Musical Weekend: Steve Smith & Vital Information and Crimson ProjeKct

Part 1:

Steve Smith & Vital Information - 30th Anniversary Tour
Ottawa Tavern, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Saturday, June 23, 2012

I am a fan of jazz fusion music, and certainly have some instrumental CDs which feature drummer Steve Smith.    Steve may be more remembered for his time with the melodic rock platinum selling Journey, during their peak years in the 80s.    But, Steve is also a very versatile and skillful jazz drummer, which led to him forming Vital Information in the early 80s.   Having heard the band was going to be performing at Grand Rapids "Ottawa Tavern", I knew it was a show not to be missed.

The band featured Steve on drums, Tom Coster on keyboard and accordion, Baron Browne on bass, and Vinny Valentino on guitar. 


The band played two sets.   For the first set, the crowd looked to be around 75-80 (maybe 100).    I am not familiar with the song titles, so I am not able to include those.   During the opening song, you could tell something had gone wrong with the drum kit, but we didn't know exactly what was up.    Turns out, Steve had broken the bass drum head - something he said he hasn't done in 30 years.    So, they took a short break while Steve and their tour assistant changed the head.   This involved moving around most of the drum kit, which seemed to effect the rest of the set.    Although they sounded great, they seemed to be a bit "off" their groove.    The set included a great drum solo by Steve (very melodic), a nice ballad featuring Tom on the accordion, and some great "George Benson" type guitar work from Vinny.   While they had the accordion out, the band played a Zydeco flavored tune, which was a nice change in style.    Steve also featured his skills at "Konnakol", which he told us was "the art of performing percussion syllables vocally."    It is pretty cool, so look it up.   After about 90 minutes, they ended the first set.

I got to stay for the second set, with a small crowd of about 30 of us - WAY to small a turnout for such a quality band.    But, what I first noticed was that the band seemed more relaxed.   The entire set seemed more funky and featured the entire band more.   This time we got bass solos, extended guitar solos, and less drum solo work.    The set did feature entirely different music, and no technical difficulties (no broken drum heads).    Generally speaking, I liked the second set better, if only because it seemed like the band was having more fun.

I truly appreciate how Ottawa Tavern managed to book this show - a great catch for Grand Rapids.   It is a shame that the Grand Rapids jazz fans didn't get out to support this show.    Big missed opportunity.   

Thanks for my friend Mike for joining me for the evening, as well as running into fellow bass player Randy Goble.


Rating:  8 out of 10





Part 2:

Stick Men, Adrian Belew Power Trio, Crimson ProjeKct
The Intersection, Grand Rapids, Michigan
June 24, 2012

In a great grab by The Intersection club, Grand Rapids was treated to a 3 hour prog fest featuring King Crimson music.    The combined "Crimson ProjeKct" group is currently opening Dream Theater's tour, but playing their own shows on "off nights" from Dream Theater.   This was one of those "off nights".   

Tony Levin has his "Stick Men" group, which features himself on "Chapman Stick", Pat Mastelloto on drums, and Markus Rueter on "Touch Guitar".    This trio tore through some of Tony's solo material, some of the tracks from their Stick Men releases, and a track from a Robert Fripp solo release.   They also performed their interpretation of the Firebird Suite.   Overall, a nice opening set.    

Next up with Adrian Belew and his power trio.   The group features Adrian on guitar/vocals, Julie Slick on bass guitar, and Tobias Ralph on drums.   This trio stuck to some of Adrian's solo music, which I am not very familiar with.    But, they also included a couple Crimson tunes they put their on stamp on.   A very "jam band/improv" type set, with tons of odd tones and textures.    Pretty much what you expect from Adrian, right?


After a 15 minute intermission, we got the "Crimson ProjeKct" set.   Tony, Pat, and Adrian came out to start the "Crimson centric" set.   They opened with "Three of a Perfect Pair", which was nicely done by just the three musicians.   They moved on through "Elephant Talk" and a couple other tunes before the others all came out.   This put 6 musicians on stage, and allowed them to replicate later era Crimson stuff (the two trio era music).    Pat, Tony, and Adrian had their roles down.   Tobias did a nice job of filling the "Bill Bruford" role, while Markus covered much of "Robert Fripp" guitar parts and sounds.    Julie got to hold down the low end grooves for the set, while Tony dabbled with his stick or other parts.   They pulled off "Thrak" well, while Adrian created all sorts of weirdness (including the power drill on his guitar bit).   Of the many great moments, I especially liked their intro to "Indiscipline".    The two trios traded the opening of the song, giving each drummer a chance to solo and mess with the beat, before handing back to the other trio.    It was a very cool thing to watch live.     "Red", "Frame By Frame", and even the goofy "Dinosaur" were shared with the small audience (I'd estimate around 200-250).    They started wrapping up things with "Thela Hun Ginjeet", where Tony had his "funk fingers" for use on his regular bass guitar (not the stick).    Generally speaking, they stuck to 80s and 90s era King Crimson material, so no "20th Century Schizoid Man" or similar.   What I did notice is that the set was more focused and avoided the long slow improv sections that had become common with later era Crimson.


