Melodic Rock Concerts

We're Moving!

2009-03-19T19:05:00.002-05:00

It's official: Melodic Rock Concerts is moving to a new location with a new look! Starting now, you can view this website in its new location at www.melodicrockconcerts.com

Please let me know what you think of the new look, and thanks for the continued support! The demand for concert reviews and photography from these great classic bands is growing by the day, and as the summer of 2009 approaches I'm very excited to be a source for this media.

Soon this page will re-direct to the new one, but for the next few days it will remain up. Change your bookmarks if you like; it will make the loading of the new page slightly faster since your broswer won't need to re-direct.

Moondance Jam Signs More Bands, More Announcements

2009-03-12T20:58:00.004-05:00

The Moondance Jam, a 3-day rock festival in Walker, Minnesota, has kicked it into high gear by signing two explosive rock bands for Friday, July 17: Whitesnake and Judas Priest. Rumors of this impending announcement were set in motion several weeks ago here on this site as well as in other message boards and websites. This announcement essentially confirms rumors that both bands will be touring the United States during the summer of 2009, not necessarily together of course. As for the rest of the line-up, Kansas will open the festivities on Thursday, July 16, and Grand Funk Railroad will start things off on Saturday, July 18. Still to be announced are seven more national recording artists, so stick around for all the latest!

Other announcements from the past week are as follows:

Great White has confirmed their 2009 tour by releasing 16 tour dates for the summer spread out all across the United States.
Steve Miller has announced 27 tour dates for the summer in the United States and Canada.
The Doobie Brothers are steadily booking dates for the spring and summer, get the full schedule at their website.
Heart and Journey have been confirmed for the Iowa State Fair on August 23. Journey's 2009 tour also includes the Kansas State Fair. Also check out their new website!
More tour dates are likely forthcoming from all artists mentioned

There is also a new tour rumor to report, and if true, it is certainly a big one. Van Halen and Guns N' Roses are reportedly planning a co-headlining tour for the summer of 2009. Since both parties remain quiet, only time will tell if the rumor is true.

Lastly, there are some major changes in the works here at Melodic Rock Concerts. I'm in the process of moving the site and expanding its reach just in time for what is likely to be a huge year for concerts. I'm very excited about it and I appreciate all the support!

Fleetwood Mac Concert Review - St. Paul 2009

2009-03-04T18:58:00.011-06:00

It's been more than five years since the start of the last Fleetwood Mac tour, but last night at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, the band played, sounded, and looked as if time has stood still. The band has been a four-piece for some time now after the 1998 departure of Christine McVie, but Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood, and a team of five back-up musicians have no trouble filling the stage with activity and the air with a wall of sound. Internal conflict and drama has characterized the band throughout its history, but there were no signs of such conflict at last night's show, which was the second of the 'Unleashed' tour which began on March 1 in Pittsburgh.

The Stevie Nicks persona of mystique and her one-of-a-kind voice were in full force, although the singer did appear somewhat mellow during the first half of the set. It wasn't until her keyboard-driven solo hit "Stand Back" kicked in that she finally appeared to be having as much fun as the Fleetwood Mac fans in attendance. Lindsey Buckingham proved that he hasn't lost his spark on the guitar or his contagious energy on stage; he looked and played like someone half his age. The years have been especially kind to Mick Fleetwood, who at age 61 is still an incredibly menacing and powerful drum player. Fleetwood appeared to be the happiest of the group on stage as he glanced warmly at Stevie and Lindsey, almost as if he was amazed to see and hear his own band back in action. The quiet John McVie isn't to be forgotten although he certainly didn't draw much in the way of attention toward himself as he plucked away on the bass in Stevie's corner of the stage.

The Unleashed tour marks the band's first tour in over 20 years without any new material or a new album to support. Given these circumstances, the set list was a very well-crafted mix of the famous, faster paced hits like "Go Your Own Way" and "Don't Stop", and the slower, lesser known and rarely played songs like "Storms". Closing out the set was the Stevie Nicks song "Silver Springs", an unreleased song which has since become a live favorite after not making it onto the Rumors album. Despite tough economic times and increased ticket prices, the venue was packed with over 10,000 loud and dedicated Fleetwood fans.

With tens of millions of albums sold and thousands of concerts played over their 40 year career, Fleetwood Mac has nothing to prove in 2009. They do, however, have millions of fans around the world who still want to hear their music, and although the band does tend to play it safe these days by hitting the road about twice a decade, there are no visible signs of a slow-down. Even Stevie Nicks has been quoted as saying that she knew instantly when her career started that it would be a life-long devotion, stating "I plan to do this when I'm 60." That day has now come for Stevie and the band, but they aren't about to let it slow them down.

FLEETWOOD MAC - MARCH 3, 2009 - PHOTO GALLERY

Styx, REO, 38 Special Team for Can't Stop Rockin'

2009-02-26T18:33:00.008-06:00

In an unexpected turn, the two major rock tours of the summer have been announced on the same day. As mentioned earlier on the blog, Styx, REO Speedwagon, and 38 Special are hitting the road this summer. The dates have now been released, and the tour has been given a name - "Can't Stop Rockin'", and even a tagline: "All Hits - All Night". It will be the second major tour featuring Styx and REO on the same stage, the first was the Arch Allies tour in 2001. Just like the Def Leppard headlined tour with Poison and Cheap Trick (see post below), this tour is very nostalgiac; Even the tagline advertises that only the hits will be played. It's definitely not a bad thing for these bands, though, because they all sound terrific live, Styx in particular. Tickets will go on sale starting in March, and special packages will be available through I Love All Access, at a high cost for certain. The good news for those affected by the state of the economy is that the bands on this tour seem to be in touch with the fact that the economic climate has changed since last year. The press release makes specific references to this, stating that tickets as low as $13 will be available in most markets. Here are the Can't Stop Rockin' tour dates:

03/25/2009 - Johnstown, PA*
05/13/2009 - Albuquerque, NM
05/15/2009 - Phoenix, AZ
05/16/2009 - Las Vegas, NV
05/17/2009 - Fresno, CA
05/21/2009 - Ontario, CA
05/22/2009 - Los Angeles, CA
05/24/2009 - Mountain View, CA
05/27/2009 - Kent, WA
05/30/2009 - Sandy, UT
05/31/2009 - Morrison, CO
06/04/2009 - Kansas City, MO
06/05/2009 - Thackerville, OK*
06/06/2009 - Oklahoma City, OK
06/07/2009 - The Woodlands, TX
06/16/2009 - Boca Raton, FL
06/18/2009 - Orange Beach, AL
06/20/2009 - Roanoke Rapids, NC
06/21/2009 - Alpharetta, GA
06/26/2009 - Atlantic City, NJ
06/27/2009 - Gilford, NH
06/28/2009 - Mansfield, MA
07/02/2009 - Verona, NY
07/03/2009 - Scranton, PA
07/04/2009 - Saratoga Springs, NY
07/09/2009 - Clarkston, MI
07/10/2009 - Chicago, IL
07/11/2009 - Maryland Heights, MO

There are noticeable gaps in this tour schedule, so it may not be complete. Also note that shows marked with an asterisk (*) will not feature 38 Special. If you're a reader in my area, you'll notice that nostalgia isn't the only trait shared between the Def Leppard and Styx tours. The other trait? Neither tour stops in Minnesota. Nonetheless, I'm still determined to get to one of these shows. I've yet to see REO Speedwagon in concert, and Styx blew me away when I caught them twice last year.

That's probably the end of the tour news, at least for now. It's interesting how all of these bands, including Motley Crue, decided to roll out their tour schedules within the same two day period. It guess one could say that it just goes to show how unpredictable the industry is. To read the full press release on the Can't Stop Rockin' tour, click here.

Def Leppard, Poison, Cheap Trick Dates Released

2009-02-26T12:13:00.005-06:00

It's being called "the concert event of the summer" - the dates for the Def Leppard, Poison, and Cheap Trick bill have been released. Putting their differences (whether they were real to begin with or not will always remain in question) aside, Def Leppard and Poison will be sharing a stage for 40 shows starting on June 23 in Camden, NJ. Although Def Leppard released a brand new album last year, titled Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, this tour is clearly of the nostalgiac variety. With three bands playing, it's likely that there will only be room for the hits from each band, with the exception of Leppard, who will likely play a couple new songs. Nostalgia or not, all three bands have extensive fan bases that will surely keep the arenas full. Although the tour is quite lengthy and visits almost all major markets, one market omitted is Minneapolis/St. Paul, which isn't the best news for the fans in this area, particularly myself. It's very odd that such a major market would be left out; especially since the area features two arenas: the Target Center and the Xcel Energy Center. Omitted cities aside, the show must go on.

Here's what Joe Elliot had to say about the upcoming trek: "I'm very pleased that we are coming back to North America. We're gonna be touring with some new friends and some old friends and can guarantee it will be the rock tour of the summer."

The tour schedule is below:

June 23 - Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
June 25 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
June 26 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
June 28 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion
June 30 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center
July 1 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
July 3 - Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 4 - Toronto, CAN – Molson Amphitheatre
July 7 - Hartford, CT - New England Dodge Music Center
July 8 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
July 10 - Burgettstown, PA – Post-Gazette Pavilion
July 11 - Virginia Beach, VA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 12 - Bristow, VA – Nissan Pavilion
July 15 - Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
July 17 - Tinley Park, IL – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
July 18 - Milwaukee, WI – Marcus Amphitheater
July 20 - Maryland Heights, MO – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 21 - Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
July 23- Noblesville, IN – Verizon Wireless Music Center
July 24- Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
August 7 - Raleigh, NC - Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
August 8 - Charlotte, NC – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
August 10 - Nashville, TN - Sommet Center
August 11 - Birmingham, AL – Verizon Wireless Music Center
August 13 - West Palm Beach, FL – Cruzan Amphitheatre
August 14 - Tampa, FL – Ford Amphitheatre
August 15 - Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre
August 18 - New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Arena
August 19 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 21 - Dallas, TX – Superpages.com Center
August 22 - Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
August 24 - Englewood, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
August 25 - Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
August 28 - Albuquerque, NM – Journal Pavilion
August 29 - Phoenix, AZ – Cricket Wirelss Pavilion
August 30 - Irvine, CA – Verizon Wirelss Amphitheater
September 2 - Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
September 3 - Sacramento, CA – Sleep Train Amphitheatre
September 5 - Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
September 6 - San Bernadino, CA – San Manuel Amphitheater

Motley Crue's Summer Tour Includes ND State Fair

2009-02-25T17:47:00.005-06:00

Motley Crue announced the tour dates for "Crue Fest 2" today, including stops in 27 cities. The bands joining Motley on the stage for the latest Crue Fest haven't yet been announced. Aside from Crue Fest, Motley will be playing two shows out on their own, both at state fairs. One such stop is in Minot, North Dakota, kicking off the first night of the North Dakota State Fair on July 24, and the crowd is sure to be huge for this concert. Last year the fair did not feature any bands from the classic era, but now they appear to be back on track, and there may even be another 70s or 80s group at the fair so keep checking back here for all the latest. Here is a link to the full tour schedule for Motley Crue and Crue Fest this summer.

The band has been touring steadily since last year, and is currently in the middle of a winter tour across the United States in support of last year's Saints of Los Angeles album. Motley's last stop in North Dakota was on the Carnival of Sins tour in 2005 when they brought the show to the Civic Center in Bismarck.

Concert Rumor Tidbits for the Summer

2009-02-24T19:40:00.003-06:00

Since there haven't been many real announcements to speak of, there are once again some new rumors circulating in the concert world, specifically in my part of the country. The Moondance Jam, arguably the best classic rock festival in the US, is reportedly in talks with several big-name bands: Whitesnake, Judas Priest, and Triumph. All three would bring droves of fans, particularly Whitesnake and Triumph, who haven't had much exposure in the area in recent years. A signing like this would also help to sell tickets for the event, which will take place from July 16 to July 18 in Walker, Minnesota.

Blues-based rockers Tesla have unraveled 13 tour dates in April in support of their new album Forever More, which was released last October. The dates are as follows:

April 1 - Fresno, CA - Warnors Theatre
April 2 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theatre
April 4 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
April 5 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
April 7 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
April 8 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
April 10 - Billings, MT - Shrine Auditorium
April 11 - Fargo, ND - The Venue
April 14 - Green Bay, WI - Meyer Theatre
April 15 - Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre
April 17 - Waukegan, IL - Genesee Theatre
April 18 - Fort Wayne, IN - Piere's
April 19 - Joliet, IL - Rialdo Square Theatre

Although the band's tour does roll into my home state on April 11, I won't be able to make it due to a conflict. As for other artists, Steve Miller fans will be happy to know that Steve and his band are planning another full tour for 2009. Check out his website's tour page on March 1, 2009, which is the planned date of announcement for his summer tour. Last but not least, Loverboy has over 20 tour dates planned for the spring and summer - don't miss these guys in concert! Here's a link to those dates.

New CDs from Lou Gramm and Survivor

2009-02-18T21:06:00.005-06:00

Late winter and spring seems to be the time that most bands decide to announce their recording of a new CD, and 2009 is no exception. Lou Gramm, the former vocalist of Foreigner who has been making a new career out of extensive solo touring, will release his brand new record on May 30. The album will be in a Christian Rock format, and according to Lou's website, it is in the mastering stages and will see a release through Spectra Records. Gramm battled a benign tumor in the late 1990s, which affected his ability to sing. This eventually led to his departure from Foreigner, a band in which his remarkable and original vocal style played an intricate role alongside the guitar and songwriting talents of Mick Jones. I will post more details on Lou's project as soon as they are available.

Survivor is a band that has seen many line-up changes, the most notable of which being the band's lead vocalist. While the soaring vocals Dave Bickler and Jimi Jamison brought the band to fame, former MSG frontman Robin McAuley has carried the torch since Jamison's departure in 2006. The band has performed approximately 50 shows with McAuley, and now a new album with this line-up is in the works. The rest of the band consists of Frankie Sullivan on guitar, Marc Droubay on drums, Michael Young on keyboards and guitars, and Billy Ozzello on bass. The bands forthcoming press release states that the band is "currently hard at work at studios in Chicago and Los Angeles on a new studio album which they hope to release by the end of the year." The album would be the band's first since 2006's Reach, which was a mixed assortment of new songs and songs first written in the mid-1990s. While Reach was a commercial disappointment, with the right promotion and exposure, Survivor has the potential to make a splash with the new record.

In touring news, more information has arisen about the two 3-band tours which will likely be the year's most prolific concert events from the classic era. The pairings taking shape are:

Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick
Styx/REO Speedwagon/38 Special

The only new information about these tours is that we are now aware of the likely opening acts, Cheap Trick and 38 Special respectively. Tour dates for these two should be released sometime in March.

Another New Album for Great White

2009-02-14T10:43:00.001-06:00

In 2007, 80s rockers Great White made a big comeback with their first album in 8 years titled Back to the Rhythm, a 25th anniversary world tour that carried into 2008, and a re-uniting of the classic line-up: Jack Russell, Michael Lardie, Mark Kendall, and Audie Desbrow. Now in 2009, the band shows no signs of slowing down as they announce the release of yet another new album titled Rising. The album will be released by Frontiers Records on March 13, and just like the classic Back to the Rhythm, you can expect Rising to deliver that unique Great White sound. The band has spent the past few months recording the album in the studio with their new bass player, Scott Snyder. According to keyboardist/guitarist Michael Lardie, "The new album was an extension of the affection we have for playing music together."

Singer Jack Russell said "The band is in great shape and everyone is excited about the new year. We can't wait to tour and play some of the new music live. Our new bass player Scott Snyder is a great guy and can really play. The stuff he wrote to our new music is awesome!"

Great White delivered a fantastic live performance last year at the Moondance Jam, and their creative energy will only make the shows get better and better. Look for this band on the road in 2009, they are not to be missed!

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Paired This Summer

2009-02-11T19:10:00.001-06:00

Guitar legend Eric Clapton has been touring almost non-stop for many years now, and this summer he will have a special guest joining him on the road in the form of the talented Steve Winwood. After collaborating at the 2007 Crossroads festival, the two English guitarists have decided to bring their talents together for a 14 city tour during the month of June. It's not known whether or not the tour will continue later into the summer, but for now the confirmed dates are as follows:

June 10 - East Rutherford, NJ
June 12 - Philadelphia, PA
June 13 - Washington, DC
June 15 - Columbus, OH
June 17 - Chicago, IL
June 18 - St. Paul, MN
June 20 - Omaha, NE
June 21 - Denver, CO
June 23 - Dallas, TX
June 24 - Houston, TX
June 26 - Glendale, AZ
June 27 - Las Vegas, NV
June 29 - Oakland, CA
June 30 - Los Angeles, CA

The tour is largely limited to the major markets of the United States and leaves out a significant chunk of the country, but I'm certain that both Clapton and Winwood will continue touring through the rest of the year either together or alone. I will likely be in attendance at the St. Paul show, which would be my second Eric Clapton and my first Steve Winwood performance. Clapton's live shows are not to be missed, his energy and sonic brilliance on stage are simply remarkable. The economy may be in tough shape, but you can't put a price on the amazing musical experience that Eric Clapton brings to the stage, and Steve Winwood's talent and catalog also adds to the value of the shows. This tour looks to be one of the summer's best offerings without a doubt.

Aside from the Clapton/Winwood tour, Motley Crue fans will be pleased to find out that Crue Fest 2, set for the summer of 2009, has been confirmed. A page with a countdown has been set up at this link. The announcement will take place on March 15, and North Dakota might just be on the itinerary this time around. Stay tuned!

Lastly, in a recent interview David Coverdale, the voice of Whitesnake, confirmed that the band does plan to tour the United States in 2009. The tour will begin some time after June 14, at which point the band plays the UK's Download Festival with Def Leppard. Whitesnake's last tour of the US was in 2005.

