a comment if I didn’t include your favorite Tool song!
The Stadium Tour, having been scrapped each of the past two years due to COVID concerns, finally made its way to Cleveland, Ohio on Thursday. The concert was hosted by First Energy Stadium, which is home of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, and welcomed what seemed to be at least 50,000 headbangers for the long-anticipated event.
I was unsure if I was going to make the trek to Cleveland for the show, however, the night before my 15-year-old daughter asked me if I’d take her. As I grow more nostalgic as I age, her asking me that reminded me of the teenage version of myself asking my Dad to take me to see KISS and Aerosmith nearly twenty years ago. He obliged me that evening and I felt compelled to take her and enjoy some time with her, while also being treated to a killer soundtrack throughout the night.
Unfortunately, due to downtown Cleveland’s awful infrastructure for traffic during large events as is, combined with the Tribe having a home game on the same evening; we missed both Classless Act and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts even though we had made it to The 216 in plenty of time. Thankfully, her and I had just recently seen Classless Act during their spring tour supporting Dorothy. My eldest niece and I had seen Joan Jett at the Sonic Temple Music Festival a few years ago with the Foo Fighters. She had put on a great show that night, so it was somewhat disappointing to miss their performance in Cleveland due to gridlock traffic.
Poison came on shortly after we reached our seats. Somehow, some way, we were able to score great 12th row stadium seats on the left side of the stage and had a great view for the entirety of the event. It was cool seeing my kid so awestruck at the size and energy of the crowd. She couldn’t believe how many people were there and seeing a smile on her face throughout the event made it all worth it. A lot of times, Poison gets shit on by the macho guys in the metal and hard rock community. I say, no more! First and foremost, the backing band is solid. C.C. Deville is a criminally underrated guitar player. Say what you want about Bret Michaels and his quest for companionship through reality television, but the dude is a great entertainer and at every live show he convinces you that you’re old buddies. I’ve seen this band probably a half dozen times or so and they’ve never disappointed. They are by far the most down to earth and relatable band for the common man on this tour.
I think they get most of the ridicule due to the absolutely awful look they went with for the “Look What The Cat Dragged In” album cover. In 1986. The year of my birth. But you know what? Concerts are supposed to be fun, first and foremost; and there has never been a time that I left a Poison concert in anything less than a stellar mood. Unfortunately, with such a loaded lineup, the band only had about a 55 minute set. They got to as many of their party anthems as possible and were as good as I’ve ever seen them. There are few bands that I root harder for to be successful than this one.
Poison Set List Cleveland
Look What The Cat Dragged In (1986)
Ride The Wind (1990)
Talk Dirty To Me (1987)
Your Mama Don’t Dance (Loggins & Messina cover) (1988)
C.C. Deville guitar solo (including Eruption by Van Halen)
Fallen Angel (1988)
Rikki Rockett drum solo
Every Rose Has Its Thorn (1988)
Nothin’ But a Good Time (1988)
A half hour after Poison left the stage, the rock brigade Def Leppard stormed out and were the highlight of the night. I maintain that they should be the every night headliner on this tour, but they are alternating nights with Motley Crue and the Cleveland stop was a Motley headline night. While I felt Def Lep should be the headliner, I was admittedly apprehensive about how their performance would be. I’d seen them a few times before and each time left thinking that their opener (Journey, Poison) was the better performer on those evenings. Particularly on the Journey tour, I thought they blew Def Leppard off the stage that night. Lep was playing a bunch of covers on that tour and vocalist Joe Elliott was seeming to struggle with his range, but that was probably at least 15 years ago.
I’m glad to admit that my apprehension was undeserved. This was far and away the best that I’ve heard Def Leppard sound. Even with a new record out, which usually means beer/restroom break for their aging fans, the new songs sounded like classic Def Leppard and were spaced appropriately throughout the set. They came out and plowed through a 17-song performance that highlighted their 40+ year careers to this point. While they didn’t play my two favorites of theirs, “Women” or “Too Late For Love“, they did include their iconic jam “Switch 625” as an extension of “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak“; which was the crown jewel of their performance.