All three bands seemed to be enjoying the evening, and Pat Mastelloto seems to have the most fun creating different percussion loops and sounds to fill out things (all while still playing his required drum parts).     Adrian and Tony appeared to be having fun with the Crimson music, while getting a chance to also share their own stuff.    Tobias was amazing at working alongside Pat, and also adding his own style.   Julie and Markus added those necessarily parts to help fill out the missing Fripp while letting Tony have more freedom to overlap bass parts.


After 3 hours, everyone had gotten more than their money's worth.    It was a great evening of progressive music, with a bit of classical and improv thrown in.   


Rating:  9 out of 10

Barry Manilow - Van Andel Arena - June 14, 2012

Barry Manilow
Van Andel Arena
Grand Rapids, Michigan
June 14, 2012

Why was I going to a Barry Manilow concert?    Well, going back to the mid-70s, I always had an appreciation for his talent and his songwriting.    Sure, he didn't write all his hit songs, but he has had many that were his own.     So, realizing I needed to see the guy live before he completely retires, I decided this was my chance.

Manilow is 68, and has had a couple hip surgeries in recent years.   It appears to have slowed down his stage movements a bit, but that was to be expected.    What was front-and-center was the music, and there was plenty of great music.    Say what you want about Barry, but he is a very talented musician, vocalist, songwriter, and entertainer.     And for just under 90 minutes, Manilow displayed this to the about 1/3 full arena (no upper bowl seats were sold).

Barry and his 6 piece band with 2 backing vocalists covered most of the hits from throughout his career.   Opening (and closing) with "It's A Miracle", Manilow had a solid band, clean sound mix, and his voice sounded fairly strong.    He seemed in good spirits as he continued with the "club mix" version of "Could This Be The Magic".    The hits continued with "Looks Like We Made It", and he had the entire arena singing along with "Can't Smile Without You".    He made a brief dedication to Dick Clark, before the "American Bandstand" theme song.    He sat at the piano and reflected on the "Even Now" release, before playing the title song.    He had a nice reflection about his grandfather taking him to a "record your voice on vinyl" booth when he was a child, and they played some of the first recording.    This led into "This One's For You".     For me, a long favorite has been the song "Weekend in New England", and this was performed well and still holds up as a great song.     Barry talked about his recent "greatest songs of the..." releases, and went into his version of "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", from the 60s release.     He briefly mentioned his support for school music programs and how it influenced his life, while also encouraging the audience to donate any instruments to local school programs.   Next was "Trying To Get The Feeling" which sounded great.    A video from his first performance on "The Midnight Special" was shown, with him performing the song "Mandy".     After the video covered the  first verse and chorus, Barry started singing the rest of the song on stage - I didn't hear a key change in this transition, so if the song had been lowered, the tech crew had managed to lower the pitch on the original Midnight Special video (which is unlikely, but possible).    Manilow began moving towards the end of the show with "Copacabana" and ending with "I Write The Songs", before reprising "It's A Miracle".

 

 



Having seem Roger Water's perform "Pink Floyd's The Wall" last week, I found myself appreciating Barry's show being solely about the music.    No fancy special effects or visuals taking away from the focus on the songs, and I didn't mind that.

Rating:  8 out of 10

Highlight for me:  "Weekend in New England"

Lowpoint:  Started about 20 minutes late, and show was less than 90 minutes.    Maybe this is a result of his last few years performing shows at a residency in Vegas, and the show is simply streamlined to this set of music.    But, considering Elton John and Paul McCartney are doing almost 3 hour shows, Barry could certainly give us more for an arena tour.