New Tour Dates for Billy Squier, Heart, Others

2009-02-03T17:13:00.000-06:00

It was a few weeks ago that I made known on this site that multi-platinum rocker Billy Squier would be hitting the road on his first major solo, plugged in performance tour in nearly 8 years. Last week, a chunk Squier's tour schedule was released in the form of 14 dates scattered across the Midwest and the Northeast of the United States. You can view all of Billy's confirmed shows at this link. Billy isn't the only artist who has a newly expanded tour schedule; joining him on the road this summer will be other acts like Heart and Night Ranger, both of whom have 15-16 dates planned for the rest of the year.

I've received several emails lately regarding the Def Leppard/Poison tour and whether or not it will actually take place. I can say for certain that the tour has been confirmed by the Def Leppard camp, but tour dates will likely take a few more weeks to be released, perhaps in March. I hope this clears up any questions!

Northern Rock Festival Line-Ups Take Shape

2009-02-02T12:05:00.000-06:00

It's only the first week of February, but three of the main rock festivals held in the northern United States are already unleashing a few of their line-up details. The Moondance Jam, held in Walker, Minnesota from July 16 to July 18 has signed Sheryl Crow for the 3-day festival. Sheryl isn't my cup of tea, but she will also be playing at Cadott, Wisconsin's Rock Fest, a four day festival held over the same weekend in July. While Rock Fest has strayed from its melodic/classic rock roots and taken a more alternative rock direction, Steve Miller has been signed as well, perhaps as the only act from the classic era.

While the aforementioned festivals have just released a handful of their bookings, the Dakota Rock Fest, held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on July 24th and 25th, has announced its entire line-up. 2009 will mark only the second Dakota Rock Fest, an event that got its start last year with two nights of melodic hard rock or so called "hair metal", featuring bands like FireHouse and Slaughter. This year, the line-up has expanded into the 1970s as April Wine and Head East are welcomed as headliners on Friday night. These two bands will be touring together quite often in 2009. On Saturday, the festival has booked one of my favorites, Dokken, along with White Lion, L.A. Guns, Skid Row, Bret Michaels, and Enuff Z'Nuff. I didn't attend the festival last year due to a conflict, and the same conflict may arise this year, but may attempt it this year if it becomes my only opportunity to see Dokken.

Well, there you have it! It may be three degrees below zero here in North Dakota as I write this, but the summer concert scene is definitely heating up.

2009 Concert Update

2009-01-26T20:50:00.002-06:00

Although the major tours for 2009 have yet to be announced, the rumor mill is in full swing as fans and bands alike build hype in the lead-up to their tour announcements. The Def Leppard/Poison tour broke through a couple weeks ago, and now it appears that Styx will be touring with REO Speedwagon and a third band. No official word is out yet, but both Styx and REO's spring tour schedules wrap up precisely on April 25, with a blank slate for the whole summer. A third band will likely join on this tour, and a third band will also be a part of the Def Leppard/Poison tour.

In other concert related news, Foreigner's PBS Soundstage performance aired last week, and it is a great thing to see this band back in action. With a new single and several TV appearances under their belt, Foreigner is kicking it into gear for 2009 with what will hopefully be their most successful tour in quite some time. The band was under the radar for nearly a decade, but appears to be staging a comeback. If you want to see clips or photos from the band's Soundstage performance, you can do so on PBS' website at this link. Also, keep an eye on the latest Foreigner tour dates on their official website. You do not want to miss one of their high energy shows! Lead singer Kelly Hansen is doing an incredible job of fronting the band, and there is great chemistry between guitarists Mick Jones, Jeff Pilson (formerly of Dokken) and Tom Gimbel on stage.

Lastly, the Moondance Jam, a rock festival held in Walker, Minnesota, will likely be making some band announcements in the near future so stay tuned!

AC/DC Concert Review - Fargo 2009

2009-01-18T19:07:00.001-06:00

The sold out AC/DC Black Ice tour continued last night with a stop in Fargo, North Dakota at the Fargodome. This was my second show for the tour, and it's clear that the band has been able to maintain the incredible amount of on-stage energy that I witnessed back in November. The opening act, an Irish group called The Answer, once again did a great job of getting the crowd warmed up. AC/DC made a great choice by picking this fresh and unique rock group for the tour's opener. Vocalist Cormac Neeson has a great stage presence and a voice quite reminiscent of Robert Plant. Once The Answer had finished, the Fargodome, packed with over 22,000 fans, erupted into a huge roar when AC/DC's introduction video began to play. The venue was lit up with thousands of glowing red devil horns throughout the evening as the Fargo crowd welcomed the Australian rockers back into town for the first time since 2001.

Although the band's set list hasn't changed at all on the tour, it does represent a great mix of old and new songs. "Back in Black", "Shoot to Thrill", "Thunderstruck", and all of the other radio hits were covered, along with five songs from the new album, Black Ice. The band was clearly on top of their game for the evening's performance, and although the tour is nearing it's half-way point, Brian Johnson's vocals still sound as good as ever. For more a more complete look on the Black Ice tour performance and the songs played, you can read my November 2008 review at this link.

I snapped plenty of additional shots to add to my growing collection of AC/DC photography, and you can see them at the link below. The American leg of the tour finishes up at the end of the month and the band then heads overseas for its European tour which stretches into June. AC/DC is rocking harder than ever, and their live set is simply top notch entertainment. They will no doubt continue to be heralded as one of the world's best live bands.

AC/DC - JANUARY 17, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY

Def Leppard and Poison Will Join Forces for Summer Tour

2009-01-13T21:44:00.001-06:00

There's a very interesting buzz going around in the concert world today, and that it all can be traced to a CNN interview with Bret Michaels in which he stated that Def Leppard and Poison, two of the biggest bands from the 1980s, would team up for a summer tour in 2009. Normally a touring package like this wouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Bands from the same era often pair together in order to increase ticket sales and awareness about their shows, but this pairing comes after a lengthy war of words that took place not even a year ago between frontmen Joe Elliot and Bret Michaels. The two singers engaged in a very public debate over image and musical style, but obviously the two groups have been able to patch up their differences. According to Andrew at MelodicRock.com, the tour will stop in approximately 40 cities, and my estimation puts the tour possibly starting as early as May.

I will of course post more updates on this as more information comes out, but for now the summer of 2009 is looking even more interesting with a rather unlikely combination hitting the road.

In other news, the Fleetwood Mac tour has been expanded into May 2009 with an addition of 30 dates. The full tour schedule is listed at this link; I will be attenting the March 3rd show in St. Paul.

Summer Tours for Billy Squier and Queensryche

2009-01-09T21:20:00.001-06:00

Now that it's 2009, some tour announcements for the summer of this year are starting to surface. Billy Squier will embark on his first full-blown tour in eight years, and Queensryche has announced an extensive spring and early summer tour throughout the United States. Although Squier hasn't yet made an official announcement of a tour and he doesn't have an official web site yet, the confirmation of the tour rumor came through the Northern Lights Casino in Walker, Minnesota, which lists him as a performer on June 27 and 28. Squier had an impressive array of hit songs and albums during the early 1980s, with two multi-platinum albums and over a dozen charting singles including "Rock Me Tonite" which landed at #1 on the Mainstream Rock charts. His fans will no doubt be excited to see him out on the road again for the first time with a non-acoustic set since 2001, when he toured with Bad Company and Styx.

Queensryche's 30-date tour scheduled for April and May will take them to various Houses of Blues, Casinos, and Theaters across the country, with a concentration on the east and west coasts. The tour is in promotion of their 12th studio album, American Soldier, which will be on shelves in March. They will once again be playing in Walker, Minnesota on May 3, 2009, having played the same venue in January of 2008 with an acoustic Don Dokken set for the opening act. I am planning on attending the Queensryche show, which will be my first time seeing the band. There are undoubtedly plenty of tour announcements on the way as the summer inches closer, and don't forget to check back at Melodic Rock Concerts for more AC/DC pictures and another concert review next week! I will be at my second show on January 17.

From 2008 into 2009

2008-12-31T18:01:00.000-06:00

Well, 2009 has finally arrived and it's time to reflect on the year that was 2008 - in terms of concerts, that is. I made so many great memories over the past year as I attended concerts, made new friends, and I've even been privileged enough to have some of my concert photography published as well. I can't narrow down my favorite concert of the year to just one show, but I will say that in terms of the overall experience before and after the shows, the Moondance Jam, Def Leppard and Billy Idol, and Boston and Styx are amazing memories that I enjoy thinking back on. I saw over 21 different acts during 2008, and I thoroughly enjoyed each one because every band did their best to put on a terrific show.

Most bands haven't announced their plans for 2009 yet, but there are a few bands like Fleetwood Mac and AC/DC that will be touring over the rest of the winter and into the spring. Of course the constant touring acts like Styx, Rick Springfield, and Starship will continue to tour non-stop from now into the summer. I'm excited about seeing some bands for the first time in 2009 - Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Scorpions, and Heart are a few of those bands that will hopefully come to my area in 2009.

Happy New Year everyone!

A Look at Rock Festivals for 2009

2008-12-13T17:05:00.000-06:00

Rock festivals have been around for decades, but only recently have they experienced a surge in popularity. One of the first modern festivals seeking to bring in bands from music's best era was the Moondance Jam in Walker, Minnesota, which started in 1992. Although the Jam didn't fully develop with national bands until 1997, it is now one of the nation's best classic rock festivals with 4 nights of unforgettable bands and songs. In 2007, a new trend began with Rocklahoma, a massive festival that saw an influx of 100,000 people to see bands from the 1980s Dokken, FireHouse, and Ratt, and the comeback of lesser known bands like Steelheart. With Rocklahoma's amazing success, it didn't take long for a bunch of similar festivals to be born.

2008 saw new festivals like the Dakota Rock Fest, South Texas Rock Fest, Rock the Bayou, Aberdeen Rock Fest, and 2009 will see a new festival called Rock Gone Wild in central Iowa. With all of these new festivals, many occurring on the same weekend, it can be hard to decide which to attend, not to mention the dilemma of finding enough bands to fill all of the slots. Despite the difficulties, the abundance of rock festivals featuring classic rock and melodic rock is an indicator that fans new and old are still coming out in large numbers to see these great bands.

Aside from rock festivals, I have added a new feature to the Melodic Rock Concerts blog - the Concert Calendar Archive. Just click the large text on the right panel and you will be taken to an archive of my concert reviews and photography, sorted by date. I will always be adding to it as I attend future shows, and it will also be an easy way to look back into past shows.

Fleetwood Mac's First Tour in Five Years

2008-12-05T18:46:00.002-06:00

Rock veterans Fleetwood Mac have announced the band's first tour in five years. While only 15 dates have been announced so far, the tour will continue into the late spring and summer of 2009. Absent from the tour will be Christie McVie, who left the band after the tour in support of Fleetwood's 1997 album The Dance. Core members Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, and John McVie however will all be along for the ride of likely sold-out shows across the country. I will be attending the band's second tour date, in St. Paul at the Xcel Energy Center, on March 3.

In other touring news, West Fargo's Red River Valley Fair is already gearing up for 2009. The Fair always delivers at least one great rock band each year, and next year will be no exception. Survivor will take the stage on Friday, July 11. Some more bands maybe added to the bill as time goes on; 2008 featured three bands on one night: Dokken, Slaughter, and Blue Oyster Cult. There is one change for 09's RRVF, however - it will be held three weeks later than usual. I'm not sure as to the reason for the change.

In May, Prairie Knights Casino in Fort Yates, ND will feature Nazareth and Molly Hatchet. Although both bands lack a significant number of original members, I will reserve judgment until I actually see the show. There are fun times ahead on the concert scene in 2009, and these December announcements are a taste of things to come.

New Logo, New Tours

2008-12-01T18:27:00.001-06:00

My blog looks a little bit different now, thanks to a new logo! The logo was designed by Chad over at Chad's Concert Pix. Thanks Chad! I think it adds a little more activity to the site and makes it more eye-catching. In concert news, Heart has announced several tour dates extending into June of 2009. The tour will be billed as the "Heart Human 2009 Tour" and I'm assuming that it will run throughout the summer. This is a good indicator that Heart will not be part of any "package tours" for 2009, which I think is a good thing for Heart fans who prefer a longer set, even if they may not be able to fill the large arenas.

Both Styx and The Doobie Brothers have about 10-20 dates a piece planned for early 2009, with tours likely to continue into the summer. Rumors about a Whitesnake tour for 2009 are still unconfirmed, as well as a Dokken tour for later in the winter.

AC/DC Concert Review - St. Paul 2008

2008-11-24T18:25:00.001-06:00

It's not every day that you get the chance to see an iconic rock band like AC/DC, and all over world fans have been responding to that notion by buying every AC/DC ticket up for grabs and selling out nearly every show. It's been over seven years since the band has taken the stage, and they are back in a big way in 2008 with a new album and a new tour that sees the band performing another high energy set filled with energetic guitars, menacing vocals, and larger than life props. 28 years have passed since Brian Johnson took over on lead vocals, but yet the band performs today with just as much energy as they had on every tour in the past. Sure, they have aged, but AC/DC is still rocking in full force.

AC/DC is one of those bands that you just have to see live at least once, so when they announced their first tour dates in almost a decade it was impossible to pass the show up. We got our tickets through the band's fan club, and immediately reaped the benefits of being a member when we got our tickets in the 2nd row. When we arrived at the show, we discovered that the stage layout actually cuts off the 1st row about 5 seats in, so our central 2nd row seats turned out to be front row after all. The opening band, The Answer, kicked in right on time at 7:30, and I was very impressed with their overall performance. Lead singer Cormac Neeson has a Robert Plant-like style on stage with powerful vocals and matching gestures. They played a six song set and left the stage at 8:00.

The AC/DC Rock 'n' Roll Train intro video played at 8:30, and the band burst out onto the stage a few minutes later with their new hit single from the album Black Ice. The band was cranked up to 10 all night, both in volume and in energy. Brian Johnson's voice, which by definition takes on a rough and scratchy sound that makes AC/DC recognizable, was worn but still powerful. Some critics have questioned his singing ability after all these years, but he proved the critics wrong by delivering an impressive performance, and the screaming St. Paul crowd would agree. Angus Young is the band's central focus, a true guitar hero who is instantly recognizable with his schoolboy costume and his wild struts across the stage. He somehow summons an amazing amount of energy each night to please the crowd with his signature style.

The band's set list was a great mix of the old and the new, and according to Brian Johnson, the fact that 5 new songs from Black Ice have been added to the set is an indication of the album's quality. Nearly all the classics like "Back in Black" and "Shoot to Thrill" were covered, and of course the appropriate stage props were always present. A massive Rosie sat atop the Rock 'n' Roll Train and tapped her foot to the beat during "Whole Lotta Rosie", and the cannons fired off during the closing song "For Those About to Rock". The crowd adjusted to the new material quite well, and a good number of fans were able to sing a long to all of the new songs, which is another measure of the album's success on the charts.

Although the spotlights shined on Young and Johnson for most of the show, rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, drummer Phil Rudd, and bassist Cliff Williams are not to be forgotten. All three have been with the band since the 1970s, with the exception of Rudd who was replaced for a decade in 1983. With no other line-up changes since 1980, AC/DC is a rarity in rock music, and the presence of such an original line-up on stage makes the band even more genuine.

The show lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes, and by the time it was over we all were satisfied with the long performance. AC/DC's Black Ice tour is not to be missed, and it may even be the last chance to experience one of their shows. Prepare for a very loud and energetic show that will make you remember why you are an AC/DC fan. Check out all the pictures below!

AC/DC - NOVEMBER 23, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY

New Motley Crue Tour Dates, AC/DC Show on Sunday

2008-11-16T14:44:00.001-06:00

Motley Crue launched a new album and a new tour in 2008, and the band has now announced that the Saints of Los Angeles Tour will continue into 2009. You can see the band's 29-date winter touring schedule at this link. They will be rolling into St. Paul on February 18, and the rest of the dates are focused on the Midwest and the East Coast of the United States. I will be sitting this tour out because of the timing and the amount of driving involved, but I'm sure the band will do very well financially on this run. They are bringing along two newer bands, which will help Motley Cure by increasing ticket sales as well as their exposure to a younger audience.

I will be seeing AC/DC in concert one week from now in St. Paul. The reviews of the band's shows thus far have been overwhelmingly positive, and I am looking forward to my chance to write a review, and of course get some great pictures. Check back here on the 24th for a full report on the performance.

Jimi Jamison - Crossroads Moment Review

2008-11-06T19:37:00.001-06:00

One of the finest voices in melodic rock is back in action: Jimi Jamison. His first album in nearly 9 years is aptly titled Crossroads Moment, and it marks the magnificent return of the singer-songwriter duo of Jimi Jamison and Jim Peterik for the first time since the 1980s. From the first track to the last, the album is packed with hard-rocking classics, amazing riffs, a few soulful ballads, and of course the amazing voice of Jimi Jamison which sounds as if a day hasn't passed since Too Hot to Sleep. Crossroads Moment is one of the best albums of 2008 without a doubt.

The album starts off with an amazing rocker called "Battersea". Blazing guitars and keyboards create a deep and full sound, and Jimi lets you know that he is back in full force. "Can't Look Away" sets a moodier tone and is a mid-tempo rock song with a great raw guitar sound. "Make Me a Believer" jumped out at me right away, it has an amazing chorus that will have just about anyone singing, and the pulsing keyboards are reminiscent of Toto's "Hold the Line".

The title track is a catchy song with a great guitar sound, and "Bittersweet" turns it down a notch with powerful vocals from Jimi and a slower tempo. "Behind the Music" starts out as a slower song, but don't let it fool you - it's one of the best rockers on the album and it showcases Jimi's amazing vocal ability. "Lost" is a mid-tempo song with a driving guitar tone and heartfelt vocals. Sqealing guitars sound the intro to "Love the World Away", a hook-filled song with a great bridge and fantastic vocals throughout. "She's Nothing to Me" is another rocker with a more modern feel, but it fits Jimi's voice in a great way. Jimi himself said that "As Is" brought him to tears, and his souful vocals and the pounding beat of the song make it a standout track.