Elliott and the boys came out and performed like headliners. They were professionals up on that stage and the gig felt as if they were a band that belonged in a stadium setting as they churned through 80’s anthem after anthem. Leppard came around in England at a time when the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was emerging as well. While they were heavier early in their careers, they simply went a more straight ahead hard rock route while the Iron Maiden’s and Saxon’s of the scene went the metal route. The musicianship of Rick Allen (drums), Rick Savage (bass, and underrated backing vocals), as well as the guitar duo of well-known players Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen shouldn’t be forgotten. Just because there are other bands that should also be in there, this band certainly earned their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which coincidentally sits in the shadows of the stadium that this concert was performed in.
Def Leppard Set List Cleveland
Take What You Want (2022)
Let It Go (1981)
Animal (1987)
Foolin’ (1983)
Armageddon It (1987)
Kick (2022)
Love Bites (1988)
Promises (1999)
This Guitar (2022)
Two Steps Behind (1993)
Rocket (1987)
Bringin’ on the Heartbreak (1981)
Switch 625 (1981)
Hysteria (1987)
Pour Some Sugar On Me (1987)
Rock Of Ages (1983)
Photograph (1983)
Let me preface my review of Motley Crue by stressing that they are fine. I enjoy their music. My issues with them mainly stem from Nikki Sixx taking his band much more seriously than they should be. His past comments, putting Crue on some different level than the other hair bands (namely Poison) that they take on tour each cycle have always rubbed me the wrong way. The people that listen to Motley Crue, also listen to Poison. And Dokken. And RATT. Each of those bands from the same scene as you. Like Def Leppard, Motley Crue was certainly heavier and faster in the early eighties. They don’t play many of those songs live anymore, though, and their big hits are all in that same realm with the bands that he likes to dis. That is all. Motley Crue makes music for strippers. That’s ok. Embrace it. I’d rather the ladies dance to “Looks That Kill” than modern dance music! Just embrace who you are and don’t try to pretend like you are on some elite level of heavy metal. You are who you are. There are fewer bands that I root against, than Motley Crue, because they are who they are.
Now, that that is out of the way. Motley was great Thursday night. Vince Neil’s vocal struggles in recent years is not news, but I thought that after the opening track, his singing got better as the night went on. They played a set that included most of their hits and their latest release that coincided with their recent Netflix biopic. Mick Mars, as a quiet guy, kind of gets lost in the larger-than-life personalities that make up the rest of the band. His guitar work is underrated, and I think it’s fair to say that it gets underappreciated, simply due to the nature of Motley Crue. Sixx had his share of interactions with the crowd and held down the bottom end on his bass. Ignoring Tommy Lee’s personality for just a moment, his drumming has been and really continues to be the driving force of their live performances. Now, non-musically speaking, he also was able to coax women in the crowd to flash the band which is his typical schtick. Neil’s vocal struggles aside, those become less important when you can point the mic to the crowd and 50,000 metal heads are screaming back every lyric at you. For as much negative press as his performances have gotten lately, I felt he exceeded my expectations and was on par with both of the previous times I had seen Motley Crue. Like the two bands that played prior, they were fun. Concerts are supposed to be fun. I had fun. My kid had fun. With the lost years of 2020 and 2021 hopefully behind us forever, I hope that this tour rejuvenates each of these bands and gives them a new lease on their rock & roll lives and carries them through yet another decade of nothin’ but a good time.
Motley Crue Set List Cleveland
Wild Side (1987)
Shout at the Devil (1983)
Too Fast For Love (1981)
Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) (1990)
Saints of Los Angeles (2008)
Live Wire (1982)
Looks That Kill (1984)
The Dirt (2019)
Medley of Rock and Roll Part 2 (Gary Glitter)/Smokin’ in the Boys Room (Brownsville Station)/White Punks on Dope (The Tubes)/Helter Skelter (The Beatles)/Anarchy in the UK (Sex Pistols)
Home Sweet Home (1985)
Dr. Feelgood (1989)
Same Ol’ Situation (1990)
Girls, Girls, Girls (1987)
Primal Scream (1991)
Kickstart My Heart (1989)
All in all it was a great show with some of the most iconic bands that came about during the eighties pop-metal era. Getting to spend that time with my kid, at a time in her life where your offspring typically want nothing to do with you; made it that much better.
Ohio’s Rubber City faithful were treated to another fantastic performance by the Tom Kiefer Band last night as well as an outstanding effort by opener L.A. Guns. Kiefer, who last played the classy Goodyear Theater in fall of 2019, had his band firing on all cylinders to the packed house.