Roger Waters "The Wall" - June 6, 2012 - Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids

Roger Waters - "The Wall Live"
June 6, 2012
Van Andel Arena
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Seats were in second tier, straight back from stage (Section 201, row F, seats 1 and 2)

After having read many rave reviews of the Roger Waters 2011 tour of "The Wall", I jumped at tickets when Grand Rapids managed to get a date on the 2012 tour.   I wanted to  get some in the "reasonable" price range (I'm told some went as high as $200!).    Also, when it comes to the band Pink Floyd, I'm much more of a David Gilmour fan.    But, the reports had made frequent mention of the spectacle of the show, and everyone said it was a "must see".

As an introduction, the performance is of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" release, which was also made into a film around 1982.   The film starred Bob Geldof, before Bob became the founder of the whole "Live Aid" stuff.     The Roger Waters performance was part recreation of the Pink Floyd 1980 tour, along with new technological enhancements, as well as including footage from the film.   There are songs that were part of the original tour, which did not make it on the studio release.   There is no opening act on this tour, and Roger does no play any other music in this performance.

June 6, 2012 arrives and we make our way to the arena.   The venue appears to be almost full (I'm reading 10,000 was the attendance, in a typically 12,000 max facility).    One of the first things I notice is that sound booth area is full of various technicians for both sound and video - not quite U2 scale, but close.     The stage area has the "Wall" partially constructed on the left and right sides, with middle open showing the band area.

At about 8:15pm, lights go down and the performance starts with two of the "soldiers" dragging the "Pink" puppet to middle stage, while an audio clip from Spartacus plays.    They then let the puppet fall on the stage, and leave to the sound of a trumpet playing a melody I'm told is from the song "Outside The Wall".    The band then launches into the opening song "In The Flesh?" with massive lighting and fireworks, all climaxing in a large model airplane coming across the crowd and crashing into the right side of the wall, in a ball of fire.   Roger Waters appears to take the lead vocal, while also playing part ring leader and part actor.    Impressive opening, to say the least.

After the smoke settles, the band continues through the story with "Happiest Days of Our Lives" and "Another Brick In The Wall Part 2", which introduces the giant "Teacher" puppet.    While the puppet does have an ominous look, it really doesn't do much during the song.    Sure, it has lighted eyes and moves up and down, but I wanted to see it actually move across the stage.    Roger had enlisted local children (I'm not sure how they were selected) to help act as school children to the teacher.   The children also had some simple movements choreographed, and sang the school children parts of the song.     It worked out fairly well.

After this, Roger welcomed us to the show and thanked the children for their help.    He then explained a bit about the 1980 performance of "The Wall", and played "Big Brother Is Watching You" to a video clip from the 1980 show.    The video is shown across the partially built wall, and also included the screen behind the band - the entire area was frequently treated as one large screen.     For me, the visuals were more interesting than the song.

The visuals projected on the wall looked fantastic, but were all laced with Roger's particular political positions.     Although some of this is expected, it did seem a bit "insincere" within the backdrop of this massive production.

During the song "Goodbye Blue Sky", Roger had video of animated planes dropping symbols of various political, religious, and corporate establishments.     Although I'm sure this was meant to make some sort of anti-establishment statement, for me it was lost on the fact that Roger probably has more money than most of us (and probably owns a Mercedes Benz).   Not to mention the concert ticket price and $40 T-Shirts for sale don't exactly make Roger look less capitalistic.

As the performance continues through the first act, the wall continues to be "built" by stage persons, block by block.     There was a specific format to how it was assembled, leaving key spots open until the end.    At this point, there was an intermission.

After intermission, the band performs "Hey You" from behind the wall - you could see the lighting being used as if the wall wasn't there, but they never removed a single brick - kind of a cool effect and something I'm sure has always been a highlight of this show.     During the song "Nobody Home", a left section of the wall folds out showing a small hotel room with chair, TV, lamp, and windows.    I'm told Roger is supposed to be in the "Pink" character here, while performing the song "Vera".    Although it looked great, the performance seemed a bit lackluster.    Following "Vera" was video of soldiers reunited with the children, which was another point that seemed disconnected from the rest of the story - when considering the previous visuals during the show, it left me confused about what Roger was trying to say with the "additional" video footage.

Moving on to "Comfortably Numb", Roger is in the middle of the stage in front of the wall, while another vocalist and lead guitar player emerge at the top of the wall for solo parts.    This created more interesting visuals.    I've read glowing reviews of the guitar player doing a good job with capturing the original David Gilmour solo, and he does come close - I still like Gilmour better.

After this, the entire band comes out in front of the wall, performing on a set that came up from under the stage.  "The Show Must Go On" and "In The Flesh" are performed from this smaller setup in front of the wall, while Roger plays the role of Fascist dictator.    We were also treated to the inflatable pig floating around (via remote control), with various symbols and images from earlier, painted on the pig.