"Till the Morning Comes" is an impressive song that sounds like it could have come right off of Survivor's 1986 album When Seconds Count. It has a fantastic guitar solo and ends with a catchy sing-along chorus. "That's Why I Sing" is another track with a modern approach and a chorus that simply sounds like classic Survivor. "Friends We Never Met" is a song that goes out to the millions of concert-goers around the world, and "When Rock Was King" also reflects on the concert experience by bringing in Mickey Thomas, Mike Reno, Dave Bickler, Don Barnes, Joe Lynn Turner, and Jim Peterik as guest vocalists. It's a great tribute to the 1980s - big dreams, big hair, big visions.

The album's two bonus tracks are "Alive" (European) and "Streets of Heaven" (Japanese). Both are mid-tempo gems written about the topics of life and death, respectively.

Jimi Jamison, Jim Peterik, and everyone else involved have accomplished something special with Crossroads Moment. I'm still amazed at the raw power of Jimi's voice on this record, and I'm very eager to see him out on the road in 2009. This album is a must have for anyone who appreciates great music!

Who Will Tour in 2009?

2008-10-31T19:28:00.000-05:00

Now that 2008 is nearing its end, it's time to look ahead into 2009 to see which bands will be hitting the road. Def Leppard, Styx, AC/DC, Journey, Motley Crue, Cinderella, Ratt, FireHouse, and many others all have either announced dates for a 2009 tour or are rumored to be plotting one. ACDC's new album is at #1 and their tour dates are selling out at record pace. Styx will be ringing in the New Year in Tempe, AZ, and then hitting the road in February. Motley Crue is rumored to be planning another tour for the winter of 2009, and Cinderella and Ratt are reportedly hooking up for a summer tour. FireHouse will be in India this December, no doubt playing for thousands of fans, and are planning more dates in the spring of 2009. There is still no news as to whether or not Whitesnake will return to the United States for what would be their first major tour of the country in nearly six years, but I'm hopeful that a co-headlining deal with Def Leppard can be worked out for the late spring or summer.

Dokken may also be planning a tour this winter. Their website states: "Look for a major tour announcement soon!" I will definitely be looking for that announcement, and so will a lot of other Dokken fans. It is still unclear whether Boston will tour again in 2009 after their successful run this past summer with Styx. Michael Sweet and Tommy DeCarlo, the group's new co-lead singers, did a great job of singing the catalog and filling the huge void left by the tragic death of Brad Delp. Sweet may want to return to his own band Stryper, however, and DeCarlo might not want the full spotlight.

In other news, melodic rock legends Jimi Jamison and Jim Peterik have teamed up for the first time since 1988 to record Jimi's first solo album in over 9 years. The album, titled Crossroads Moment, is simply one of the best releases ever made in the genre, and it will be available through Frontiers Records on November 8. Jimi's voice is in pristine condition after all these years and it is amazing to hear his voice once again. I will be doing a full review of the album in a few days so be sure to check back.

ACDC Expands American Tour into 2009

2008-10-04T12:03:00.000-05:00

After announcing 26 tour dates last month and enjoying sold-out success nationwide, ACDC has added 16 more dates to their first American tour in nearly 8 years. The dates include an additional stop in St. Paul at the Xcel Energy Center as well as a new date in Fargo, North Dakota at the Fargodome. I already have 2nd row seats to see the band on November 23 in St. Paul and I will be picking up another pair of tickets to see them in Fargo on January 17. The additional St. Paul show, although scheduled two months later, will give a second chance to the fans who were faced with being unable to get tickets to the first show. The Fargo date is a bit unusual since Fargo has a small population compared to some of the other major markets ACDC is touring in, but the venue sold out when the band took the stage there in 2001. The venue is hoping for another sold out show this time around, which would translate to 21,000 people.

Outside of ACDC, the fall and early winter season is looking very quiet as far as concerts are concerned here in the North Dakota/Minnesota area. The local casinos are rather void of activity and unlike Minnesota, cities in North Dakota no longer have small venues that bring in shows. But in 2009 I think a great year of melodic rock concerts lies ahead. Bands like Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Night Ranger, Journey, FireHouse, Cinderella, The Doobie Brothers, and Rick Springfield are all likely to be hitting the road on major tours. There might even be a few surprise re-united bands on the road next year, who knows what the future holds. For now things are a bit dormant but expect to hear a lot of buzz in the spring about the summer concerts ahead.

Ides of March Concert Review

2008-09-20T16:32:00.001-05:00

There aren't many bands touring today whose history dates back to the 1960s, but The Ides of March is one of those rare groups. The band, fronted by songwriting legend Jim Peterik, also includes Chuck Soumar and John Larson on Trumpets, Dave Stahlberg on Trombone, Scott May on keyboards, Mike Borch on drums, Bob Bergland on bass, and Larry Millas on guitar. The Ides had an incredibly full sound and the vocal harmonies on songs like "L.A. Goodbye" were simply fantastic. The entire show was unforgettable and the music is truly timeless.

The band played for nearly two hours and from beginning to end it was a very energetic performance of one of the most diverse set lists you could possibly imagine. Spanning five decades, it included the band's first hit from 1966, the vocal-driven "You Wouldn't Listen", all the way up to 2006 with "Live Life", the first track on Jim Peterik's solo album titled Above the Storm. Keeping with the high energy feel, Jim dove right into the crowd during one of his guitar solos and brought the show up close to everyone in the audience.

Jim's guitar collection was also a sight to see, and he also gave us the story behind the Survivor mega-hit "Eye of the Tiger", by re-enacting his phone call from Sylvester Stallone. All of the band's members had their chance to shine throughout the show, demonstrating that they are among the most skilled musicians still touring today. The brass section was perfectly incorporated into the hits like "Eye of the Tiger", and on the band' s biggest hit, "Vehicle" from 1970, the band got the audience to sing along to that famous brass riff.

Not only did I get to see such an incredible group in concert, but I also got to meet with them and that was a time I won't soon forget. The band was very generous with their time and they are always appreciative of their fans. The Ides of March are a true gem in the world of touring bands. They're outstanding musicianship sets them apart as a class act that fans of all ages can enjoy.

THE IDES OF MARCH - SEPTEMBER 20, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY

Journey/Cheap Trick Concert Review

2008-09-17T21:31:00.001-05:00

I just got back home after the 7 hour drive from Minneapolis to Bismarck and I can tell you that the show was well worth the long trip. It was kind of a last minute decision but I'm glad I was able to make it to see tour. I took my Aunt to the show and we both had a great time, and even got to meet some other die-hard Journey fans who had seen the band over 15 times. There were also a lot of younger fans like myself in the audience, and the venue was truly packed for this show.

Cheap Trick played for 1 hour and rolled through all of their expected radio hits like "I Want You to Want Me" and "Dream Police". Guitarist Rick Nielsen was a good frontman, apart from some unwanted political remarks halfway through the show. He asked the Minneapolis crowd: "There was some sort of convention here a few weeks ago, right? They just came, they weren't invited." He showed off his interesting guitar collection and vocalist Robin Zander refused to take off his cowboy hat throughout the show. Bassist Tom Petersson meanwhile almost looked like a mad scientist on stage with a white coat and frazzled long hair. Although I'm not a fan of the group, their sound quality was very good and they did a great job of sounding just like they do on the record.

Journey was up next and the venue became even more packed when the lights began to dim. I would estimate that at least 10,000 were in attendance when the band appeared on the video screens during their walk to the stage. They broke into a new song, "Never Walk Away" to start off the show, and the crowd accepted it almost as if it was an old hit. Armed with a new singer from the Phillipines, Arnel Pineda, the band's sound was at it's absolute best. Not only did they sound great throughout the set, but they were clearly having the time of their lives on stage. Bassist Ross Valory's personality shined through as he continually made quirky facial expressions to the first few rows of the crowd, and with my seat in the 5th row being directly in front of Ross I had a good view of his funny antics.

Jonathan Cain spent more time on guitar than usual, but the crowd went wild when he played the piano intro to "Open Arms" halfway through the set. Arnel's voice was in top shape and the rest of the band was playing like they were in their prime. Neal was the incredible guitarist that he always is, and we actually could have used a longer solo. The set list was a good balance of the band's material from their prime, along with 3 new songs and a good amount of older classics including "Feeling That Way/Anytime" which was just recently added to the set. The band has changed the set list significantly since playing their first show with Arnel in February at the Vina del Mar festival in Chile. Rockers "Rubicon", "Edge of the Blade", and "Chain Reaction" were all played in Chile but at this point in the tour are no longer played.

The band had a very good sound mix and although the Target Center isn't a great sounding venue the band did shine through with their audio quality. In all of the interviews done surrounding the tour, new album, and new singer, the band's longtime members have stated that they are sounding the best that they have in years, and I do believe it after seeing last night's show even though it was only my 2nd Journey concert. Arnel is a great asset to the band and fits in great with the tradition of amazing Journey vocalists. Be sure to check out the pictures I took below:

JOURNEY - SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY
CHEAP TRICK - September 16, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY

AC/DC Announces Dates, Journey Concert on Tuesday

2008-09-13T16:59:00.001-05:00

AC/DC has finally announced their first tour dates in eight years, starting off the Black Ice tour in Wilkes-Barre, PA on October 18 and finishing in December. The tour does include a date in St. Paul, MN at the Xcel Energy Center, which I will be able to attend. I expect many of these shows to sell out, so it might be a struggle getting good seats. In my last post I speculated about a AC/DC/Whitesnake tour this fall, and obviously this is not taking place. There has been new talk about a Def Leppard/Whitesnake double-bill this spring, taking place in the US instead of the UK as it did earlier this year. The tour was incredibly successful across the pond, and Whitesnake is well overdue for an American tour, so I do hope this works out. Singer David Coverdale recently did an interview with Bob Coburn on Rockline, you can give it a listen at this link.

I will be heading out on Monday night for the Journey concert in Minneapolis set for September 16. The show will not feature Heart, but will still have openers Cheap Trick. This will be my second time seeing Journey, and my first time seeing them with new singer Arnel Pineda. Check back in a few days for pictures and video and of course a review of the show.

Fall Concert Outlook - ACDC/Whitesnake 2008?

2008-08-24T20:24:00.000-05:00

Summer is winding down and a lot of the season's major tours are now wrapping up. Def Leppard is finishing their tour of the States tonight, Boston will complete their first tour in four years at the end of the month, Dokken and Poison are playing their last few dates together, and even the Red Rocker will be playing his last show of the season this Saturday. There are a few tours that will extend into September, and one of those is the Journey/Heart/Cheap Trick tour. Journey has returned this year with a new singer in the form of Arnel Pineda, a new tour of the United States, and a new album titled Revelation that is nearing Platinum certification from the RIAA.

The closest date to my backyard is six hours away in Minneapolis, MN at the Target Center, but unfortunately Heart won't be in the line-up. I'm not sure why this is so since Heart has no other conflicts, but it is what it is. I'm still planning on attending the show, set for September 16, so be sure to check back here later for a review and hopefully some pictures from the show.

The Ides of March, not Survivor as originally scheduled, will be playing at the Stickney Auditorium in Dickinson on September 20. Jim Peterik is a legend of the Melodic Rock genre, so I'm very excited for the show and the opportunity to meet Peterik and the rest of the group.

Whitesnake is another band with a new album out this year, and the packaging it lets the buyer know that they will be able to "see Whitesnake on tour in Autumn 2008!" The band has yet to announce a single date in the United States, but I have my hopes high. ACDC is another group that has yet to announce their tour schedule for the fall here in the America, which raises the question - will ACDC tour with Whitesnake this fall? I hadn't even considered the possibiltiy until a friend of mine mentioned it, but I think that this kind of a tour would work out very well. Only time will tell what will happen, but I would expect an announcement from at least one of the bands sometime in early September.

Def Leppard and Billy Idol Concert Review

2008-08-14T16:52:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you take two of the biggest hit makers of the 1980s and put them on stage for one night? In my case, it was an absolutely incredible rock concert featuring one of my favorite bands - Def Leppard, and America's favorite rebel rocker - Billy Idol. I wasn't even expecting to be able to go to the show, since it was originally scheduled for April but postponed due to illness in the Def Leppard camp. But just two weeks ago some tickets became available and we ended up with the best seats in the house - right in at the end of Def Leppard's thrust where we were able to stand with our heads hanging over the stage.

Billy Idol began his set right on time by ripping into the 1990 hit "Cradle of Love", and it didn't take long for the instantly recognizable Steve Stevens to make his way down the thrust and pose for a picture just a few inches away from my face during his guitar solo. Billy Idol seemed ageless as he pumped his fist and sneered just as he did in all those now famous MTV videos during the decade that he dominated. After playing several recognizable hits, Billy sang his way through two new tracks: John Wayne and New Future Weapon, both of which fit into his set perfectly and are great additions to his catalog. Billy made his first trip down the thrust during "Eyes Without a Face", during which he took time to greet all of his eager fans. He shook my hand and smiled at me for several seconds - in fact he gave almost all of us in the front long periods eye contact during the song.
The set continued with Idol classics like "Blue Highway" and the cover song "L.A. Woman" which Billy dubbed "Winnipeg Woman" for the crowd. Billy ended his set with a Generation X track called "Ready Steady Go" and his signature piece - "Rebel Yell". At the end of the show he came down right in front of me once more and even posed for a picture right in front of me. Def Leppard couldn't have asked for a better opening act, and in fact it almost felt like the show was over when Idol left and we were left in awe of getting so close to one of rock's legends.

We finally settled down for a few minutes and grabbed some water, but before long the Sparkle Lounge "digital curtain" was drawn and we knew it was time to rock. The introduction video played and before we knew it Joe Elliot ran out onto the thrust and yelled "Guitar! Drums!". The crowd screamed and the show was off to a thundering start with their 1987 smash hit "Rocket". The band didn't waste time getting out on the thrust - guitarist Phil Collen was playing right in our faces during the guitar solos of "Rocket" and "Animal". Meanwhile, Joe Elliot was seemingly everywhere on the stage at the same time; he was constantly moving around, playing the crowd, and delivering the best vocal performance I've ever seen from him. He made no attempt to avoid any high notes - in fact he nailed every single one of them almost effortlessly.

The crowd was loud as ever and very receptive even to the new material - "C'Mon C'Mon" and "Nine Lives", the first two singles from Leppard's new album Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, were both played live during the opening half of the set. The barrage of hits continued with "Love Bites", and Rick "Sav" Savage got his chance to shine during "Rock On", from the band's 2006 cover song album. Then came the highly anticipated acoustic set, in which Joe, Vivian, Phil, and Rick all made their way to the very end of the thrust and played right in front of us. I could hardly get any pictures because the band was literally too close. I did snap this one of Vivian though, just to give you an idea of how close our row was able to gather up with the band. It was paradise for a Def Leppard fan like myself to have the band right in front of me.

They continued on with an acoustic introduction to "Bringin' on the Heartbreak", and then plugged it back in for "Switch 625", which showcased the raw talent of guitarists Collen and Campbell, who of course still play without shirts even as they approach middle age. It was non-stop singalong hits like "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Armageddon It" for the remainder of the set as Rick Allen pounded the drums and Joe Elliot sang his parts and even passed the microphone to Collen and Campbell when they each took a short break from their smoking guitar solos to sing a line or two. After those four magical words from Rick Allen, the band tore into "Rock of Ages" and then left the stage to leave the fans screaming for more.

No doubt to the surprise of some, the band opened their encore with a new track - "Bad Actress", which began with Joe at the end of the thrust with white spotlights shining on us. The song is performed slightly slower live than it is on the CD, but since it's such a fast paced song overall that's probably not a bad thing. After finishing the new song, Joe asked us the question: "Do You Wanna Get Rocked?", the famous intro to "Let's Get Rocked", which ended the incredible performance. After the song, the band abandoned their guitars, drums, and microphones and came down at the end of the thrust to shake all of our hands. The crowd went wild and a few tried to force their way through to get to the band. They thanked the Winnipeg crowd for coming out, and since it was the last date of Leppard's Canadian tour, it was also a goodbye to Canada. The band stayed out and continued to shake hands for several minutes, and judging by the crowd they could have stayed there all night and the cheers would have continued. Of course, they did have to go since they are a rock band after all, and the incredible evening finally ended.

It was nothing short of amazing to be able to get so close to a legendary group like Def Leppard and of course Billy Idol. I hope the band continues to use the thrust at their shows because it gets the band right out into the crowd, and in my case - right over my head. The two make a great combination and I think this pairing would work very well on a more extensive tour. I definitely got my Def Leppard fix with this show - it hopefully will hold me over until next year. If you can get out to see the band on the Sparkle Lounge tour, don't hesitate. They're sounding just as they do on the albums, and there's nothing like watching Phil Collen shred a guitar solo or Joe Elliot nailing a high note just feet away.

BILLY IDOL - AUGUST 13, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
DEF LEPPARD - AUGUST 13, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY

Heading to Winnipeg

2008-08-12T19:36:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow I'll be heading to Winnipeg, Manitoba for the Def Leppard and Billy Idol concert at the MTS Centre. It will be my first time at the venue and also my first Billy Idol concert, but it will be my 3rd time seeing the one and only Def Leppard. I can't wait for the show and I'm hoping to get some great pictures of both acts that you'll of course be able to view here on the site.

In the few shows that the two powerhouse melodic rock acts have done together, the reviews have so far been outstanding, although apparently Def Leppard's Joe Elliot needs to have his microphone turned up. Hopefully they will fix the sound issues before tomorrow's performance.

