Danger Danger singer Ted Poley sure loves what he does, lots of fun with a smile on his face the whole time. Even his intro tape is a song about himself, called 'Ted Poley', a parody cover of the Kiss song Unholy, from a Vinnie Vincent Kiss My Ankh tribute album. Great to hear the D2 song 'Shot O Love' from the overlooked "Cockroach" album. For ballad 'Don't Walk Away' Ted came out to the crowd and was singing to the fans, taking selfies, even sang to a little girl who was on her dad's shoulders.
Called Live To Rock: Warrant and Skid Row, with any other configuration that can include Winger, or Quiet Riot, and or Lita Ford. Warrant were one man down, guitarist Erik Turner's flight didn't make it do to the snowy weather across the country. The top of the mountain (literally) at Penns Peak still blanketed in snow and ice, freezing cold. Also, Robbie Crane on bass filling in for another original member Jerry Dixon. So tonight's four piece, guitarist Joey Allen and drummer Steven Sweet joined by now long time singer Robert Mason (2008- ), and Crane.
The second guitar was missed but Allen held his own, occasional joined by Mason on guitar ('Heaven', 'Blind Faith"), bringing heavy riffs and tight solos like the albums. Still out celebrating the 30th anniversary of the album "Cherry Pie" playing just about every song, minus 'Mr. Rainmaker'. Always really liked 'Bed of Roses', and the excellent 'Song And Dance Man'. 'Sure Feels Good To Me' and 'Love In Stereo' fun up tempo spirited openers. The grossly overlooked underappreciated album 'Dog Eat Dog" also celebrates 30 years in 2022. They did headbanger 'Machine Gun' off that one. And they even found time to player a newer song, title track to the 2017 album "Louder Harder Faster". Yup, Warrant hasn't stopped rockin hard, actually cranking those guitars even more.
Skid Row, our home state Jersey boys just can't get it together in the singer department. Can't keep someone at the mic that works, or lasts. Can't make it work with Sebastian Bach, which is what we all want, still. Right? And as I write this now on fourth singer ZP Theart (ex Dragonforce), who would then be replaced a month later after this show with Erik Gronwall from the excellent Swedish band H.E.A.T.
I've seen Skid Row with ZP a couple times, its alright. His voice works for some songs, others not really. More melodic ones, '18 and Life', 'I Remember You', 'In A Darkened Room', he does fine. The screams too. Its the heavy aggressive stuff like 'Slave to the Grind', 'Youth Gone Wild', 'Big Guns', 'Livin On A Chain Gang', the song needs muscle, balls, grit in the voice, power, and Theart doesn't have that. He was perfect for Dragonforce and power metal. He was great too on the Tank album Valley Of Tears.
To the performance, original members Dave Sabo and Scotti Hill's guitar riffs lock in tight, rhythms and solo tradeoffs. Rachel Bolan too in perfect sync with drummer Rob Hammersmith. Musically the band doesn't miss a step. Setlist is of course only songs from the first two albums. Really wish they would play two or three from "Subhuman Race". But we know how that goes from these 80s bands, not enough fans want to hear anything outside the popular songs and albums.
Now a couple months after the show Erik Gronwall is the voice. He's great, and a good fit for Skid Row. But will enough people care about the new song 'The Gang's All Here'? The new album? Is the gang really all here without Bas? Really its just too bad Erik's pervious band H.E.A.T. doesn't get the same kind of attention. Too many, the majority, of the 80s "hair" metal (isn't it really hard rock metal) fans just want to live in the past. Little to no interest in the newer bands playing this music. Don't the new generation also deserve to have fans and be successful. Support the present like you do the past...Crazy Lixx, Girish and the Chronicles, Eclipse, Dangerous Curves, Santa Cruz, Crashdiet, Toxic Rose, Midnight City, Reckless Love, Hell in the Club, Kissin Dynamite, Bloody Heels.
Skid Row setlist:
Slave To The Grind
The Threat
Piece Of Me
Livin On A Chain Gang
Big Guns
18 and Life
Makin A Mess
Rattlesnake Shake
Psycho Therapy (Ramones cover)
In A Darkened Room
Monkey Business
I Remember You
Youth Gone Wild
Warrant setlist:
Sure Feels Good To Me
Love In Stereo
Bed Of Roses
Your The Only Hell Your Mama Ever Raised
I Saw Red
Song And Dance Man
Blind Faith
Train Train (Blackfoot cover)
Down Boys
D.R.F.S.R.
Louder Harder Faster
Machine Gun
Heaven
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Cherry Pie
Ted Poley setlist:
Don't Blame It On Love
Shot O Love
Feels Like Love
Don't Walk Away
Bang Bang
Naughty Naughty
Poison Girl (HIM cover)
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