During "Waiting For Worms", video sequences of the marching hammers (from "The Wall" film) are used to great effect.    Visually, this was close to the most impressive part of the evening (for me).     At the end of the piece, a sole red spotlight is at the top of the wall where the "Pink" puppet is sitting.    It falls off the wall to the stage.

Next we have Roger performing "The Trial" lead vocal, while the animation from the film was projected.     To me, this is the most "Broadway" part of the entire show, and creates a nice change in musical direction.     Although Roger did a fine job vocally, I wasn't that impressed with his acting - not to mention, I wasn't sure if we were supposed to be watching Roger or the animation - I went with the animation.

This all came to a climax and Roger leaves the stage to the chant of "Tear down the wall".   After a brief moment, the wall falls down starting from middle top.   Smoke and light flashes add to the visuals, while a silhouette of a childish girl with her hands raised, appears in the back video screen.   Here's video I shot of this moment:



After the "smoke" settles, the band comes back out in front of the fallen wall, and performs and acoustic song.    I'm told it is "Outside The Wall".     During the song, red confetti falls from the rafters on the stage and floor audience.     Roger introduced the band afterward.

As sort of an overall summary, I'd say the show was visually stunning and the sound was incredibly clear - probably the best arena sound mix I've ever heard.     The band was good and recreated the music fine.    Roger comes across as a great idea man, but an average musician and vocalist.     His musical performances were fine (although I hear a few songs are played in slightly lower keys), but his attempts at dramatic acting could use some improvement (or let someone else do that stuff).    In my opinion, Roger isn't able to recreate the Pink Floyd experience on his own, but he sure did provide a feast for the eyes and ears.

On another note, I know that this tour is making arena stops as well as baseball stadium stops (the show was going to Chicago's Wrigley Field next).    Having to squeeze all the show into the smaller Van Andel Arena probably had some negative impact on this massive show.    I'm sure it feels a bit more "spread out" and not as "cramped", when in the larger stadiums - this is a show that would benefit from having a bit more room.    But, I'm glad it came to Grand Rapids, and I thought it was worth the time and money.

Rating:  9 out of 10

Total time was about 2hrs with intermission.

Jars Of Clay - "Almost Christmas" - Dec 11, 2011

Jars of Clay – Almost Christmas Tour – Zeeland, MI

We had the pleasure of catching the 2011 version of the Jars Of Clay Christmas tour, as it stopped at Community Reformed Church in Zeeland, Michigan.

The show opened with a few songs from the resident church praise team.     While I normally get frustrated with “house bands” opening the show, the group did stick to only a few songs.   They kept to the Christmas theme, and I believe their lead guy was named Curt Dykema.

Next up was Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors.   Drew and his wife are the main vocalists, with Drew also providing rhythm guitar duties.   His wife also handled some mandolin and keyboard.   They were accompanied by a lead guitar, bass, and drums.    The style was very much in Americana/country/folk, but in a “fun” sort of way – sometimes approaching rockabilly.   Drew and his band played about 40 minutes of original songs, and some Christmas classics (White Christmas, Baby Its Cold Outside, etc).    Overall, not a bad set, but probably went a couple songs too long.

Jars Of Clay came out next, with the 4 key members being augmented by the drummer and bass player from Drew’s band.    They opened with “Wonderful Christmastime”, and played a couple more numbers before the drummer and bass player left the stage.   The next hour was spent with just two acoustic guitars, piano, and vocals with some light percussion.    The band played a combination set of tracks from their Christmas releases, as well as some of the hits.    This was different from the last time we saw the Christmas show, when they stuck to all Christmas songs.    But, the band sounded great, and they seemed to enjoy the scaled down arrangements.    Towards the end of the set, the drummer and bass player came back for a couple more “less acoustic” songs.

Our seats were up in the balcony, on the right side, and the sound mix quality wasn’t great for us.   It appeared the main speakers were pointing towards the main floor center, and we found it hard to clearly understand anything said from the stage.    I talked to a friend who was on the main floor, and he said it was great down there.    We also noticed the subwoofers seemed too loud, as any low frequency sounds (kick drum, bass guitar, etc.) seemed to overwhelm everything else (very boomy mix).    So, that created some frustration, but I’m sure they must have done their best with what they had.

Overall, it was a nice evening, but not the “best” concert I’ve seen from Jars Of Clay, and the issues weren’t all in control by the band.    Still, a nice Christmas concert, from a band that created one of my favorite Christmas releases.