Alice Cooper Concert Review

2008-08-06T12:47:00.000-05:00

It's not too often that a big name rock star comes to my hometown of Bismarck, North Dakota these days, but when it does happen it is not to be missed. With Alice Cooper's massive yearly touring schedule, he was bound to stop in sooner or later, and that time happened to be last night. After playing dozens of shows overseas, Cooper kicked off his American tour on August 3 at the Sturgis Bike Rally. Since he had some time off before his Bismarck appearence on August 5, he decided to spend the day before the show hanging around the city. Some friends of mine had a Cooper sighting at the Kirkwood Mall in Bismarck, but unfortunately I wasn't in the area. It's not every day that Alice Cooper hangs out at the local shopping center, but according to people I spoke with he acted like an "everyday guy".

As for the show itself, we were able to get some great seats through Ticketmaster, which doesn't happen too often. After the opening band "Tat" finished their set, we sat and waited for Alice. The piano intro played with a giant red curtain draped in front of the stage, and as soon as it dropped the man himself came out and kicked off the show with "It's Hot Tonight". Looking just the same as he always has, Alice Cooper paraded around the stage with his wide array of props including batons, swords, canes, and crutches. In the front row there was almost no distance between us and Alice, so he had plenty of fun giving us his trademark angry stares and mocking expressions. Although the full space of the Civic Center wasn't utilized for the show, the 2-3,000 people that were there gradually became more and more involved as the show went on.

The stage props were amusing, ranging from a dead corpse during "Cold Ethyl" to dead babies during none other than "Dead Babies". In addition to Cooper and his stage antics, his band was equally impressive. Of course the band's most notable members are Keri Kelli and Eric Singer, the latter of which is also the drummer for Kiss. Kelli has played with dozens of groups including Warrant, Ratt, and L.A. Guns. Jason Hook on guitar and Chuck Garric on bass rounded off the line-up. Alice's daughter Calico even finds work in the family business as a dancer and actress on the stage.

In all, Alice tore through 24 songs, most of which were from his early years in the 1970s. In fact, he only played one song in total from the 1980s - "Poison". "Welcome to My Nightmare" included a stage full of zombies, "Dirty Diamonds" saw Alice handing out silver necklaces to the crowd, "Elected" saw an on-stage battle between Hillary and Obama mask-bearers, and of course "School's Out" featured Alice in his trademark white hat and coat. Last but not least, Cooper was even hung on the guillotine following his assault of the "dead babies". The band sounded very tight on all of Cooper's hits, and there was a great instrumental break following "Halo of Flies" including a drum solo from Eric Singer.

Cooper has a great stage presence and he knows how to entertain an audience with his wild on-stage antics and props. He's been doing it for 40 years, and I can see him doing it for many more. I was able to get some great pictures of the show, and you can see them at the link below.

ALICE COOPER - AUGUST 5, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY

My Photography in the Boston Globe

2008-08-01T18:41:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite parts of going to a rock concert is taking pictures. When I went to see Boston, one of my favorite bands last month in Minnesota, little did I know that the pictures I took would end up all over the internet. It all began when I was contacted by the individual in charge of Tommy DeCarlo's Myspace page. DeCarlo, a former Home Depot employee, has made headlines for becoming Boston's new co-lead singer and living his dream to the fullest. Anyway, they wanted to use one of my pictures on his Myspace page, and I gladly agreed as long as I was credited. You can now see the picture on the page, which has had nearly 200,000 views.

Earlier this week I was contacted by a journalist at the Boston Globe, who needed a picture for a feature story on DeCarlo. I was thrilled so I of course agreed, and now in today's paper (Friday, August 1), you can see two of my pictures. A picture of Tommy appears as a teaser on the Music feature page, and a full shot of the band is available in the article itself. I was told that my pictures also appear in the print edition, but I have no means of obtaining a copy. It's very exciting to have my pictures appearing alongside my favorite musicians, it doesn't get better than that as a concert photographer! (LINK TO ARTICLE)

One more item of note on this topic. My photo of Boz Scaggs taken on July 12 at the Moondanec Jam in Walker, MN is now featured on the front page of his official fan community, you can view it here.

Upcoming August Shows

2008-07-31T18:36:00.000-05:00

Just a few weeks ago I only had one concert solidified for August, but now it looks like several might be in the works. Alice Cooper will be in my home town of Bismarck next Tuesday, and beyond that things may be lining up for a trip to Winnipeg to see Billy Idol and Def Leppard on August 13. I'm a huge Def Leppard fan but I also love Billy Idol, so it is a great double bill. Idol almost came to the Moondance Jam and it would have been better to see him in that setting, but I'll setttle for this without a question. Def Leppard has a new album out this year titled "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge". I'll admit that I'm not particuarly fond of it, but it's great to see them putting out new material nonetheless.

If things work out this will be my third time seeing the band, and my first time seeing Billy. Def Leppard is undeniably one of the biggest bands of the 1980s, in fact they sold more albums in that decade than any other band that I can think of. Billy Idol is a true legend and will be a treat to see live.

Above: My photo as Def Leppard plays the North Dakota State Fair on July 26, 2007

Boston Concert Review

2008-07-19T20:18:00.000-05:00

Well, after the incredible rush of the Moondance Jam, I was off to another concert just 4 days later. Boston and Styx are halfway through their massive nationwide tour and after first seeing the duo back in June at the Grand Casino, and then seeing Styx at Moondance, it was off to yet another casino to see Boston again. Both shows are possible because the bands have parted ways for a brief period in mid-July. Strangely, this Boston show took place at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, Minnesota, a venue that only seats about 1,500. After playing for tens of thousands at outdoor festivals and 5-10,000 at massive arenas, this was probably the smallest venue Boston has played in years. I'm not sure how the Casino managed to book such a popular band, but they did.
Since there were so few seats available, the show became sold out in a matter of hours, and since the tickets were available by phone only, we got stuck on hold for a "such a long time" and ended up near row 30. Since we weren't thrilled with our seat locations after entering the venue, we decided to offer a seat trade to a couple of people who had been given free tickets from the casino in Row 8. They weren't Boston fans, so they agreed. The show got started quite suddenly at 8:15 when the lights dimmed and "just another band out of Boston" rolled onto the stage with the Star Spangled Banner, and "I Had a Good Time". They continued on through their set, and eventually we were able to make it into the center of the 4th row with some clever maneuvering.

Once we made it to this location, we noticed a remarkable improvement in the sound quality, and for the rest of the show we were in concert heaven with Boston performing just a few feet in front of us. There were several noticeable changes in the band since I last saw them a month ago. First, Tommy DeCarlo has improved greatly on his stage image and presence. He was much more confident on stage and his clothing this time made him look more like a rock star. At the same time, however, Michael Sweet sang on more material during the show than he did last month. This is probably because DeCarlo is reportedly recovering from a cold, though. The band sounded incredible that night and even in such a small venue they were able to work the crowd quite nicely. Still though, it felt odd seeing a band like Boston on such a small stage. It was almost like watching Def Leppard play in a basement, and when the band was gone it was hard to believe that they were ever on that tiny stage. We went on a search for guitar picks after the last notes of "Smokin'" rang out, and instead of finding one on the floor, someone walked right up and handed me one of Tom's Scholz guitar picks.

Initially I was too surprised to react, but I immediately recongized her from other fan photos as Kim Scholz, wife of guitarist Tom Scholz. Before she walked away I asked if it was her, and we engaged in a quick conversation. We obviously wanted to get backstage with the band, so we hinted around to that a bit. After talking, she took a handmade guitar backstage for the band to sign. A few minutes later she returned with the guitar signed, and its owners couldn't be more thrilled as they hugged and thanked her. She then told us that she didn't have the authority to get us back with the band, but we waited around anyway after she left. 15 minutes later, when we were just about ready to leave, we saw her through the window of the backstage door again. She came back out and shook her head, and confirmed that we couldn't get backstage. She took my Dad's Boston shirt to be signed though, and minutes later it came back signed by Tom Scholz himself.

We thanked her and then left with a great concert memory. Although the venue was strict with pictures and I was only able to sneak a few, the thrill of almost meeting Boston made up for it. Maybe next time it will work out for us a little better.

BOSTON - JULY 16, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY

Moondance Jam Review - Saturday

2008-07-15T21:24:00.001-05:00

Saturday was the grand finale to the incredible Moondance Jam Sizzln' 17. It was a slow build up for me since I'm not a fan of the Gear Daddies or Kenny Wayne Shepherd, but both acts put on a nice show. The Gear Daddies aren't my style at all so I really can't write an objective review here. (I'm a melodic rocker, not a folk rocker.) Kenny Wayne is an incredible talent and his band helps him showcase his amazing skills on the stage. Since this wasn't Shepherd's first time at the Jam, it might be a good idea in the future to mix things up a bit by bringing some other guitar virtuosos in, perhaps Joe Satriani or Steve Vai.

Then at 8:59 PM, the madness began with the legendary Styx taking the stage. The band opened with one of rock's best keyboard riffs - "Blue Collar Man", and they continued through the night with a parade of hits including "Suite Madame Blue", "Lady", "Foolin' Yourself", and so many more. The band is a well-oiled touring machine and every member is very animated on stage. Tommy Shaw's voice was incredible as always, but great also were the voices of James "JY" Young and last but certainly not least Lawrence Gowan, who had the tough job of covering the DeYoung tracks. Nearly every Styx hit involved the three guitarists: Shaw, Young, and Ricky Phillips, getting together for a great jam in the middle of the stage.

This was my second time seeing Styx in just a month - the first was at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota. I was amazed both times, particularly at Moondance when they added three more songs to the set: "Suite Madame Blue", "Lady", and "Everything All in One". The band's performance of Madame Blue was amazing; Lawrence Gowan is an incredible vocalist with a great stage presence. Throughout the show there were plenty of guitar picks to be had, but most were blown right back at the band by the fierce and cold wind. The wind was so cold that while Tommy Shaw was out talking to the crowd, keyboardist Gowan could be seen trying to warm up his nose by holding his hands to his face.

As usual, Lawrence Gowan also was the band's photographer - he walked around and took pictures and then threw them into the crowd. Since I was front and center he tried to throw one to me, but it blew away with the wind right back up on stage. Fortunately, Lawrence didn't forget about me! When the band walked out for the encore with Styx frisbees and other items that blow easily in the wind, Gowan brought his heavy water bottle marked with "GOWAN". He came out, looked right at me and threw it, and I was finally able to catch something.

You can't ask for more than a band that loves their fans and puts on a tremendous show every time, and that is exactly what you get with Styx. My friend said that it was the most incredible show he's ever seen, and I can see why. There was never a dull moment with Styx on stage at Moondance. Whether you were watching Lawrence Gowan play the keys while facing away from the keyboard, Shaw, Young, and Phillips jamming out and playing each others guitars, or Todd Sucherman pound his heart out on the drums, you were being entertained! Styx is a band that should be invited back again and again because they always deliver.

Although it was near impossible to top the performance of Styx, George Thorogood had a great set as well. He is a very unique front man who wowed the Moondance crowd with his stage maneuvers and crazy guitar licks. He was prepared for the bitter cold evening as he sported a poncho and pranced around the stage with his guitar. The show was very relaxed and consisted of a nice mix of Thorogood's hits over the years. "Bad to the Bone", "Move It on Over", "I Drink Alone", and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" were all completed before the encore.

The Destroyers sounded great as well, and the saxophone was fantastic. I think the sax could be turned up even more for maximum effect during songs like "I Drink Alone". Even though most of Lonesome George's songs are about alcohol and he advertises The Destroyers as "The World's Greatest Bar Band", he made it a point to discourage drinking and driving. George still looks good even at 57 years old and he was truly the life of the party at Moondance as he closed an incredible weekend of rock.

The whole festival is incredibly organized and fun. The people are great and the atmosphere is like no other. I will be back at Moondance for years to come, thank you to Bill and Kathy, the Jam's organizers, for creating such an awesome event. Jam 18 here we come!

STYX - JULY 12, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
GEORGE THOROGOOD - July 12, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY

Moondance Jam Review - Friday

2008-07-14T19:16:00.000-05:00

Friday was the big day at the Moondance Jam. Poison was headlining, and the anticipation began to build as soon as the local band Mountain Ash finished their set at 4:00 in the afternoon. Unfortunately, it became clear at about 4:20 that there was a major storm on the way, and as we were standing in the 2nd row of the sand pit near the front of the stage, we were told to head for shelter in the Moondance Saloon because the storm had the potential of producing large hail and possibly a tornado. The small crowd of fans, especially those who had been saving their front row seats for hours, were not happy about this, but everyone was forced back.

The rain came in spurts and never got extremely heavy or severe. It became clear that a mad dash for the front of the stage would occur when at about 5:30 one person started to make their way back and triggered an avalanche of sprinting fans including myself. We were pushed back again, though, since more rain was still on the way. Finally at about 5:50 they gave us the signal, and everyone ran as fast as they could to the front fence. I barely made it but I ended up in the same spot that I had the night before, right in the front and center and at the fence. I was very lucky!
Great White finally emerged at 6:10 and ripped into their set with "Call It Rock and Roll". Great White is one of my favorite bands and it was my second time seeing them live. Jack Russell once again sounded great on some of my favorite songs like "Face the Day" and "Can't Shake It". Both songs are very demanding vocally in parts, but Russell was able to hit most of the high notes which is quite impressive 20 years later. He is a very active front man and he did a great job of warming up the crowd. Mark Kendall played a mean guitar as always, and Michael Lardie balanced out the guitar and keyboard. Audie Desbrow was a very wild drummer, and the band's newest member, Scott Snyder on bass, did a nice job as well.

I recorded "Face the Day" and several other songs and watching them confirmed my theory that the band had the perfect sound balance for the show. Jack Russell's voice was incredibly clear and crisp, but at the same time the rest of the band had the proper volume as well. This would not be the case for Sebastian Bach who would follow with a show that was just too loud. It made me appreciate Great White's awesome sound balance even more. It would be easy to try to hide the fact that Jack Russell can't go quite as high as he used to by drowning him out, but Great White makes his voice the showcase that it should be. As for the set list, the band played Call It Rock and Roll, Face the Day, Save Your Love, On Your Knees, House of Broken Love, Rock Me, Once Bitten Twice Shy, Can't Shake It, and even one of my favorites: "Desert Moon". This song was playing when tragedy struck at the Station Fire, and the band hadn't played it for nearly 5 years after the event. I'm glad I got to hear it live and it sounded great. Jack Russell has also struggled with personal problems in the past few years but he is clearly taking better care of himself now. He has lost over 60 pounds and has conquered his drug addictions, and I hope that the Great White can keep rocking for decades to come.

Sebastian Bach rolled onto the stage next with an incredibly loud and energetic set. Bach first played his new cover song "Back in the Saddle", and you could hardly keep your eyes on him because he was constantly moving around, banging his head, jumping, or swinging his microphone wildly in the air. The crowd loved his onstage antics, and he was quite a sight to see. As I mentioned, the volume was turned up too high, although I can understand this since Bach embraces the metal attitude. You really couldn't hear him a whole lot, but he still sounds quite good on "I Remember You". Bach stuck to Skid Row material for the most part, and had to cut one of his songs (By Your Side) since the shows were already running late.

One memorable moment during the show was after Bach sang "I Remember You" when he addressed the Minnesota crowd by saying: "We Love You Wisconsin". The Minnesotans booed this quite heavily, but I have a feeling Bach wasn't sure which state to correct himself with so he just continued on and ignored it. It has to get crazy on the road, but he really should get his states straight if he wants to say them during the show!

Sweet played their set from 9:10 to 10:20 and I have to say that I just wasn't impressed. This version of the band has one original member, Steve Priest, and the other 4 musicians were assembled by Priest this spring for the band's maiden voyage across the United States. They were good musicians, no doubt, but the vocalist for the band was extremely hard to hear and it seems like his microphone was barely turned up. "Fox on the Run" sounded great, but the signature Sweet sound was lacking on tunes like "Love is Like Oxygen" and "Ballroom Blitz". It's hard to recreate a sound when you have four members who just started playing the material a few months ago, so I'm thinking the band will get better as they continue on the road.

After Sweet, the crowd knew it was time for POISON. Bret Michaels' recent fame on VH1's Rock of Love has no doubt helped the band increase it's popularity, and it showed. The girls of Moondance screamed so loud that my ears hurt every time the radio DJs mentioned the fact that Poison was going to be on state that night. The cheers got even more intense when Bret himself appeared on the blow up screen to the left of the stage with a message to the crowd before the show. It was at least another 20 minutes of anticipation and screaming before the band finally roared on stage with an elaborate introduction complete with pyrotechnics and projection screens and of course the opening track "Look What the Cat Dragged In" in which Bret emerged from behind Rikki Rockett's drum set on a large platform. Fire blasted and explosions bursted throughout the entire show as Poison rolled through their catalog of hits. Bret Michaels and C.C. DeVille received the loudest crowd response as they sang and soloed respectively.

The band sounded great and they know how to please the crowd. The show was very intense as Bret, C.C., and Bobby pounced around the stage and at times climbed the stairs to the platform behind drummer Rikki Rokkett. Both C.C. and Rikki had some great solos, and Rikki's involved coming out to the center of the stage and banging on a large wooden bongo of some sort. The Moondance crowd was incredibly wild for Poison and Bret told them that they would be playing all weekend long, which is a common claim for a closing band. Poison is the ultimate feel good 80s rock band, and all of their songs have that great quality to them. Bret loves to engage the crowd, and he actually pointed at people in the crowd a bit too much. I won't complain, though, since he pointed at me while I was filming "Nothin' But a Good Time".

The show was very fun overall and C.C. is an incredible guitarist who was constantly jamming out during the entire set. Bret dedicated a song to the troops and invited the center camera man, who was a Marine, onto the stage to film from behind. It's always great when a band acknowledges the service of our armed forces. Friday was a huge night at Moondance and Poison did a great job of finishing it off with their array of hits, huge stage presence, and true "rock star" personas.