The evening was started off by the hard rockers; Enuff Z’Nuff, but I unfortunately missed their set while travelling up to Akron. Shortly after finding my 11th row seats; it was the well known, Tracii Guns led, L.A. Guns that took the stage. To say that I was pleasantly surprised with their performance would be a major understatement.
For whatever reason, I’d never really checked out the band prior to last night. I’ve seen almost every band from the 80’s metal scene multiple times but had never had the opportunity to see L.A. Guns before; and if I’m being honest, I wasn’t familiar with them either. Guns is a well-known and well-respected guitar player in the metal community, but outside of being aware of him, my knowledge of the band was minimal. They have now forced my hand and my L.A. Guns phase will start in earnest after the performance that they gave as the support act.
I’d have never expected that they’d be so heavy. They were borderline too loud but got the place pumped up, as most of the spectators were standing during their set. Highlights included a Guns guitar solo with what appeared to be a violin bow, “Over the Edge”; “Never Enough”; and of course, their 1989 power ballad “The Ballad of Jayne”.
If an opening acts job is to get the crowd riled up for the headliner, L.A. Guns did that and then some. In between acts, the place was popping with plenty of buzz and the merch tables were packed. As usual, Chip Z’Nuff was at his band’s merch table taking photos and signing memorabilia for the Enuff Z’Nuff faithful in the crowd.
After a brief hiatus, the Tom Kiefer Band took the stage and ran through the Cinderella classics as well as a pair of songs each from their 2013 debut “The Way Life Goes” and 2019’s sophomore effort “Rise”. The newer tunes sounded good, as always, but it was the Cinderella anthems that kept the crowd on their feet, toe-tapping and fist pumping throughout the 14-song set.
Few performers are more obviously leaving everything they have on the stage than Keifer, which was apparent throughout the show, as his scream during “Nobody’s Fool” literally brought him to the floor. I believe that Keifer has found the sound that the Cinderella band was meant to have. During their hey-day Cinderella was often lumped with rest of the “hair” bands; criminally, I might add. They were always a great hard rock band and when you see his band perform now, there is no mistaking that this music was always more rooted in the blues than it was big hair.
Tom Keifer band performing in Akron, Ohio. Photo credit Amber Hobbs.
All the things that you’d expect from a band of that nature are present. There are piano pieces and steel guitar. The women that provide the backing vocals compliment the thumping rhythm section and a pair of guitars; combining to make a much fuller sound than you get on the Cinderella records. I’d absolutely love for the current Tom Keifer Band to do a live release because they do true justice to the Cinderella catalog as well as their own music.
An underrated element to their live sound, is that the band appears to be having the time of their lives up on stage. Nobody wants to pay hard earned money to see a band phoning it in just to collect a paycheck. Both bands that I was able to see last night, were doing it for the right reasons and the crowd can feel that energy; and feeds off it. With Led Zeppelin nonexistent, and things quiet on the AC/DC front; I’m willing to say that the Keifer Band is the group that is best flying the flag for bluesy hard rock these days.
You’re in luck, too, Ohio; if you couldn’t make the Akron gig, they’ll be back July 16th in the Columbus suburb of Pickerington headlining the Picktown Palooza Festival with Faster Pussycat and L.A. Guns supporting. The concerts are included with a paid admission of only $5 and can be purchased here.
Tom Keifer Band Setlist 6/29/2022 Akron, Ohio
Touching the Divine
Night Songs (Cinderella cover)
Coming Home (Cinderella cover)
It’s Not Enough
Somebody Save Me (Cinderella cover)
Rise
Nobody’s Fool (Cinderella cover)
Solid Ground
Fallin’ Apart at the Seams (Cinderella cover)
The Last Mile (Cinderella cover)
Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone) (Cinderella cover)
Live music is coming back, and it’s a beautiful thing. While last night’s show featured a trio of high quality tribute acts, even the big tours are starting to get the wheels rolling towards big shows as well. The concert last night was at a new, to me, venue that exceeded my expectations. What they’ve got going for them first and foremost was excellent hospitality. I’ve had VIP at both The Newport and ExpressLive (or whatever it’s called these days) and never been treated as exceptionally as we were last night at The King of Clubs. While this new venue is in a tough part of town like The Al Rosa Villa was, they’re offering something that the rest of the city hasn’t for quite some time. Just being frank, compare the largely utter garbage that The Newport and Express Live are booking compared to The King of Clubs and you’ll see why I have hope for this place. The joint is being ran by a heavy metal vocalist and the talent they are booking are filling the demand for hard rock and metal fans in the 614. The former Al Rosa was not only in a tough area and it was cramped; and while we all have fond memories there, this new venue appears set to offer the same music but with more space and much superior hospitality. They’re pushing this narrative at The King of Clubs, where they are going to be Ohio’s finest entertainment venue and everyone is treated like royalty. Well, to my surprise, they delivered on all of the above. I want to see this venue do well and the surrounding area come up with it.