My week at "Rock The Rapids"

Last week (Aug 8-13) was the "Rock The Rapids" week of concerts in downtown Grand Rapids.    My wife and I attended 5 of the 6 shows.    Rather than review each evening separately, I'm opting to just provide this single post covering the week.

Day 1 was to have featured Lynyrd Skynyrd and Jonny Lang.   However, the day before the concert, Lynyrd Skynyrd had to cancel due to their lead singer being hospitalized with complications from a previous surgery.    The "Rock The Rapids" organizers accomplished the "practically impossible" and managed to secure another performer to take the opening slot.     With Michigan having a long musical heritage, they were able to get the legendary Mitch Ryder to perform.    Mitch is best known for the hit "Devil with a Blue Dress on".    Jonny Lang was given the headliner slot.    When we arrived, Mitch Ryder was just starting his set.    Considering the Skynyrd cancellation, the crowd did appear a little smaller than expected.    But, Mitch and his backing band delivered a solid set of early 60s era rock and roll, and it sounded good.    Opening night glitches were few, with the most notable being a blown generator shortly into Mitch's set - they got this repaired in very short order and had not further issues.   I had no complaints, but also am not a huge fan of the style Ryder brought.    After a stage change over, Jonny Lang and band strolled out on stage with little fanfare.    Jonny proceeded to play the next 90 minutes with passion and skill beyond his young age (he is 30).    Jonny and his band had to deal with some rain during their set, but kept up the pace of energetic blues.    I have long known about Jonny and his skills, but had never seen him before.   I will say the guy plays and sings every song as if it is the last thing he will ever do.    Most of the small crowd was impressed, but the evening was not without opening night struggles.

Day 2 was headlined by Stone Temple Pilots.     Not having a huge interest in opening act "Red Hill Drive", we took our time getting down to the site.    Upon arrival, we first noticed the crowd was significantly larger.    Having not heard Red Hill Drive before, I would say their style was definitely classic rock influenced.     Trouble we had was that the songs were not that memorable, and their presentation lacked in connecting with the crowd.    They also looked as if they just got off the bus and walked on stage, which isn't always bad, but didn't help them on this day.    Next time, the band may want to be a bit more entertaining, and appear like they care a bit more.    STP was next on stage, and we were impressed that lead singer Scott Weiland was still along (Scott has a long drug history and has frequently compromised his performances).    Using a lighted backdrop which appeared to be the same thing used in 2010, the band came out energetic and sounding good.     Scott looked particularly in good shape, and sounded fantastic.    As the band worked its way through both hits and newer material, the "shoe gazer" tempos became frequent.   I have known the band for years, and don't hate them, but the pacing of the evening seemed to really slow down about midway through.    They tried to kick up the energy with some more uptempo songs, but the tempo seemed to slow back to the middle ground each time.  Considering how often this happened, I began to suspect it was intentional.    But, that brought up the question of why?    Was it because the drummer was having trouble?    Was it done so the singer would be able to keep up?     Why keep noticeably slowing down each song?     That bothered us.    But, overall, STP delivered a decent set, and was a good second night for the week.

Day 3 was Willie Nelson and Robert Randolph.   Being the best weather so far, the crowd was even larger and the event was starting to see some changes.    The "Port O Potty" lines were getting long (the event organizers need to probably double these for next year), and they had volunteers working to put the seated crowd into actual rows (previous nights it was sort of a "sit where you want" and a bit chaotic).     Coordinating the seating proved helpful, and got more people into the area.    Having seen Robert Randolph & The Family Band before, I know he would be great.    Trouble is, it seemed most of the crowd wasn't familiar with Robert, and he had an uphill battle.    He did what he could with his funk infused gospel jam style, and managed to get the crowd dancing.    The set was tight and fun, but it was obvious much of the crowd was there just for Willie.    After a stage change, a small group came to the stage followed by the legend that is Willie Nelson.    Willie is 78 years old, and has nothing to prove.    Supported by piano (played by his sister), electric bass guitar, harmonica, and just a snare drum (and maybe a kick drum-couldn't tell), Willie was the only guitar player and lead singer.   Having been around for over 50 years, Willie has written at least one song everyone knows.    With a style best described as "cowboy songs", Willie managed to amble through his various hits, while including some cover songs he obviously enjoys.    His voice isn't great, but it never was.    His guitar playing is surprisingly melodic and unique - improvisation and jazz licks were speckled throughout.     Willie and band played for about 90 minutes, and he covered just about everything I would have recognized.    For me, I'm not a Willie fan but do have a respect for his legacy of music.    He gave a classic country show with no frills and kept you entertained.   