GREAT WHITE - JULY 11, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
SEBASTIAN BACH - JULY 11, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
POISON - JULY 11, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY

Moondance Jam Review - Thursday

2008-07-13T18:11:00.000-05:00

I just returned from the incredible rock extravaganza that is the Moondance Jam. Words can't explain how amazing the experience was. This was my first time attending the full 4 day festival and I was reassured of the fact that the Moondance Jam truly is America's premier classic rock festival. The combination of great bands and great people makes for the best concert atmosphere anywhere. Seeing some of my favorite bands live on stage from the front row was a blast and every minute of the Jam experience was enjoyable. The Jam will continue to be my concert tradition for years to come.

The set up for this year's Jam involved Wednesday being reserved for tribute bands. Since Creedence Clearwater Revisted was headlining the evening, my friend and I decided to skip the first day and begin on Thursday instead. We wanted to arrive in time to meet up with some other members of the Moondance Jam Message Board so we ended up on the grounds by 1:00. It was great to make some new friends and put names to faces. Hairball, a local tribute band, started off the afternoon and as soon as they finished their set we moved up to the front and got as close as we could to the fence, just a few feet from the stage. We ended up in the front row at the very center. The Guess Who began a bit late at about 5:13 and ripped into their set. The band sounded very good, and Derek Sharp did a good job of filling in for vocalist Carl Dixon who was recently injured in a car crash. They covered the well known songs like "Bus Rider", "No Time", "No Sugar Tonight", "American Woman", and "These Eyes". They also covered some lesser known tracks like "Share the Land", "Runnin' Back to Saskatoon", "Clap for the Wolfman", and "Shakin' All Over". Saskatoon sounded really great live, and the band was very tight overall. It felt as if the band had been together with this line-up for decades because they fit so well together.

After The Guess Who finished, the wait for the highly anticipated Sammy Hagar began. Soon Sammy's fan club members began to make their way to the "cantina platform", located on the stage behind the band. After this, a Red banner dropped in front of us and it dropped when Sammy roared on stage with his signature hit "I Can't Drive 55". The crowd went wild for the Red Rocker, and he delivered an awesome set. Sammy turned 60 last year but he doesn't look a day over 40, and he sounds fantastic. He began with a great mix of his own hits and then worked into some Van Halen and Montrose material. Sammy did a great job of getting the crowd excited and of course paid plenty of attention to his eager fan club members behind him.

Sammy has a great back up band as well with Vic Johnson on guitar, Mona on bass, and of course David Lauser on drums who has been with Sammy since the 1980s. The band puts on a great live show and the stage set up fit well with Hagar's relaxed, tequila-drinking persona. He began a personal favorite of mine, "Eagles Fly", by telling the crowd that he hadn't played the song live in ages until Kenny Chesney requested it. He hit the high notes of the song just fine and the guitars sounded fantastic. Instead of beginning the set with "Mas Tequila" as I had expected after reading other reviews, he had begun it with "55". He saved "Mas" for the end when he grabbed a shot of tequila from his waitress, took a sip, and then tossed the liquid into the crowd. He did this twice and by the end my camera had quite a few spots of tequila on it! The fans ate it up and it just added to the evening's fun. Sammy Hagar is a true rock legend and I hope that he will be invited back to Moondance soon.

I'm not sure why Sammy was on so early at 7:00, but as I expected the crowd thinned significantly when Sammy finished his last song since Boz Scaggs and Crosby, Stills, and Nash were all that remained. After the fast-paced, party rock of Sammy Hagar, it was a different setting entirely for Boz Scaggs. The sky grew dark, and Boz Scaggs emerged on stage with his 8 piece band. Scaggs sounds just like he did back in the 1970s on hits like "Lowdown", "JoJo", and "Georgia". Lowdown sounded great as his opening song, but unfortunately some microphone problems emerged during Georgia. Scaggs tried to grab a different mic on the floor but it wasn't turned on, and it was tough to hear him through the rest of the song as technicians came on stage to fix the problem.

When things were working properly however, Boz and his band sounded fantastic. He had two female backup singers, one of which got a great response from the crowd when she sang solo and hit some amazing notes. The set was very relaxed and obviously much slower than Sammy's, but Boz still managed to impress. Toto is one of my favorite bands and much of Scaggs' early material involved the help of several Toto members including Jeff Porcaro. The Toto sound is particularly evident during songs like "JoJo", so it was fun to hear these played live. With my arms propped up on the front row fence I was able to shoot some great video of Boz and you can check it out on my Youtube page when it loads (this may take a day or so).

The evening's slower pace continued with Crosby, Stills, and Nash at 11:20. Although I'm no CSN fan and I stand on the opposite side of the political spectrum, the show was a bit heavier than I expected. I was thinking it would be a slow acoustic show, folk rock show, but it was much more upbeat.

THE GUESS WHO - JULY 10, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
SAMMY HAGAR - JULY 10, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
BOZ SCAGGS - JULY 10, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
CROSBY, STILLS, NASH - JULY 10, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY

Survivor in Dickinson, ND Update

2008-07-08T15:42:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I made a mention that Survivor may be coming to Dickinson, North Dakota for a show. Dickinson is a small town of 10,000 people that rarely gets events, so I thought it was rather odd. I did some checking and apparently the show will indeed take place on September 20 at the Stickney Auditorium on the campus of Dickinson State University as part of their "Family Day" weekend, whatever that means. Anyway, tickets will be reserved, and they won't be going on sale until the early part of September.

Otherwise, I'm beginning to get packed for the Moondance Jam, so that's all for now.

Moondance Jam Approaches

2008-07-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

The highly anticipated Moondance Jam is just a few days away. The festival begins on Wednesday, July 9 with Tribute Band Night. As I mentioned before, I'm not thrilled with the idea of tribute bands, and I hope this idea is thrown out for next year. Last year the opening night of Moondance featured Def Leppard, Tesla, Loverboy, and Jackyl, and replacing those types of bands with 4 tribute bands just doesn't cut it. I won't be at the Jam on Wednesday since I have no desire to see these bands, but I will be there early on Thursday when the action begins. Sammy Hagar takes the stage at 7:00, followed by Boz Scaggs and CSN. Sammy was unable to play later in the evening since he needs to quickly travel to his next venue, but at least the lighting will be perfect when I'm taking pictures of the Red Rocker.

The biggest night is Friday with Poison, Sweet, Great White, and Sebastian Bach. It will be a long day since I'll be gathering at the front of the stage around 3:30 to make sure that I will be in front when Great White comes on at 5:00. The rest of the night will be great and Poison will be a great closer. Saturday has two big names: Styx and George Thorogood. I was very impressed with Styx last month so I can't wait to see them again.

It will be my first time seeing Sammy Hagar, Boz Scaggs, Poison, Sweet, George Thorogood, and Sebastian Bach. The only repeats are Great White and Styx, both of which I would gladly see again and again. Bill and Kathy of the Jam did a great job with this and despite the fact that there aren't as many big names as there were for 2000-2007, it will still be a great time. It will take me a long time to sort through all my pictures and write reviews, but they will be on the site shortly after the Jam ends.

Dokken, BOC, Slaughter Concert Review

2008-06-21T13:35:00.000-05:00

Dokken is one of my favorite bands, and you can imagine the excitement when they announced a show in my area at the Red River Valley Fair in West Fargo, ND on June 21. I was determined to end up front and center for the show, and I also tried to get a meet and greet with the band through the radio station. The day of the show I made a giant sign that read "Rokken with Dokken". Although the show started at 8:00 and there were 3 bands playing, the hardcore Dokken fans like myself trickled in at about 6:00 and we all settled into our standing positions just feet away from Don's mic in the very front and center. In the two hours before Slaughter hit the stage I got to talk to some very interesting people, and even ran into someone I knew. It was a small world at the Dokken concert, and we even got a dose of heavy rain about an hour before showtime. Things cleared up nicely, though, and Slaughter made their way on stage at about 8:10.

Slaughter plays a very loud show, a little too loud for my taste, but they were still a good opener. I was curious to see how Mark Slaughter sounded after all these years, but I really wasn't able to get a good sense of his voice because it was so drowned out by the band. It seemed like he was doing more screaming than singing as he tried to reach the high notes. I expected smoother vocals as they went into "Fly to the Angels", but it still seemed like he was screeching most of the time. At any rate, they did play a good mix of songs including "Eye to Eye" in which Mark jumped off the stage, and plunged right into the crowd. He stayed in the middle of the crowd for nearly the whole song before returning to the stage. The set list was as follows: "Wild Life", "Spend My Life", "Mad About You", "Eye to Eye", "Fly to the Angels, "Up All Night".

As soon as Slaughter finished, the wait for Dokken began. We were trying to spot Don hanging out behind the stage since we had a perfect view of that area from the front row, but we didn't see him until just a minute before the band took the stage and ripped into "Unchain the Night". Don looks great and his voice sounds better than it has in years thanks to his recent surgery. Of course he came out clad in leather as usual with sunglasses, but this time there was no long leather trenchcoat. It must have been too warm out to continue that particular Don Dokken trademark. Unchain the Night sounded fantastic - the crowd got their fill of Don's melodic vocals and Levin's wailing guitar. There is simply nothing like hearing Don hold those notes like only he can, especially the word "Never" in the middle of Unchain the Night. He can't go as high anymore, but he still belts it out with maximum Dokkitude! The band played "Into the Fire" next, and after a little chat from Don they ripped into the chords of Dokken's latest and greatest classic "Standing on the Outside".

I have to make a special note here. I listened to the Rockline interview last week in which the band played this song, and Don made a slip up with the lyrics. Instead of starting the song with "I knew their'd be consequences", on Rockline he said "I knew their'd be complications". Not a big deal, but I thought it would be funny if he did the same thing again during the show. Right before he went into the lyrics, he pointed right at me and smiled. Sure enough, seconds later he said "complications" instead of "consequences". I have a feeling that he might be doing this intentionally, but I could be wrong. Either way, the song is absolutely awesome live. At the end of the song the guy standing next to me decided it was time to show my sign to Don. I was in the middle of filming the song, but oh well. After the band finished "Dream Warriors" I held it up and sure enough he pointed at me, clasped his hands and bowed. Since I'm such a huge Dokken fan, this was an exciting moment for me.

After some of Don's signature in between song banter complete with jokes about touring after the Revolutionary War and talking to Paul Revere, he introduced "Breaking the Chains". Before the show I was talking to an interesting guy right next to me who is a friend of Don and who actually bears a bit of a resemblance to him. We got on the subject of Don's smoking, and he said that Don doesn't smoke anymore, but he will come out on stage and make a liar out of him. As soon as the band finished Breaking the Chains, Don came out and lit up and said "I started smoking again." We had a bit of a chuckle and then the band went into "Alone Again" as Don walked around with his cigarette and sang away.

The show was nearing its end as Jon Levin tore into my favorite Dokken song "It's Not Love", but the crowd wanted more. They extended the song to six minutes, and every minute was worth it for this great tune. Don started the next song by letting the audience chose it. He asked if we wanted a "nice, beautiful, tender love ballad" (audience boos) or something "totally metal and in your face" (audience cheers loudly). I took this time to reach out into my pocket and grab Don's first solo album "Up from the Ashes". I didn't expect to hear anything from it of course, but Don seemed amused and gave me the "you're dreaming" look. The band then played "Tooth and Nail" - enough said. "In My Dreams" was the grand finale, and the audience gave a huge cheer for the band. Dokken truly owned the night - they received by far the loudest response from the crowd.

Blue Oyster Cult took over an hour to set up, and it appeared that some technical difficulties were responsible for the delay. The band was on stage most of this time testing their own equipment, something you don't see too often. They started the show with "This Ain't the Summer of Love". The band has a pretty good sound and even though the band's two original members are well into their 60s, they are still energetic on stage. Although the band was introduced with the Saturday Night Live catch phrase "I've got a fever, and the only prescription...is Blue Oyster Cult", there was no cowbell to be seen during "Don't Fear the Reaper". I might have missed it being played in the background, but I thought the band would go all out with the cowbell.

The concert will go down as one of my favorites. It was such a great time visiting with the other fans, and seeing Dokken as they toured behind their hit album "Lightning Strikes Again". Don Dokken and Jon Levin make the perfect pairing - they can obviously write great songs together as evidenced by the new album and they have a great stage presence. I never experienced Dokken in the 1980s, so to me this is the 1980s all over again. Don is the ultimate front man, and even though he might throw out a few too many expletives for some who were 10 and under right next to me, he knows how to entertain. I didn't get to meet Don just yet, but he did see my sign so I'm a happy Dokken fan for now. Despite the lack of Mick and Barry, the band sounds very tight and I have no doubt that they will wow the crowds during the full tour later this summer.

DOKKEN - JUNE 21, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
SLAUGHTER - JUNE 21, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY
BLUE OYSTER CULT - JUNE 21, 2008 - PICTURE GALLERY

Dokken/Slaughter/BOC on Friday, Survivor...

2008-06-18T21:51:00.000-05:00

I'm now gearing up for the Dokken/Slaughter/Blue Oyster Cult show this Saturday at the Red River Valley Fair in Fargo. Dokken is one of my favorite bands, and with a new album out this year, I think the show will be "rokken". If things go to plan I will get there early so that I can be up at the front with Don Dokken himself. Although Mick Brown and Barry Sparks will not be part of this year's Dokken line-up due to their other touring duties, I think that Jon Levin and Don will still put together a great show. I think the pictures will turn out great for this one, just like they did for Styx and Boston, particularly Styx, last week.

In other area concert news, I checked Pollstar yesterday and found out that the legendary melodic rock band Survivor will be in Dickinson, North Dakota on September 20. I'm not sure how this came to be, since this particular city hasn't hosted a national rock band in decades, but I will post more on it when there is some further information available. It will be exciting to see "Survivor", but without singer Jimi Jamison or keyboardist and songwriter Jim Peterik it just won't be nearly the same. There is a serious need for a reunion here.

Boston/Styx Concert Review

2008-06-15T12:44:00.001-05:00

On June 13, we arrived at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, MN at 2:00 PM to get our ticket situation sorted out. The show didn't start until 8:30, and right when we pulled into the parking lot we were greeted by the sounds of Boston rehearsing. At first we thought it was a tape playing, but as we walked closer we saw the whole band out on stage getting ready for the night's show. They played for over an hour and a half, and it was a real treat getting to see them rehearse.

After all that excitement, we were ready for the show. Unexpectedly, Styx came out right on time at 8:30. The band walked out from the right side, and I began to get some shots of this great group. The band was incredibly tight and they sounded phenomenal. They are a slick, well-oiled touring machine, having performed thousands of shows in the past 15 years. James "JY" Young, Tommy Shaw, Lawrence Gowan, Ricky Phillips, and Todd Sucherman all look fantastic and were extremely energetic on stage. They started out with "Blue Collar Man", then played "Grand Illusion" and "Lorelei". Gowan knows how to work the keys; he was constantly swinging the keyboard and jumping around. The highlight of the show was when JY, Tommy Shaw, and Ricky Phillips would all jam guitar together right in the middle of the stage. The band really enjoyed themselves throughout the performance.

The rest of the set was as follows: "I Am the Walrus", "Man In The Wilderness", "Crystal Ball", "Fooling Yourself", "Miss America", "Come Sail Away", "Renegade". The band truly owned the stage during the show and they had a blast doing it. JY was all smiles and the whole band just sounded like a CD. They tossed out handfuls of guitar picks, drum sticks, STYX branded beach balls, mesh bags, and even frisbees. Styx was a very hard act to follow.

After 30 minutes, Boston roared onto the stage with the Star Spangled Banner featuring guitarist Tom Scholz. The band, on its third of many tour dates this summer, featured two new members - Tommy DeCarlo and Michael Sweet, who shared lead vocal duties. After the tragic loss of Brad Delp, Boston is back and sounding great. Tommy DeCarlo is an amazing vocalist, and although he was a bit nervous up on stage (and understandably so!), he enjoyed the crowd and the crowd enjoyed him. Tom Scholz was amazing on the guitar as always, and he wore shirt that read "Don't Worry, I'm with the Band". The band tried to get as many songs in as possible, and it seemed that they were going non-stop at times, ripping into one hit after another.

Although the band didn't move around as much as Styx, they were still very energetic. Kimberley Dahme provided great backing vocals, although her bass guitar was rather overpowering, and Tommy's vocals could have been turned up. Gary Pihl was at his best and he nailed every note on his guitar. It was an unforgettable night of Boston, and when Michael Sweet announced "To Be a Man" as a tribute to Brad, it added a bit of remembrance of Brad Delp to the show. Both Sweet and DeCarlo do a great job performing the Boston catalog, DeCarlo especially so. Although he has no prior experience being in a rock band, the former Home Depot employee is living the dream and his voice is simply amazing.

Although Boston seemed harder to hear and the sound just wasn't as clear as with Styx, it was still an incredibly enjoyable performance. As for the vocals, Michael Sweet took the lead on "Amanda", and most of "To Be a Man", and provided roughly 25% of the total lead vocal. Tommy took the rest, and he did a great job. Michael added more of a metal element to the songs that he sang, and his long hair seemed to be in his face quite a bit, making it a bit difficult to get a good photo.

Drummer Jeff Neal was always grinning during the show and he seemed to be having a great time. His drumming skill is very impressive, and he really shined during the night. The set list was: Star Spangled Banner, I Had a Good Time, Rock and Roll Band, Peace of Mind, Cool the Engines, Feelin' Satisfied, Don't Look Back, Something About You, Amanda, The Launch, Walk On, Get Organ-ized, Walk On (Some More), More Than a Feeling, To Be A Man, Hitch A Ride, Don’t Be Afraid, Foreplay/Long Time, Smokin', Party

Although Boston is my favorite of the two, Styx really impressed me. Boston will only improve as the tour goes on, and I look forward to seeing both bands once again on separate occasions in mid-July.