The opening act were Sweet Leaf, a Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne tribute. They were a fun way to kick off the night and until you hear these songs live, it’s easy to forget just how heavy Sabbath really was. In today’s world of growling vocals and muddied distortion, what was once considered heavy could be forgotten. Not the case with Sabbath though. Those old, doomy riffs still hit today. Their lead singer and Ozzy lookalike took time to take a photo with my daughter who was with us celebrating her 14th birthday to see the evenings headliners. Much appreciated.
Sweet Leaf set list
I Don’t Know (Ozzy cover)
Sweet Leaf (Black Sabbath cover)
Bark at the Moon (Ozzy cover)
I’m a Believer (Ozzy cover)
Crazy Train (Ozzy cover)
Suicide Solution (Ozzy cover)
Paranoid (Black Sabbath cover)
N.I.B. (Black Sabbath cover)
War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)
From there we’d be treated to the Steel City Crue, who came from Pittsburgh to bring the Motley Crue goods to Columbus. When people think about or listen to Motley Crue music, I think the general consensus is fun. At least for me, I just think of good times, anyway. These guys went the extra yard and the entire four piece looked and sounded like their counterpart from the real Crue. That’s what the people want. When they go to a show like this, they want it all. It was my first time seeing either of these opening acts and they both exceeded my expectations. Steel City Crue didn’t only focus on the radio hits either, and made sure to play some of the old, heavier Crue as well; which was very well received. They also made sure that everyone knew that they were from Pittsburgh so they also didn’t like Penn State and of course did the obligatory “O-H” “I-O” back and forth with the crowd.
Steel City Crue set list
Shout at the Devil
Doctor Feelgood
Take Me to the Top
Wild Side
Red Hot
Home Sweet Home
Looks That Kill
Ten Seconds to Love
Kickstart My Heart
Smokin’ in the Boys Room (Brownsville Station cover)
Live Wire
The headlining Iron Maidens were making their King of Clubs debut as well. The two previous times that I’ve been able to catch them were at The Al Rosa Villa. While they are credited with being the ‘World’s only all female tribute to Iron Maiden’; their gender really is irrelevant to their musical abilities. As a Maiden die hard, it’s cool to see chicks that even like Iron Maiden and the fact that they are excellent musicians is the icing on the cake. Just don’t get hung up on the “female” part as a gimmick. It is not. These ladies flat out rock. Nikki Stringfield and Courtney Cox trade guitar solos throughout the show and pack the Maiden punch. Kirsten Rosenberg hits Bruce Dickinson’s high vocal notes and even takes them up another couple levels on her screams. The backbone to both Maiden and their counterparts in this tribute band operate at another level. Wanda Ortiz’ right hand is a blur on the bass as she holds down the Maiden gallop and Steve Harris’ rhythms and Linda McDonald seemingly had all four of her limbs in constant motion for the entirety of the set on the drums. Fantastic as always. And in a time when most of the big tours haven’t returned yet, and the uncertainty of the industry, these high quality tribute acts bring much needed live music to concert craving fans.
The Iron Maidens performing Run to the Hills
Small venues are cool. In the mezzanine was a VIP lounge where the girls were prior to the show. It appeared that they briefly may have had a Spinal Tap moment in not being able to find their way to the stage, which I genuinely hope was the case as I love that movie. My daughter was able to get a fist bump from Courtney after the show and seeing her smile and enjoying these songs with me, the same way that I’ve enjoyed hearing these songs live with my dad, made me a happy man.
Rock Lives Here 