Day 4 was Bachman-Turner and Alice Cooper.   For this day, the crowd was slightly smaller than Willie Nelson, but still good sized.   Weather was great.    Everything with the event coordination went almost identical to the night before.   Bachman-Turner came out with their hits from the BTO catalog.   Fred Turner on bass/vocals still has a great raspy voice, and sounded  perfect on songs like "Let It Roll Down The Highway".    Randy Bachman on guitar/vocals still has his clean higher voice, and does great on songs "Takin Care of Business" and "You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet".    Overall, they gave us just over an hour of classic 70s era rock.    After a stage change and promise of the most stage props of the week, a front stage curtain dropped to the opening of the song "The Black Widow".     Alice Cooper was at the top of a large platform, dressed in an outfit that featured 6 extra arms, making him an 8-legged representation of the song.    For the next 90 minutes, we were treated to hit after hit, with various costume changes and set pieces.    "Feed My Frankenstein" featured Alice in a lab coat, as he brought a 10ft monster to life.     The campy nature of the monster roaming the stage was textbook Alice.    A nice treat for me was hearing Alice perform the song "Clones" from his "Flush The Fashion" release - I long thought he was trying to forget this 1980  release and the "new wave" synth vibe of the record.    But, "Clones" fit well with the rest.    Alice shared a couple new songs, along with all the hits.      Alice did not break "character" until encore time, when he commented on Detroit and sports.    For me, this was the best evening of the week, and Alice gave a lesson to the rest on how to entertain a crowd.

Day 5 was headlined by Blake Shelton.    This is one of the "new country" stars, and my wife was interested in seeing some of hist set.    So, we wandered down a little later in the evening, and got there about halfway through opener Bomshel.    This was the largest crowd of the week, and was said to be "sold out" (the attendance number I read was 10,000).    Getting there later, we were not able to get anywhere near the main seating, and we ended up near the back.    Bomshel may be good, but I didn't hear much that caught my attention.    They appeared to be 2 ladies supported by 2 additional musicians.    It was all acoustic, and was even a tad hard to hear from the back.     After a stage change, Blake Shelton and band took the stage with energy and a country rock sound.     Not being familiar with any of his material, all I can say is that he did sound good.    After a couple songs, Blake took time to talk about his new wife Miranda Lambert (another country star), and seemed to ramble on about related topics.    He got back to songs, but many were ballads.    We got more talking, and then a brief medley of songs his sister used to play for him ("Play The Funky Music", "Centerfold" from J Giles, and "My Prerogative" from Bobby Brown).     This is the sort of thing that has me questioning current "new country" bands - if I want to hear rock songs, I'll got to the rock shows, OK?    But, the crowd seemed to love it, so what do I know!    After that, he went back to more ballads.     Overall, it sounded to me like Blake Shelton needs coaching on how the keep the show moving and not kill the momentum.   

We sold off our tickets to the Day 6 rap music show that was to feature Ludicris and T-Pain.   Reviews indicated the crowd wasn't as big as Blake's, but the rap show did get good reviews.

For the first time the event has been held in downtown Grand Rapids (it was previously held at 53rd ballpark outside of town), the organizers did a good job.      I've got a couple tweaks in mind, but things could have been much worse.    They need to expand the overall crowd area (getting around the crowd became difficult on the larger attendance nights), and they need to at least double the amount of "port o pottys" (you don't want to skimp on that).   

Meatloaf - Val Du Lakes - August 6, 2011

Thanks to radio station WFGR, my wife and I were able to attend the "80s music - Day 2" at Val Du Lakes amphitheater in Mears, Michigan.

We arrived just at the end of the opening set by Dr. Hook featuring Ray Sawyer.   So, no opinion on that performance.

Next up with Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.   I did not know much about Donnie, except for a couple hits.   He seemed to come out a little stiff, but warmed up quickly.    His backing band of guitar, keyboard, bass, drums provided decent support (except for some keyboard technical difficulties during the set).   The highlights of the just-over-an-hour set included "Ah! Leah!" and "That's The Way Love Ought To Be".    I was impressed with Donnie's voice, and it was a decent mid-day performance.