BOSTON - JUNE 13, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY
STYX - JUNE 13, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY

38 Special Concert Review

2008-06-15T12:12:00.001-05:00

I just returned from a two-day concert extravaganza, the highlight of which was of course Boston and Styx, but I can't forget about 38 Special, who I saw the night before at the Dakota Magic Casino on June 12. When we entered the casino's event room, it was clear that attendance wasn't going to be very high. Only about half the room was stocked with chairs, and the room itself was a little bigger than a high school gymnasium. We sat in the 7th row, center stage, and excitement was pretty high when the band ripped into "Rockin' Into the Night". Don Barnes, the band's enthusiastic front man, guitarist, and vocalist, tried to warm up the crowd during this song. Unfortunately, the entire room somehow managed to be sitting through one of the band's loudest and most recognizable hits. Donnie Van Zant, who was also on vocals during this song, attempted to get everyone riled up by jolting his microphone into the crowd and motioning for them to stand up. The band sounded great overall, the guitars of Don Barnes and Danny Chauncey sounded great together as they traded solos. You can tell that Barnes really enjoys playing as his head bobs up and down constantly when he really gets into the guitar.

Having read previous set lists, I wasn't expecting to hear "20th Century Fox" and "Back Where You Belong" - they are two of my favorites from the band. To my surprise, as soon as they finished the first song they played these two back to back. Both songs sounded good and Donnie Van Zant had finally managed to get some of the crowd to stand with his motions. Amazingly, the casino staff began to walk up to people who were standing, dancing, and enjoying the show, and told them to sit down. I couldn't believe it, but eventually the Dakota Magic staff was successful in getting everyone who was standing to sit down by telling them all individually. The fans near me were not happy at all with this, and I was upset about it as well. I don't see why they wanted to make everyone sit down during a good rocking concert!

When Donnie Van Zant began to introduce the next song, several people next to me tried to let him know what the casino staff was doing but he was unable to hear. Eventually we just learned to deal with it and we had to sit as they rolled through "Like No Other Night", "Caught Up in You", "Somebody Like You", and a medley in which they played some old hits. Drummer Gary Moffatt even had a nice drum solo in the middle of the set.

The concert ended with "Hold on Loosely", "Second Chances", and "Livin' in the USA/Travelin' Band". We finally got to stand during the last song, but the fact remains that I have never dealt with such rude and incessant security at a venue than at the Dakota Magic Casino. 38 Special, as Don Barnes said during the show, has been rocking for 30 years. They are a great crowd pleaser and I'm sure that they would be even better at an outdoor show and if the security would let the crowd stand. Although Don Barnes voice is a bit worn, he can still sing nicely and he even let out a few extremely high notes during the show, which I was surprised he could pull off. The rest of the band sounds good and I would definitely see them again if it was at a nearby outdoor venue. Avoid the Dakota Magic Casino at all costs, unless they loosen their security.

Alice Cooper at the Bismarck Civic Center

2008-06-11T20:35:00.002-05:00

Rock legend Alice Cooper is set to take the stage in Bismarck. Cooper, whose five decade career has made him an icon, will be the first classic rock band to take the stage in Bismarck in nearly three years. The Bismarck Civic Center show, set on August 5, is part of a massive 75-date world tour launched by Cooper. I will of course be at the show since Bismarck is my hometown, and the best part will be not having to drive over 200 miles.

No information on this has yet been released by the Civic Center itself, but I'm hoping that the show will be general admission for the floor seats. Otherwise, I will have to depend on Ticketmaster which almost always means less than average tickets for me.

I'm hoping that this is the first of many more rock concerts in Bismarck in the next few years.

June Concert Update

2008-06-01T15:47:00.001-05:00

June is one of the quieter months in my concert calendar. It seems that the majority of bands either don't kick it into high gear until July, or they don't visit my area until that time. I'll be seeing 38 Special on June 12 at the Dakota Magic Casino and the next day it's Boston and Styx in Hinckley, Minnesota. I'm in the 7th row on the center floor for the .38 Special show, but things are still uncertain for Hinckley, which is actually sold out. The Boston fan site, Gonnahitcharide.com, offers 60 preferred tickets for each venue, but apparently the Grand Casino did not honor its contract, and so we are left without tickets. They are still hording a ton of great seats in the first 10 rows for their high rollers, and I'm hoping they will eventually be forced to release them to the general public.

On June 21 I'm heading to West Fargo for the Dokken, Blue Oyster Cult, and Slaughter show. Dokken is one of my favorites and the other two will be fun to see as well. Dokken has a new album out titled Lightning Strikes Again. It is a fantastic return to their signature sound, and you absolutely have to check it out if you are a fan. Go ahead and click the link.

Rush Concert Review

2008-05-24T10:33:00.002-05:00

I got back from my second Rush concert at the Xcel Energy Center at St. Paul on May 22nd just last night, and I'm still amazed at the whole experience. I bought some great floor seats in the third row on Alex's side and it was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Last September when Rush came to St. Paul, we sat in the upper sections, but this time being on the floor was amazing. Alex jammed on his guitar just feet away, and Geddy even treated us to a little bass when he ran over to our side a few times, most memorably during the song "2112" when the band was simply on fire.

I bought a brand new Panasonic Lumix camera with an 18x optical zoom for the concert, and it really paid for itself when I was able to grab amazing shots of Geddy even while he was jamming on the opposite end of the stage. As you can imagine, I also got some nice shots of Alex when he was right in front of me. You don't even want to know how many pictures I took, but I can tell you that it was somewhere between 500 and 1000!

As soon as we took our seats, my Uncle and I knew that we were in for the ultimate Rush experience. You can't imagine the thrill when Alex walked on stage, the lights went on, and the band started playing "Limelight". They went through the first half of the set and played incredibly as they always do, but I did notice that Alex seemed to be having some problems with his ear piece cord. He reached behind his head to adjust it several times and at one point he got both his hands behind there and gave it another try. I'm not sure if this was related to the problem he was having with his guitar later in the first half of the set - this required the assistance of the technician and even delayed a song for a bit.

The sound was fantastic in the Xcel, and the band played an amazing show. It's hard to describe how great the band sounds and the kind of show they put together - you have to experience it to believe it. The band mixed three different songs into the first half of the set - "Ghost of a Chance", "The Trees", and "Red Barchetta". The crowd loved all three, and there was a special kind of excitement for "The Trees", a great classic Rush track. After they finished "Dreamline", they took a break and we went off to get our Rush gear. We both got Rush t-shirts, and when we came back it turned out that some other Rush fans had noticed that I was taking pictures, and asked if I could send some their way. I gladly agreed - I was just happy to have been able to successfully bring my camera in and get the shots of the band that I longed for. As for the pictures, you can see them at the links on the bottom.

The opening video for the second set was hilarious - it was titled "What's That Smell", and featured Geddy, Alex, and a doll version of Neil. It even brought back old favorite Jerry Stiller from earlier Rush videos. They rolled through the second set and the explosion during "Far Cry" was exciting as always, and even louder in the third row! Alex's problems seemed to be over after they finished playing "The Way the Wind Blows", and "Subdivisions" got great cheers from the crowd. We were of course on Alex's side, but during the second set Geddy swapped sides and jammed with us three times. As the concert wrapped up, although it was three hours long, it still seemed almost too short.

RUSH - MAY 22, 2008 - PHOTO GALLERY

Steve Perry Working on New Album

2008-05-13T20:41:00.000-05:00

Rumors are circulating in the midst of Journey's new album Revelation that original vocalist Steve Perry may be working on a solo album. I'm a huge fan of Journey and Perry, and it would really be a dream come true to see "The Voice" himself perform live. Here is a quote from a GQ article that started the stir:

"I get a slightly different take from Steve Perry... Perry, who’s finally started working on his first album of new material since leaving Journey..."

The rumor is causing a lot of conversation on the MelodicRock forums, and I can certainly see why. Perry hasn't released a solo album since 1994, and after leaving Journey in 1996 after the release of Trial by Fire and before the highly anticipated tour, he has been living out of the spotlight.

Rush Concert Approaching

2008-05-13T20:35:00.002-05:00

The Rush concert at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul is fast approaching. The band is currently on a brief touring break lasting about 10 days. They will be in Moline, IL on May 20 and the St. Paul, MN tour date is on May 22nd. I can't wait for the concert - I scored third row floor seats and I just bought a new camera. There is some sad news in the Rush camp, however. Original Rush drummer John Rutsey has died at age 55. Rutsey played on the band's debut album, but quit due to his diabetes and musical differences in 1974. Although he never received mainstream attention, he was still a driving force behind the band in its very early days.

Many fans are speculating that the band, with 8 days to rehearse, might put an old song like "Working Man" from the 1974 album into their set list as a tribute to Rutsey. I think a lot of fans would like to hear something from that album. I will probably post again on this before I head out to the show.

Loverboy at the Sioux Falls Rib Fest

2008-04-29T18:15:00.001-05:00

Since it appears that North Dakota's RibFest in Fargo might be a dud this year, I might have to look to South Dakota to deliver the goods. Their RibFest, located in Sioux Falls, is featuring Loverboy on May 29. It would be great to catch the band, but the trip would total 860 miles for me, translating to about $100 in gas. Anyway, its great that South Dakota is really delivering on the classic rock bands this year. I hope that North Dakota can pull it together as well, I would like to see a classic rock concert at the Civic Center this year - my hope is for a band like The Doobie Brothers or Steely Dan.

Fargo Rib Fest Still Without a Line-Up

2008-04-27T10:24:00.002-05:00

Historically, the Fargo Rib Fest has had some great rock bands play. Rick Springfield, Kansas, and Styx have all played the Fest in the last few years. This year, however, the music line-up is still unannounced. I sent an e-mail to the Fargodome, which hosts the Fest, and I was told that they were just going to book a couple Country acts. I was pretty disappointed at that news, but then another source told me that there was a 90% chance that the Rib Fest would feature Ted Nugent. I would love to see Ted again (I first saw him at the Red River Valley Fair last year).

The Rib Fest is held from June 4 to June 7, and the Nuge is booked in Ohio on June 7. Hopefully the Ted Nugent thing pans out, or they are able to book another rock group, because if they don't, you will not see me at the Rib Fest!

The Moondance Jam Line-up is Complete?

2008-04-23T19:46:00.002-05:00

It looks like the Moondance Jam line-up might finally be completed with Styx now listing Moondance on their website. Last year, the line-up was finished by April 6, but I suppose its better late than never! I'm thrilled about some aspects of the line-up, but its not quite up to par with last year's, which was very hard to beat. Here is the full run-down:

WEDNESDAY:

Creedence Clearwater Revisited
Tribute Bands

THURSDAY:

SAMMY HAGAR
BOZ SCAGGS
THE GUESS WHO
CROSBY, STILLS and NASH

FRIDAY:

POISON
GREAT WHITE
SEBASTIAN BACH
THE SWEET

SATURDAY:

GEORGE THOROGOOD
STYX
KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD
GEAR DADDIES

Poison, Great White, George Thorogood, Styx, Sebastian Bach, and Boz Scaggs should be a thrill to see. Its hard to top last year's line-up, and I know they tried. Its probably my least favorite line-up since 2002 as I look back, but hopefully next year will be an improvement, and the Wednesday night tribute band concept should be scrapped. I can't wait for the Jam and it will be awesome to hear vocalists like Jack Russell, Sammy Hagar, Tommy Shaw, and Sebastian Bach live!

George Thorogood and Sebastian Bach at MDJ

2008-04-22T18:48:00.002-05:00

Sebastian Bach is now officially signed for the Moondance Jam in Walker, MN. Pollstar placed Bach on the line-up a few weeks back, but we now have a confirmation from Jam staff. There is also a new unofficial signing to report, and that is blues legend George Thorogood. I'm excited about this signing and it will be fun to hear the hits like "Bad to the Bone" played live. The Moondance Jam is still working on two more national acts. I have my fingers crossed for the Doobie Brothers and Foreigner. With Friday mostly filled up with hair bands, I think the Doobies and Foreigner will be solid classic rock acts to draw in the crowds and perhaps please the Jammers who don't appreciate 80s metal as much as others.

The Top 7 Hair Metal High Notes

2008-04-20T17:54:00.000-05:00

Hair metal was all about hitting the high notes. Some singers like Steelheart's Michael Matijevic became famous for their vocal ranges. Here is my take on the top 7 "hair metal high notes." I'm sure that I will leave out a few great ones, so feel free to comment if you have one to add.

#7 - AUTOGRAPH - "Dance All Night"

Autograph was a great band, and they put out three albums of keyboard-laden rock in the 1980s. Although their fame had waned by 1987's release of Loud and Clear, "Dance All Night" was a stand out track with some great screams by vocalist Steve Plunkett, starting at about 3:50.

#6 - DOKKEN - "Standing in the Shadows"

Don Dokken's voice is one of the most distinctive in its genre. Not only is he able to sing soft ballads and hold notes for a great melodic effect, but he was also capable of some impressive high notes in his prime. "Standing in the Shadows", from 1987's Back for the Attack, is the best example of this that I can find. Not only do you get his signature vocal style, but you also get some nice yells towards the end of the song.

#5 - WARRANT - "Down Boys"

Jani Lane is another very impressive vocalist from the 1980s. His voice has an almost effortlessly smooth quality that's hard to explain. In the band's well known hit "Down Boys", released in 1989 on their debut album, Jani's voice is at its best. At about 2:45, after the guitar solo, he hits a great note, and in the song's video he can be seen balancing his microphone on his extended palm while singing the lyric. Of course at the end, he hits another great note that ends the song: "Where they go".

#4 - GREAT WHITE - "Face the Day"

Continuing on, we make a stop at the incredible voice that is owned by Great White's Jack Russell. He is one of the few artists that when singing live, sounds exactly like he does on the album. Even in 2008 he can still belt out all the hits and sound great. In "Face the Day", Russell's vocal abilities are showcased when he screams the song's title several times at the end of the song.

#3 - VALENTINE - "Someday"

Although Valentine never achieved a lot of fame, their vocalist Hugo Valenti is certainly noteworthy. Valenti bears a strong physical resemblance to Steve Perry, and his voice is certainly capable of tackling the Journey catalog. In this tune, some reviewers have even complained that his excessive high octave singing is "annoying", but it is still impressive nonetheless.

#2 - FIREHOUSE - "Overnight Sensation"

C.J. Snare is my favorite vocalist in this genre, so I'm a little biased here. But still, you must admit that the note that Snare holds for 12 seconds at the beginning of the song is nothing short of amazing. It was hard to choose from all the FireHouse material, so I decided that length of the note would be the deciding factor. Snare still sounds incredible today, don't pass up a chance to see the band live.

#1 - STEELHEART - "Steelheart"

Although I don't care for the song itself, the note that singer Michael Matijevic reaches in this song is the highest that I've ever heard in this genre, although please correct me if I'm wrong. Give it a listen, but watch out for breaking glass!

The Dakota Rock Fest

2008-04-17T18:50:00.001-05:00

With Rocklahoma's immense popularity, there is no shortage of festivals trying to capture its success with a similar event. Fortunately, one such festival happens to be located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and its called the Dakota Rock Fest. The line-up at this festival, to be held from July 25 to July 26, is as follows (only including major acts):

FIREHOUSE
SLAUGHTER
SKID ROW
L.A. GUNS
JACKYL
BANGO TANGO
FASTER PUSSYCAT

I'm hoping I can make it to this - the line-up looks great. I would see FireHouse every day of the year if I could because they are such a great group. The festival has a website located here, and it has now been updated with more information. I have no idea how much tickets are, etc. I would assume that it is festival seating. I will post more information on this event as it becomes available.

All is Quiet with Moondance

2008-04-15T22:23:00.001-05:00

Motley Crue made a big tour announcement today, and although there was nothing earth-shattering, it was a great marketing strategy, nonetheless. There were several rumors circulating that the Crue would join the Friday night or Saturday night line-up at the Moondance Jam in Walker, MN. Since the band is on the east coast during most of the Jam, this now seems like a dead rumor. However, it is worth nothing that the Jam has an empty slot on Friday, July 11th, and the Crue has no concert planned for that date as of yet. Its still a long shot since the band would have to travel nearly 2,000 miles in just one day.

There hasn't been a major Moondance Jam announcement since the signing and canceling of Billy Idol back in March. Many Jammers, including myself, have expressed concern over the fact that artists are filling up their schedules quickly. Heart, Journey, Chicago, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money, Pat Benatar, Starship, Dokken, Boston, and many other groups already have dates that prohibit them from being at the Jam. Some artists are still open, the list includes the Doobie Brothers, FireHouse, Warrant, Cinderella, Survivor, KC and the Sunshine Band, as well as the touring combo of Foreigner and Bryan Adams.

Only time will tell, but I'm thinking that a big Moondance announcement is on the way, and hopefully soon.

Dokken and Slaughter to Appear at RRVF

2008-04-13T12:37:00.002-05:00

I'm thrilled to make this announcement: two legendary rock groups are slated to appear at the Red River Valley Fair on June 21: Dokken and Slaughter. Dokken has a new album coming out this year titled Lightning Strikes Again. From what I've heard, the album is a great throwback to the band's 1980s sound and it is arguably their best release since that decade. If you'd like to order the album and receive a free poster signed by Don Dokken himself, go to http://www.rhino.com/artists/dokken. Dokken is of course out on tour starting in July with Poison and Sebastian Bach, so I was a bit worried when no dates were released on this tour in my area. Fortunately, the Red River Valley Fair eased my fears when they signed the band. On another note, I will get to see the other 2/3 of the tour (Poison and Bach) at the Moondance Jam on July 11, at which time Dokken will be playing in Texas.

I'm looking forward to Slaughter as well. Although the band doesn't have a new album out, they are sure to impress the crowd because Mark Slaughter's voice is apparently in very good shape. Hats off to the Red River Valley Fair for putting together an awesome Saturday of rock!

Warrant at Northern Lights Casino

2008-04-08T18:45:00.001-05:00

Multi-platinum 80s rockers Warrant are set to hit the stage of the Northern Lights Casino near Walker, MN on Sunday May 18th. Warrant has recently re-united with singer and fan favorite Jani Lane, and is sporting a great line-up. I won't be able to make the concert due to other commitments, but I really wish I could be there. Rumors have been circulating about the band touring with Cinderella and a re-united Lynch Mob, and possibly Motley Crue, but nothing is confirmed yet on this tour package. I'm guessing this date is part of Warrant's solo schedule before the package deal begins.

Moondance Line-Up Update

2008-04-08T18:36:00.002-05:00

The Moondance Jam, taking place from July 9 to July 12 in Walker, MN, was looking like a very exciting festival a couple weeks ago with the signing of rock legend Billy Idol. I have never seen Idol live, so I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, Idol canceled just a week later in order to expand his tour of Europe. The Jam still has several good acts signed, including Poison, Sammy Hagar, and Great White.

It was revealed on Pollstar earlier today that Sebastian Bach will be joining Moondance's Friday night line-up, presumably to replace Billy Idol. Its clear that Bach won't have the draw of Idol, but I'm sure it will still be a fun show.

As for the rest of the line-up, I think that Boston, Foreigner, Ted Nugent, Night Ranger, ZZ Top, Starship, Eddie Money, or the Doobie Brothers would be good choices for Saturday. I'm left now to wonder, though, if the staff isn't working on Van Halen. They might be out of reach in price, but they would certainly bring the masses.

Boston and Styx Team Up, 38 Special to Tour

2008-03-24T20:27:00.001-05:00

Legendary Southern Rockers 38 Special will take the stage at the Dakota Magic Casino in Hankinson, ND for two nights in a row - June 12 & 13. I was told that June 12 will be reserved seating, while June 13 will be general admission. For some reason, the casino's website is not updated with the .38 Special concert information. If you want to get tickets, you can call 1-800-325-6825.

I would have preferred the general admission night, of course, but as it happens June 13 will actually find me at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, MN for Boston and Styx. Boston will feature Micahel Sweet and Tommy DeCarlo on lead vocals. This should be quite a concert, and hopefully it will turn into a summer tour.

ND State Fair Lacks Classic Era Rock Bands

2008-03-14T17:48:00.003-05:00

Here is an update on the status of the North Dakota State Fair. I've mentioned in previous posts that I've enjoyed the fact that the ND State Fair (NDSF) has traditionally signed at least one band from the classic era; Night Ranger, Def Leppard, Steve Miller Band to name a few. Although just one classic rock act seems pretty measly when compared with other state fairs, I was happy with what I could get. The NDSF usually fills the remaining 9 or so slots with country acts.

Since 2005 was Night Ranger, 2006 was Steve Miller, and 2007 was Def Leppard, I expected the trend to continue this year. The grandstand was packed for Steve Miller and it was beyond maximum capacity for Def Leppard - there wasn't even a place to stand because it was so full of people. So you can imagine how surprised I was to read this e-mail from the NDSF staff that I received today:

Instead of doing a classic rock act this year, we are going to try the Christian rock act Casting Crowns. We are just changing things up a bit to see how it goes, but will more than likely bring back some great classic rockers down the road.

Does this make any sense at all? They sold tons of tickets with classic rock acts and they decide to give it a break? Don't get me wrong - I've got nothing against Christian Rock bands. They can bring in a Christian Rock band, but then they need to cut out one of the Country acts to make room for a classic rocker! The fair has six country bands signed, and they are telling me that they can't make room for one rock band.

On another note, since it looks like we have to rely on Minnesota to deliver the goods, the Moondance Jam is starting to look better every day. After a slow start to band commitments, three killer rock acts are now signed: Sammy Hagar, Poison, and Great White. Older rock acts like C, S & N, the Guess Who, and CCR are also signed, but I'm more excited about the other three I mentioned. I was hoping to see both Sammy and Great White at the Jam - so I guess my wishes have been fulfilled there. I am still hoping for several bands including FireHouse, Heart, Journey, and The Doobie Brothers would be nice as well. There are still 7 slots of national bands yet to be filled, so I'm sure there are some great bands on the way.

Van Halen in Winnipeg?

2008-02-28T18:28:00.001-06:00

Van Halen postponed two dates last week, but then appeared to have added another one - in Winnipeg on May 3rd. Winnipeg newspapers published the news and appeared confident that the band was coming, and the date even appeared on Ticketmaster with an on-sale date of March 1 for some time. Yesterday, however "What's on Winnipeg", a Canadian news source, had this to say:

It appears Winnipeg Van Halen fans will have to wait to hear about the band's reunion tour coming to town.
On Monday, Ticketmaster's website said tickets for a May 3 date at the MTS Centre would go on sale Saturday. But promoter Live Nation Canada says the information was wrong. On Tuesday, the Ticketmaster link stated the event was no longer in the database.
"We are working on trying to bring Van Halen to Winnipeg, but nothing is confirmed," said promoter Geoff Robins.

I hope the date is confirmed soon - this would be a great chance for me to finally catch the tour.

In other news, the Moondance Jam announcements that were expected on Monday have been delayed. To review, the Jam has already signed Poison. CCR and The Guess Who are two bands rumored to have been signed.

Moondance Jam Announcements on the Way

2008-02-24T22:37:00.001-06:00

Bill and Kathy Bieloh, organizers of the Moondance Jam in Walker, MN, said that they will be announcing four bands signed for the Jam on Monday. The bands are to consist of 3 openers and 1 closer. I will post these bands as soon as they are up on the Moondance Jam homepage tomorrow.

In other news, there may be trouble brewing with Van Halen. The band has quietly postponed two dates: Charlottesville, VA and Duluth, GA. No explanation has been given, but many are speculating that Eddie Van Halen has resumed his drinking habit. Fans are also pointing to a video of the band playing "Jump" that surfaced, taken on their last concert before the postponed dates (February 20). In the video, Eddie slams his guitar on the ground, and later he knocks over two amps that almost hit David Lee Roth. You can see the video for yourself here.

For someone who hasn't seen the new Van Halen yet, this is disappointing news. Hopefully they will resume the tour right away on March 3; I'm hoping I will be able to see them in Milwaukee on April 7.

Partial Rock Fest Line-up Revealed

2008-02-17T11:38:00.001-06:00

Rock Fest announced their partial line-up on Friday. They built the hype by giving a date for the announcement and broadcasting it live on a Wisconsin radio show. The Fest, in Cadott, WI, has had some decent line-ups in the past, but not quite on the level of the Moondance Jam in Walker, MN. Also, the Rock Fest tends to feature newer alternative bands that I don't care for. Here are the bands that Rock Fest has booked for 2008:

Boston, The Wallflowers, Jackyl, Three Days Grace, Poison, Ligion, Tesla, Live, Switchfoot, Plain White T's, Vic Ferrari

With the exception of Boston, Jackyl, Poison, and Tesla, I wouldn't care to see any of the other bands. Hold on a second, did they say BOSTON? This obviously means that Boston will be out on tour in 2008. After the death Brad Delp, whose signature voice helped to thrust the band into the national spotlight, it's difficult to see the band continuing without him. But at the same time, I'm also happy about it, because I'm sure Delp would have wanted the band to continue on. Tommy DeCarlo, who sang at the Brad Delp tribute concert, and Michael Sweet of Stryper will be sharing lead. The tour will be a great preview of what to expect from Boston in the coming years.

Kansas to Play 4 Bears Casino

2008-02-11T08:10:00.002-06:00

Multi-platinum 70s rockers Kansas are slated to appear at the Four Bears Casino in New Town, ND on March 15. The casino hasn't hosted a rock act since last summer, so it's good to see them bringing in Kansas. That said, I'm not a huge fan of the band, and the Casino is about 100 miles away, so I'm not sure I'll be going.

In other concert news, Journey, Heart, and Cheap Trick will be hitting the road this summer on a joint ticket. It's been a hotly debated topic about which band will close, and I'm not even sure myself. All 3 bands have reached great popularity during some time in their careers, and they all have a unique style that made them famous. I would be most excited to see Journey and Heart - I've never seen Heart live and I haven't seen Journey since October 2006 during the band's tour with Jeff Scott Soto on vocals.

Meanwhile, the line-up for Rock Fest, a four day rock extravaganza very similar to the Moondance Jam, is scheduled to be announced on Friday, February 15. I'm not sure if they will be announcing the full line-up at this time or just a few highlights. The Moondance Jam has only signed one band at this point - so if Rock Fest can assemble an entire line-up by February 15 one would expect that Moondance should be signing some more bands very soon.

In other news, the Fargodome is sporting a new website, but unfortunately no new concerts. Bon Jovi remains the only rock act booked at the Fargodome. The Bismarck Civic Center and the Alerus Center are eerily quiet with no concerts scheduled at all. Although it should be noted that this isn't unusual for these venues by any means.

Singer Jani Laine Rejoins Warrant

2008-01-29T20:27:00.001-06:00

Although its not yet official, it looks like singer Jani Lane has re-united with his Warrant bandmates. Lane left the band in 2004 apparently due to some legal issues, and he used his time off to check himself into rehab, and lose some weight on the Celebrity Fit Club in 2005. Lane said in 2007 that he was looking to "bury the hatchet" on the band's legal dispute, and it now appears that he has indeed done so. Its good to see Jani back in the band - both parties can be more financially successful when they are united. Of course it also makes the fans happy.

With Poison just signed at Moondance, Warrant would make a great addition to the Friday night line-up. I will post more information on this when I get it, and thanks goes to Rip Rokken at MelodicRock.com for the lead on this story.

Poison Signed for the 2008 Moondance Jam

2008-01-28T19:09:00.003-06:00

The multi-platinum hair band Poison has been signed for the 2008 Moondance Jam in Walker, Minnesota. Poison, consisting of Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Rikki Rockett, and Bobby Dall, will appear on Friday night. Its not clear whether they will be the headline band for the night or not. The band has sold over 25 million albums, making them one of the most successful groups in the "hair band" genre.

I'll give you a little background information as to why I post about the Moondance Jam. Its held in Walker, MN, which isn't too far from me. I first attended the jam last year, but only for one night. I saw the world-class rock group Toto, as well as The Moody Blues. Toto is one of my all-time favorite bands, and they rarely tour in the US, let alone in my area. I knew it was going to be a great concert, and they truly blew me away. Now, I have fully realized how lucky I was to have seen them in concert.

I think that Poison is a step in the right direction for the jam. If they bring in FireHouse, Winger, and Ratt, they will have a full-blown hair band night! I will post updates on the Moondance Jam line up when they become available.

Triumph Reunites

2008-01-27T16:48:00.001-06:00

Legendary Canadian progressive rock band Triumph is set to re-unite after a hiatus lasting almost 20 years since their 1988 release of "Surveillance". Triumph spent the 1980s crafting brilliant progressive rock tunes like "Magic Power" and "Somebody's out There". Rik Emmet, Gil Moore, and all the others will be reuniting for the Sweden Rock Festival in June of this year. The band says that they might do some additional dates in July, and then they will gear up for a full scale world tour in 2009. I think that the band will do more dates this year than they are letting on right now. Maybe the Moondance Jam can secure the band?

For the latest news on Triumph, take a look at their official website at http://www.triumphmusic.com.

Rush Will Return to St. Paul, Two Cancellations

2008-01-19T15:25:00.003-06:00

I've got some very good news to report, and some disappointing news. Here's the good: I saw Rush at the Xcel Energy Center last September (see the review), and I was extremely impressed. Despite having bad seats, it was still easy to see that the band was in top form. I expected it to be my first and only time seeing the band since they hadn't been to my area in over 5 years. I was proved wrong with a very pleasant surprise yesterday when it was announced that the Xcel Energy Center was part of the second leg of the Snakes and Arrows tour. It's pretty amazing that they would decide to come back to St. Paul less than a year later. I'm sure their management realized that there are a lot of Rush fans in the area - the venue was packed with 10,000 to 11,000 people. Anyway, the concert will be May 22nd, hopefully I can make it.

Now for the disappointment. It looks like legendary singer Tom Jones has been forced to cancel his show at the Dakota Magic Casino after being scheduled to appear there. The concert would have been on March 17. Jones will still appear a day earlier in Minneapolis, but I won't be making the trip.

One last bit of information: Lynyrd Skynyrd, who were the first band to be signed for the 2008 Moondance Jam, have also pulled out due to scheduling conflicts. That means that there are no bands scheduled yet for the Jam. I expect a couple to be signed by February 1, though.

Rush Concert Review

2008-01-18T19:01:00.005-06:00

I went to St, Paul, Minnesota on September 9 to see the progressive rock geniuses that are Rush. The concert, held at the Xcel Energy Center, was packed with about 10,000 people.The first thing I noticed when Rush came on stage and broke into "Limelight" was that there were three large standing rotisseries behind the band. For those who don't know, bassist/vocalist/keyboardist Geddy Lee apparently has a strange sense of humor, so for the last few tours the band placed running washing machines in the background. For this tour, they brought along some chicken rotisseries and even had a chef tend to the chickens twice during the show. I was able to see that the chef did indeed apply adequate butter to each and every chicken, but I was unable to tell if the chickens were in fact real.

Also visible on stage were about 50 toy dinosaurs on top of the amplifiers and about 10 small toy barbie-like dolls on Alex Lifeson's mic stand, which were apparently known as "Alex's Groupies". All humor aside, it was a great show. The musicianship of Geddy, Alex, and Neil, is almost unmatched by any other group. They are all at the top of their game; Peart is one of the best drummers in rock and roll history, Alex is a gifted guitarist, and Geddy has one of most recognizable voices in rock music. . The band tore through 11 songs before taking a half hour break. They returned to the stage with "Far Cry" off their new album, and then played more songs of the new album. In all, they played a surprising 9 tracks off their new album, Snakes and Arrows. The second half of the concert consisted of another 14 songs, for 25 in total. Neil's drum solo was incredible; it lasted for about 10 minutes and was greeted by immense applause from the Minnesota crowd. Rush wrapped things up with "YYZ", and it was all over. While the band played from about 3 hours, it still seemed too short - I guess it is impossible to get enough of this great band. I was too far back to get any good pictures, but I did get a Rush shirt to remember the concert by.

Barry Manilow Concert Review

2008-01-18T19:01:00.004-06:00

Although my musical interests are almost purely in the melodic rock genre, I became a fan of Barry Manilow very early on. I've always loved his voice and his music, and ever since I first heard "Copacabana" at age 9, I was hooked. I snatched up some costly seats for the Manilow show and headed to St. Paul. Popular smooth jazz artist opened up the show, and since I'm also a fan of smooth jazz it was a great treat. Culbertson played 4 of his own tunes including "It's On Tonight" and "Our Love", as well as a 3-song Earth, Wind, and Fire medley. After about 30 minutes, Culbertson left the stage and the wait for Barry began.

After green glow-sticks were passed around, Barry's band began to make their way on stage. At first, I mistook Barry's drummer, who sports a similar hairdo from a distance, to be Barry himself. I soon learned that it wasn't Barry when the set began to split in half and the legend himself emerged proudly through the green and yellow fog. Barry then started singing "It's a Miracle" to an enthusiastic Minnesota croud, mainly consisting of female baby boomers and their husbands.

Manilow then launched into several more hits including "The Old Songs", and was greeted by lots of screaming fans. He even had to pick up some purple panties of the stage no more than 10 minutes into the show. Barry got more intimate with the crowd for "Moonlight Serenade" when he boarded a platform, lowered himself to the ground, grabbed a female fan from the audience and danced with her for the rest of the song. I had a great seat in the center of the floor and the sound quality was fantastic.

Aside from a few technical gaffes, Barry's performance was brilliant. He effortlessly hit every note and even threw in a few humorous moments. After doing a few songs from the 40s and 50s, Barry moved into the 60s and hopped onto the platform once more, this time to take a seat next to a lava lamp and smoke a "joint". After a few jokes involving drug usage, Manilow showed the audience his record collection and then launched into a Beatles cover song.

After finishing off the decades, he moved into some familiar tunes including "I Write the Songs", "Mandy", and "Can't Smile Without You". Before I knew it, he sprang into "Copacabana" and then ran off the stage only to come back clad in yellow to continue the song. It then became clear that the concert was coming to a close when he reverted to his opening song, It's a Miracle. After confetti shot out at the crowd, he walked off the stage, but didn't give the audience much time to chant "Barry" before he re-appeared, boarded the platform, and sang a couple older hits. After that, he walked off the stage and it was all over.

The concert probably lasted about 105 minutes, which isn't all that long considering that Barry stated in interviews that he is only given 85 minutes in Vegas. I was expecting him to add more than 20 minutes to the show, and I would have liked to see him squeeze in some 80s material like "Brooklyn Blues". Overall, it was an unforgettable concert and I have the glow sticks to prove it.

Ozzy Osbourne Concert Review

2008-01-18T19:01:00.003-06:00

I took the three-hour trek to Fargo yesterday to see rock legend Ozzy Osbourne at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota. The trip went pretty fast, and before I knew it, Ozzy was on stage. I skipped opening act Rob Zombie to save my hearing as I'm not a fan of him. After playing for longer than expected (about an hour), there was an intermission, and we went to grab our seats for Ozzy. Another half hour passed, and after a funny video featuring Ozzy dressed in drag as well as Ozzy on the TV series The Office, Ozzy ripped into his set list with his new charting single, "I Don't Wanna Stop", which was a great way to start the show.

The crowd cheered loudly as Zakk Wylde ripped into Crazy Train, and then he continued with Blizzard of Ozz tracks "Mr. Crowley" and "Suicide Soltuion" . He went back to his new album Black Rain for "Not Going Away", and then back in time to the days of Black Sabbath for "Into the Void." Ozzy's nearly 60, and it shows, but throughout the show he did quite a bit of jumping (more like hopping) and clapping. That was about it, though, and I'm sure after 14 songs Ozzy was rather exhausted. He obviously needed a chance to catch his breath when he played "Road to Nowhere" which was greeted by some lighters in the crowd. The pyrotechnics for the show were pretty basic - flames shooting up during some of the heavier tracks like "Bark at the Moon" and "Paranoid". Ozzy also had a cross branded with his name on stage that burned throughout the second half of the show. There were three large rectangular screens, and fourth screen in the shape of a cross.