Following Donnie, was Tom Cochrane & Red Rider.   Backed by bass, drums, and guitar, Tom plowed through a set of hits.    Having a bit of delay before he got started, it appeared Tom had an "up hill" battle to connect with the crowd.   Early on in the set, we got "Lunatic Fringe", which was the song my wife wanted to hear.   The other "hit" I recognized, was closing song "Life Is A Highway".   Overall, Tom Cochrane sounded fine, but never seemed to get his momentum going with the audience.   His set was less than an hour.

Finally, after another long switch over (but a bit more justified, due to the extra stage risers and gear), the legend that is "Meatloaf" took the stage.     Considering the news reports said Meatloaf had been having asthma trouble in the past couple weeks, I was impressed just to see him vertical.    Opening with "Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul)" (from his Rocky Horror performance), proved a great crowd pleaser.   He sounded alright, but the vocals were low in the mix.   Backed by a great sounding 7 piece band named "Neverland Express" (2 keyboards, 2 guitars, bass, drums, backing vocalist), Meatloaf spent much of the opening few songs stalking the stage working to rile up the crowd.    Most of the night was concentrated on the hits from his "Bat Out Of Hell" releases, while also featuring some tracks from his latest "Hang Cool Teddy Bear" release.    The first half of the show seemed to be going better than I expected, but Meatloaf starting wearing out for the second half.    He brought out a bar stool for "Two Out Of Three Aint' Bad", and attempted to explain how it wasn't because he was tired - well, maybe not entirely because of being tired, but he still sounded out of breath.    By the time we got to "Paradise By The Dashboard Light", he was spending much of the song leaning on his microphone stand as if it was a crutch.    Granted, at 63 years old and struggling with asthma, I'm sure the humid outdoor venue wasn't helping his breathing.     But, almost in spite of the conditions, he continued soldiering on giving us everything he had (even if it was only a portion of what he may have wanted).     Most of his stage banter with the audience was profanity laden, and seemed a bit out of place.    But, even with the lagging vocal performance, the band was fantastic.    Featured backing vocalist Patti Russo provided great support for Meatloaf, while also covering the sassy personality needed for the more theatrical songs.    Pianist Justin Avery recreated all the signature parts created by "Bat Out Of Hell" original composer Jim Steinman.     While his performance was certainly not what he offered years ago, there was no doubt about Meatloaf's ability to dramatically deliver a song.    He was not giving us any sort of "phoned in" performance - he was giving all he had and then sum.    For this show, Meatloaf was a better entertainer, than singer.

Val Du Lakes is a small campground area near Silver Lake.    Although there is not anything specifically wrong with the venue, there also isn't anything specifically special about it.    The stage, sound, and setting are all fairly standard.    Trouble is, for the extra drive and today's ticket prices, they need to find some niche to make the trip worth the effort.     Had I paid full price for the show, I may have been a bit disappointed (especially considering all the music offerings around the area this summer).

Overall rating:   I'd give the show a 7 out of 10

Setlist for Meatloaf:

1.Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul)
2.If It Ain't Broke, Break It
3.Bat Out of Hell
4.Peace On Earth
5.Living On The Outside
6.Los Angeloser
7.You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
8.Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through
9.I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
10.Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
11.Paradise by the Dashboard Light
12.Boneyard
13.All Revved Up With No Place To Go

Motley Crue, Poison, New York Dolls - Van Andel Arena - Aug 3, 2011

Hearing about the summer tour featuring Motley Crue, Poison, and New York Dolls brought a bit of curiosity.   Sure, there was the various drama going on individually within Motley Crue and Poison, but there was also the reported feuds between the bands.   Having already seen Motley Crue, and not being a huge fan of Poison, the only real interest I had was New York Dolls.    A couple months back, a friend of mine mentioned he might want to see the show, and next thing you know we had tickets.

New York Dolls opened the show with their "no frills" early punk rock style - think a heavier Rolling Stones.   They are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band.   New York Dolls are frequently mentioned as starting the "Glam Rock" fashion, although that isn't as much of their look these days.  Lead singer David Johansen may have achieved more notoriety with his "Buster Poindexter" persona, but he seemed more "comfortable" with the dolls.  The only other original member is guitarist/vocalist Sylvain Sylvain.    The band is completed with bassist Kenny Aaronson, drummer Jason Sutter, and additional guitarist Earl Slick.     The 5 members rifled through nine songs, covering both old and new.    Johnansen and Sylvain both seemed in good spirits, even though most of the crowd had yet to show up.    The band played a style of 70s rock, which definitely influenced the bands coming up later that night.    I enjoyed their 45 minutes or so, and would love to see them again in a smaller venue.    I'd' give their set a 7 out of 10 - no frills rock and roll.    Set list noted at the end of this post.