Overall, the concert suffered from poor audio quality and poor attendance. The Fargodome originally planned to fill the venue, but ended up closing off the second half of it, leaving a noticeably smaller section for the concert. By comparison, Eric Clapton was able to fill the entire venue six months ago. The audio quality for Clapton's concert was also much better.

Rob Zombie joined Ozzy after he wrapped up his last track, Paranoid, which was accompanied by loud explosions on stage. I think I'm satisfied after seeing Osbourne once in concert, and I can't say that I would do so again. He is sure to please his fans, but for a casual fan like myself the concert was a bit too short and lacked energy.

Skid Row/FireHouse/LA Guns Concert Review

2008-01-18T19:00:00.002-06:00

The much anticipated Skid Row, FireHouse, and L.A. Guns concert took place on August 25, 2007 at Prairie Knights Casino south of Bismarck, North Dakota. I was really looking forward to FireHouse, and judging from their catalog I had a feeling that they would steal the show. L.A. Guns took the stage promptly at 7:30 and broke into a couple unfamiliar songs, followed by older hits like "Sex Action", "Never Enough", and "Over the Edge". Singer Phil Lewis still sounds pretty good, and so does the whole band. There are actually two bands that tour as L.A. Guns. The two bands each have 2 original members and 2 non-original members. The Phil Lewis version has original drummer Steve Riley and of course Phil Lewis. The other version features original guitarists Tracii Guns and Jeremy Guns. An ongoing feud keeps the two versions from uniting as one. Anyway, the Phil Lewis fronted L.A. Guns finished off their set by playing "Electic Gypsy", "The Ballad of Jayne", and "Rip and Tear". The Ballad of Jayne was of course greeted with lighters from the crowd.

After a half hour break, FireHouse took the stage playing the intro to their first song from their first album, Rock on the Radio. Vocalist C.J. Snare took to the stage with his soaring and screaming vocals, taking the audience all the way back to 1990. Snare's voice is one of the best in the melodic rock genre, and he has done an incredible job of keeping it in shape over the years. Absent from the FireHouse lineup was original guitarist Bill Leverty, who couldn't do the show due to family issues. Fortunately, a local musician was able to fill the void. He did a great job considering that there was very little time for rehearsal, but it was still very noticeable that Leverty was missing. After the intro, the band played "Helpless" and then broke into hits like "Lovers Lane" and "All She Wrote". Drummer Mike Foster was on fire, no pun intended, and CJ's soaring vocals filled the venue. The band broke into their signature ballads with "When I Look Into Your Eyes, as CJ took to the keyboards. Overall, even lacking their guitarist, the band was incredibly tight. Several songs sounded the same as they did on the CD, especially "Overnight Sensation", where CJ performed a flawless 13 second high note during the intro, just as heard on the album. "Reach for the Sky" and the audience favorite "Don't Treat Me Bad" finished out the set. FireHouse was all I expected and then some. Not only did they play with incredible energy, but they also took the time to sign autographs after their set. I went out and met the band and got a copy of their 2004 CD Prime Time autographed. CJ and Mike are very appreciative of their fans; they demonstrated true musicianship as they took the time to talk to everyone. It was the first band I ever met, and I'm glad it was a great band like FireHouse.

While FireHouse may have been the best band of the night, Skid Row still put on a wild show. They opened up with the heavy track "Thick Is the Skin", followed by "Piece of Me". Vocalist Johnny Salinger who replaced Sebastian Bach in 1999, kept the audience fired up by declaring "this isn't a concert, its a party, its your party!". During the band's performance of "Slave to the Grind", I noticed that FireHouse's drummer Mike Foster was watching the show right next to me. After the song was over I told him again how great they were and he promised to come back to the area next year. It's nice to see a musician who can just come out and watch the show with their fans. Meanwhile, Skid Row guitarist Scotti Hill was the crowd favorite. Every now and then he would reach down and grab someone's drink, take a chug, and then hand it back. Dave "The Snake" Sabo smoked a cigarette or two during the performance, and bassist Rachel Bolan took the lead vocals on a punk rock tinged track from a newer album. The band finished out their set with "I Remember You" and "Youth Gone Wild". Although Skid Row has several core members still intact, it just isn't the same without original vocalist Bach.

I will definitely be going to more FireHouse concerts in the future. I'm not sure if I would go to see Skid Row again, however. For me, their music is just a bit too heavy on the punk rock/alternative rock side. FireHouse's sound however is just my type. L.A. Guns would be good to see as an opener again; they do have some great songs. If you have the chance to see FireHouse, don't miss it. CJ, Bill, Mike, and Allen are not only great musicians, but they also appreciate their fans a great deal.

Ted Nugent Concert Review

2008-01-18T18:59:00.007-06:00

In 2007, Ted Nugent launched another massive U.S. tour that brought him to my state of North Dakota twice. I went to see him on June 16 in West Fargo, ND at the Red River Valley Fair. I had to wait quite a while for Uncle Ted to take the stage, though. A massive team of roadies took to the stage to set up gun after gun, guitar after guitar, and animal skull after animal skull of Ted's collection of treasures. This process took about a half hour, but when Ted finally took the stage and played the guitar louder than I had ever heard it before, it was all worth it. Uncle Ted knows how to rock at 58 years old. He doesn't look a day over 40, and his energy and spirit are stronger than ever. He ripped through classics like "Stranglehold", "Cat Scratch Fever", and "Fred Bear" with a level of enthusiasm unmatched in the concert world.

Of course, what Ted Nugent concert would be complete without some of Ted's political opinions. He didn't put in as much as he does in other concerts, but he did end up taking on Hillary Clinton. Ted also made numerous salutes to our troops. He played two tracks off of his new album, Love Grenade, which is a salute to the troops in itself. As the Nuge explained it, "Love Grenade" means that every time a soldier throws a grenade at an enemy, it is out of love for his/her country. The title track of this album, which he played at the concert, absolutely rocks. It has an amazing guitar hook that will make it an instant Ted classic. He wrapped things up with "Great White Buffalo" and dawned the complete Indian headdress. Ted Nugent is a one of a kind entertainer who will be rocking for years to come, there is no doubt about that.

Def Leppard Concert Review

2008-01-18T18:59:00.005-06:00

After Def Leppard's great performance at the Fargodome the previous October, I was not about to pass up the opportunity to see them again at the North Dakota State Fair the next year. As expected, they put on a great show, although it was rather short. They played all of their Hysteria smash hits like "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and in addition, they played the track "Excitable" from Hysteria for the first time in 20 years. They broke into the ballads for "Two Steps Behind" when the band came out to perform the song on the platform in the middle of the crowd. Joe Elliot's voice sounded great and the rest of the band can still play like its 1987. Missing from the set was a song from the Adrenalize album. It would have been nice to hear something from that album, but they made it up by playing my early Def Leppard favorite "Mirror, Mirror".

As I said before, the set was short. Since the band normally was playing with Styx and Foreigner, they did not expand their set for this one show even though those two bands were not present. Other than that, it was still a great concert and I got some amazing pictures that you can check out at my Flickr page.

Toto/Moody Blues Concert Review

2008-01-18T18:59:00.003-06:00

Since Toto is my favorite band, and knowing that American Toto tours are rare, I decided to give the Moondance Jam in Walker, MN a try. I had high expectations for what I view as one of the greatest rock bands in history. Of course, I also had high hopes for headliner The Moody Blues, who would take the stage after Toto. I was at the center of the stage and only one or two people from the front. While the set list was shortened, the show was amazing; Bobby Kimball came down the set of stairs that I was standing by and sang "Hold the Line" just feet away; it was a great moment that I won't soon forget. Both Bobby and Luke's vocals were fantastic; Bobby sang with amazing clarity and had to drink what seemed like 10 water bottles during the hour long show. Luke's guitar work was nothing short of amazing.

Leland Sklar, a legendary touring musician, filled in for Mike Porcaro, who was recovering from a wrist injury. Sklar, besides being a great bass player, seems to be a pretty down to earth guy. About 5 minutes after the concert was over, he could be seen taking pictures of the crowd from the VIP seating area. My dad waved at him and he waved back. About a half hour later, The Moody Blues burst onto the stage with "Lovely to See You Again"and took the audience back to the 60s. The Moody Blues, consisting of original and legendary vocalist Justin Hayward, original bassist John Lodge, and original drummer Graeme Edge. All three are at the top of their game; they still sound amazing all these years later. They also played some of their relatively newer songs from their '80s comeback like "The Voice" and "I Know You're out There Somewhere, but missing was my favorite Moody song "The Other Side of Life", the title track from the album that helped to put the legendary band back on the charts in the mid 1980s. Although the band's 1980s material was a bit of a departure from their roots, it is some of my favorite music. Albums like Sur La Mer (1988) and Keys to the Kingdom (1991) are fantastic, upbeat albums, each with its own interesting quality.

In all, both legendary bands lived up to my expectations and then some. I would eagerly see both bands, especially Toto, again. If you have the opportunity to see The Moody Blues, don't miss it. The three original members are all in their mid-60s, and there's no telling how much longer they will be touring. Upon hearing them in concert, I realized that they still tour because they love doing it.

Dokken/Great White Concert Review

2008-01-18T18:58:00.003-06:00

I just returned from last night's Dokken and Great White concert at the Prairie Knights Casino south of Bismarck, North Dakota. I'm a big fan of both bands, so I was pretty excited for the concert. Opener Great White did not disappoint. Although they didn't play certain songs I wanted to hear like "Desert Moon", they played all the other hits plus some songs that I can't believe I missed before. They opened with "Can't Shake It" and "Face the Day". Both songs feature great rhythms combined with great showcases of Jack Russell's signature vocals. The amazing thing is that his voice still sounds incredible live; he can still scream like its the 80s. They also played all of their famous ballads like "House of Broken Love", plus their very first ballad "On Your Knees". What's great about Great White, besides the fact that their vocalist hasn't changed a bit, is the fact that they have all original members with the exception of Sean McNabb. McNabb, however, plays so well that he blends right in with the band.

About 20 minutes later, Dokken broke into their set and iconic rock vocalist Don Dokken walked out on stage with a thick leather outfit and dark shades. He threw his jacket off and started to blast away at songs like "It's Not Love". Don's voice, still sounds great with his signature vibrato, although he does sing in a slightly lower key. Don also has an interesting on stage persona. At one point in the concert during drummer Mick Brown's solo, he headed to the back of the stage and smoked a cigarette while he tapped on the amplifier. Barry Sparks and Jon Levin also did a great job of making up for the absence of original Dokken members George Lynch and Jeff Pilson. A woman climbed on stage and started dancing next to Jon at one point, but security put an end to this behavior. Dokken ended their set with the classic "In My Dreams".

Personally, I think that Dokken and Great White are two of the most underrated bands of the 1980s. They sold a lot of records in the 80s, but today they are easily deserving of bigger venues. In terms of who I would see live, I would pick Dokken or Great White over Bon Jovi any day.

Eric Clapton w/ Robert Cray Concert Review

2008-01-18T18:57:00.003-06:00

Guitar legend Eric Clapton took the stage with Robert Cray at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota on March 30, 2007. Clapton played a great mix of his 60s and 70s classics, and his guitar playing was impeccable. One of my favorites through the whole concert was the 10 minute version of "Gotta Get Better in a Little While". Before Clapton took the stage, Robert Cray went through a six or seven song blues set that was terrific as well. Here's a shot of Eric and his band, as well as Cray, when the concert was finished.

The sound for the concert was perfect where we were sitting, and Clapton's playing was phenomenal. His back-up band did a great job as well; the whole show was certainly worth the ticket price and then some.

Def Leppard/Journey Concert Review

2008-01-18T18:57:00.001-06:00

In October of 2006, Def Leppard and Journey were scheduled to appear at the Fargodome, and I was determined to make it to the show. We arrived at the venue, and about 15 minutes after the show was scheduled to start, The Who's "You Won't Get Fooled Again" gave way to "JOURNEY" flashing on the screen, and before we knew it Neal Schon was blasting away on the Star Spangled Banner. It wasn't long before Jeff Scott Soto, Jonathan Cain, and Ross Valory were all on stage and playing all the great Journey hits like "Faithfully" and "Don't Stop Believin'". Soto sounded great as the new Journey vocalist, and as for the other musicians, drummer Deen Castronovo was fantastic, and Schon's playing was great as expected. When they left the stage, Def Leppard had big shoes to fill.

The words "JOURNEY" were replaced by "YEAH!", the title of Def Leppard's then-new album of cover songs, as they took the stage. They played a 15 song set with a couple covers, but mostly the hits they are remembered for like "Animal" and "Pour Some Sugar on Me". Joe Elliot's vocals were great, and Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell's guitar playing was better than ever.

Steve Miller Concert Review

2008-01-18T18:56:00.000-06:00

My second concert was rocker Steve Miller at the North Dakota State Fair in July of 2006. It was my parents who wanted to go, but that would be the last concert where they were the ones taking me there. Anyway, tickets were only 25 dollars, and with an open area next to the stage, we were only a few feet back from the action.

He opened up with Swingtown and then ripped through all of his great '70s hits like "Jungle Love" and "Fly Like an Eagle", as well as the 1980s classic "Abracadabra". His band was able to recreate most of the great synth sounds from that track. My dad was in charge of photography for this show, here is a shot he grabbed of Steve.

The North Dakota State Fair is a great concert venue, and Steve can still sing and play great all these years later.

Eddie Money/Starship Concert Review

2008-01-18T18:55:00.000-06:00

This was my very first concert - my parents bought tickets to the Starship and Eddie Money concert on January 10, 2004. I was barely a teenager at the time and had only heard of Eddie Money. I knew two of his songs; " Two Tickets to Paradise" and "Baby Hold On". I had never heard of Starship, so when they came on stage I really didn't recall anything.

Today, having listened to Starship, it would be a thrill to be at another one of their concerts. I don't know how I could have missed Mickey Thomas classics like "Jane" and "It's Not Enough" even back then. Anyway, I really have no memory of their performance, other than that it was really loud and we sat as far back as possible at my request. Then, Eddie Money took the stage. I was waiting for the only two songs mentioned above, since those were the only two that I knew.

I didn't get any pictures at the concert, and I was still a bit too young to enjoy the whole experience. I'm glad I went though - you have to start somewhere.

Moving My Blog

2008-01-18T18:24:00.000-06:00

Hi there!

I've been blogging about my concerts for about 6 months now over at Last.fm, but due to lack of readership and promotion, I've decided to move it over to Blogger. Let me start things off by introducing my self. My name is Matt and I'm a high school student in Bismarck, North Dakota. I've been a fan of bands like Toto, FireHouse, Def Leppard, and Journey for quite some time, and I try to go to as many of their concerts as I can. I usually bring my camera along, so I will constantly be posting lots of great pictures.

What I'm going to do now is basically transfer all of my old posts onto the website to get caught up. I've been to about 20 concerts so far, so it won't take all that long. Anyway, sit back and enjoy the ride, and stop back often to see who I've seen and who I will be seeing!

If you would like to check out my current Last.fm profile (music I listen to), see this link.

Here is a direct link to my old journal at Last.fm.

Concert Calendar Archive

2008-01-01T14:00:00.000-06:00

2008 Concerts

BARRY MANILOW - January 11 - Xcel Energy Center
RUSH - May 22 - Xcel Energy Center
38 SPECIAL - June 12 - Dakota Magic Casino
BOSTON - June 13 - Grand Casino
STYX - June 13 - Grand Casino
DOKKEN - June 21 - Red River Valley Fair
SLAUGHTER - June 21 - Red River Valley Fair
BLUE OYSTER CULT - June 21 - Red River Valley Fair
SAMMY HAGAR - July 10 - Moondance Jam
BOZ SCAGGS - July 10 - Moondance Jam
GREAT WHITE - July 11 - Moondance Jam
POISON - July 11 - Moondance Jam
SEBASTIAN BACH - July 11 - Moondance Jam
GEORGE THOROGOOD - July 12 - Moondance Jam
STYX- July 12 - Moondance Jam
BOSTON - July 16 - Shooting Star Casino
ALICE COOPER - August 5 - Bismarck Civic Center
DEF LEPPARD - August 13 - MTS Centre
BILLY IDOL - August 13 - MTS Centre
JOURNEY - September 16 - Xcel Energy Center
CHEAP TRICK - September 16 - Xcel Energy Center
IDES OF MARCH - September 20 - Dickinson State University
AC/DC - November 23 - Xcel Energy Center

2007 Concerts

ERIC CLAPTON - March 30 - Fargodome
ROBERT CRAY - March 30 - Fargodome
GREAT WHITE - April 21 - Prairie Knights Casino
DOKKEN - April 21 - Prairie Knights Casino
TED NUGENT - June 16 - Red River Valley Fair
TOTO - July 14 - Moondance Jam
THE MOODY BLUES - July 14 - Moondance Jam
DEF LEPPARD - July 26 - North Dakota State Fair
FIREHOUSE - August 25 - Prairie Knights Casino
SKID ROW - August 25 - Prairie Knights Casino
L.A. GUNS - August 25 - Prairie Knights Casino
RUSH - September 9 - Xcel Energy Center
OZZY OSBOURNE - October 29 - Fargodome

2006 Concerts

STEVE MILLER - July 22 - North Dakota State Fair
DEF LEPPARD - October 21 - Fargodome
JOURNEY - October 21 - Fargodome

2004 Concerts

STARSHIP - January 10 - Prairie Knights Casino
EDDIE MONEY -January 10 - Prairie Knights Casino