Next up was Poison.    These guys are celebrating 25 years together, and currently consist of all original members.   With a pyro filled opening, lead singer Bret Michaels rose up to a platform behind the drum kit.   Bret manages to keep up the energy as lead singer, almost in spite of recent past health issues.   His voice was in better shape than I expected.    Lead guitarist C.C. Deville matches Bret with running around, while also displaying some fairly impressive guitar skills.   The rhythm section of Rikki Rockett (drums) and Bobby Dall (bass) keep things on a solid foundation.     Poison definitely brought the party.   I was bored with their cover of Grand Funk's "American Band" song, which the band really did nothing to make it their own.    Other than Bret's patriotic introduction (which was fine), I saw no point to including this song in their set.     Their cover of "Your Momma Don't Dance" was also less than impressive, so I would have recommended leaving that out.    But, both tunes were crowd pleasers, and that appeared to be the sole point.    Separate drum and guitar solo moments seemed purely to remind us of the 80s, as they didn't necessarily add to Poison's show.    I'd give their set a 7 out of 10 - great energy, but a couple set changes could improve the overall experience.    Set list noted at the end of this post.

Finally,  after a stage change and with a sudden set of firework explosions, Motley Crue stormed the stage.    The Crue is celebrating 30 years as a band, and currently features all original members.    Their stage area is primarily open and clean, which puts the center focus on the roller coaster contraption that Tommy Lee has his drum kit mounted to.    Having only seen the band once before (on their 2009 "Saints of Los Angeles" tour), I wasn't sure how this performance was going to compare.    The band sounded a little tighter, but lead singer Vince Neil's voice wasn't as strong.    Maybe due to performing the night before in Ohio.    Mick Mars continues to have a massive guitar sound, which rattles the entire building.     Nikki Sixx appeared a little less animated than last time, but also appeared in better shape.   Nikki had his vocal mic as part of a trapeze type thing that hung from the above lighting rig.   This proved an interesting visual, as he could mess with making it swing around from time to time (I think he may have stole the idea from Bono).     The band also featured two ladies on background vocals, which helped Vince a bit.    The ladies provided some various dance moves during certain songs, but didn't add much to the overall show.     The centerpiece of the show was Tommy Lee and his drum roller coaster.   Providing a lighting structure reminiscent of Pink Floyd's circle setup from the "Pulse" era, the roller coaster frame also had a video screen in the center (not as clear as what Pink Floyd had).    During Tommy's drum solo section, he was secured in and the entire kit was revolved 360 degrees (you can find video of this on Youtube).    Yea, it's gimmicky, but does look pretty cool.    It is pure showmanship.    Tommy even picked out an audience member to come up and get harnessed into a companion chair, to ride along with a couple rotations.     After that, the band was back out and plowed through more hits.    From what I read, the set list was comprised of choices made by fans on the Motley Crue website.     The set definitely stuck to hits, and even featured early tracks like "Too Fast For Love".     The show featured a ton of pyro and explosions, which helped keep the audience energized (almost as much as a KISS show).     Thankfully, the set didn't have Nikki bass solo sections or pointless "camera" shenanigans from Tommy Lee - they stuck to the music this time.  I'd give the Motley Crue set an 8 out of 10, based upon the showmanship and sticking to the hits.     Set list noted below.

Overall, the show was a bit much for one night.   New York Dolls laid the foundation for the evening, Poison ramped up the party atmosphere, and Motley Crue took the whole thing over the top of excess (what they do best, right?).


New York Dolls
Looking For a Kiss
Dance Like a Monkey
Cause I Sez So
Talk to Me Baby
Kids Like You
Who Are the Mystery Girls?
Pills
Trash
Personality Crisis

Poison
Look What The Cat Dragged In
Ride The Wind
We're An American Band - Grand Funk Railroad cover
Your Mama Don't Dance - Loggins & Messina cover
C.C Deville Guitar Solo
Fallen Angel
Unskinny Bop
Rikki Rockett Drum Solo
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Talk Dirty To Me
Nothin' But A Good Time

Mötley Crüe
Wild Side
Saints of Los Angeles
Live Wire
Shout at the Devil
Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
Primal Scream
Home Sweet Home
Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
Tommy Lee Drum Solo (on 360-degree roller coaster drum riser)
Looks That Kill
Dr. Feelgood
Too Young to Fall in Love
Ten Seconds to Love
Girls, Girls, Girls
Smokin' In The Boys Room - Brownsville Station cover
Kickstart My Heart