Foreigner, Styx & Kansas 6/26/10

Another day in paradise for the Detroit Rock Dogg & the lovely BLT. A iffy Saturday night weather wise, dinner and drinks in the VIP Starlight lounge with dear friends Jimmy & Peggy, followed by 3 1/2 hours of classic rock. Can it get any better than this?

The Dogg has been taking some heat from followers of my blog because they say I always write positive reviews. My opinion is that the classic rock bands touring today are better now musically, lighting, and staging than in their heydays. A lot of this has to do with the improved sound systems and better mixing. Even more to do with the familiar songs that we all want to hear. Todays review will give my detractors even more fodder for critisism. THIS SHOW WAS NEAR PERFECT!!!

Kansas takes the stage at 6:45 (15 minutes early) and proceeds to play Popint of no Return, Carry on my Wayward Son, Fight Fire with Fire, Song for America, Hold On, The Wall, Play the Game and closed with Dust in the Wind. Steve Walsh was spot on his vocals and keyboards were awesome. As usual for a Kansas show, the guitar, violin, and bass kept a steady and strong companion for Walsh's vocals. The 45 minute set flew by and left us wanting more.

One of the questions we all had going in was "who is playing second" was answered when Styx hit the stage at 7:50. Tommy Shaw, James Young, Tommy Panozzo, Todd Sucherman, Lawrence Gowan and Ricky Phillips kicked it out strong, loud and proud! From the opening medley of 6 Styx songs rolled into one, followed by Blue Collar Man, Miss America, Too Much Time on my Hands, Fooling Yourself, Crystal Ball, Loreilie, Renegade, I am the Walrus, I Don't Need no Doctor, and the encore of Come Sail Away were all played flawlessly, with an appreciative crowd standing and singing all the way through. We would have loved another 45 minutes, but the 1 hour 20 minute show was good enough. "Great job men"!

At 20 till 10:00 Foreigner took the stage and the crowd was in great form!The opening of Dirty White Boy followed by Hot Blooded, Juke Box Hero, Urgent, Cold as Ice, (two new songs, one good and one weak), followed by Starrider, Head Games, with a closing Feels like the First Time. A cover of Aqualung was the encore. Strong performance by Mick jones Kelly Hanson, and the rest of the band. BLT and her favorite Dogg saw the Lou Gramm Band at Andiamos this winter and as I told Lou at that show, "Kelly is you, minus 25 years and 50 pounds"! He agreed that Kelly Hanson is a very strong vocalist and in my opinion a better showman than Lou.

Overall, this was an awesome night and worth every penny.

Crowd A
Weather C
Sound A
Lighting B
Staging B+
Line up A
Atmosphere A+

Overall we all ranked this show a strong A

The music of Queen- Pine Knob 6/13/10

The Dogg and his fellow rock animals hit Pine Knob for The Music of Queen last night. 4 of the 6 in our party never were blessed to see Queen live and obviously, they never will. The lovely BLT and i have seen Queen with Freddy and Queen with Paul Rogers. Our son in law, Scott may be the biggest Queeen fan in the world, so he was waiting with baited breath for the show. Some of you may have seen "The Music of Led Zeppelin" before. this production uses the same Winterborne Orchestra and 7 piece rock band. The only difference is the singer. And what a singer they found. Brody Dolyniak is Freddy Mercury reborn! I know, I know, the drugs must be fogging up my brain again. I'm telling you all that his vocals are 98% of Freddy's, and his stage presence about 75%. This man was born to sing Queen!

Sunday turned into a perfect night for an outdoor show. About 75 degrees and partly sunny. The crowd, though sparce, were all Queen fans, and very enthusiastic. The showed opened at 7:30 with "Play the Game" and was spot on. From there they played 9songs including: Under Pressure, You're my Best Friend, Tie Your Mother Down, Killer Queen, Somebody to Love, Love of my Life, Crazy Little Thing called Love and Save Me. After a 20 minute intermission, they turned up the heat and played We Will Rock You, We are The Champions, Another One Bites the Dust, Keep Yourself Alive, Dragon Attack, Bohemian Rhapsody, Sheer Heart Attack, Let me Entertain You, and a couple more. closed with The Show must Go On! We all wished it could go on and on.

The 3,500 in attendance all loved the show. It is one i will not miss in the future. FYI, we bought 5th row seats for $15.00 each a couple of days ago. How rewarding to have agreat night of music and not break the bank!

Crowd small but strong B+
Atmosphere B
Lighting C+
Staging B
Sound Quality A
Weather A

Overall I give it a strong B

Opening Day-Pine Knob 5/28/10

There are certain things that occur every year to signify the changing of the seasons: Tigers opening Day is the official start of Spring, Lions losing their first game signifies the start of Fall, Red Wings first home game the start of Winter, and finally Eddie Money at Pine Knob the official start of Summer! Last night summer officially kicked off in the "D", even though the calender says 6/21/10 as the start of summer.

The lovely BLT and her favorite Rock Dogg were on hand for opening day and our 33 Eddie Money concert. Perfect weather, a crowd of approximately 12,000, and the Money man in rare form. For those who have been witness to the rise and fall of the Money man, we never know which dude is showing up. The band that played yesterday was incredibly tight, perfect sound, decent staging, and they even rolled out 3-4 new songs that were all quite good. Detroit has always supported Eddie Money better than any venues on earth! Why? Because we like to party and Eddie can throw a great party, which he did last night.

The opening act, Jessie Money (papa's little girl) came out and threw down a very entertaing and energetic set. Eddies little girl has grownm into a HOT LADY! What legs, boobs, and smile! Strong voice with good range added to her outward appearance. The 40 minute was mostly possitively received by the late arriving crowd. The parking lot was full of tailgators until about 8:45, then a steady stream of people filled the hill to capacity and the pavillion was 2/3 full.

FYI, smoking is still permitted everywhere except the pavillion and Starlight VIP lounge. Great news, the Starlight has improved its buffet significantly and added more ala-cart choices.

When Eddie took the stage at 9:00, the band spun into Two Tickets for Paradise, Baby hold On, and Shakin to get the crowd into it. All of the classics were played with great entusiasm by the band and Jesse Money complimented all with strong backing vocals. The fast paced, 19 song set wrapped up just before 11:00. thjis dogg feels it was Eddie Money's best performance in many years! Perhaps our 8th row seats helped,, but all I can say is "great job, guys"!

We were joined by Jane and Paul for the evening. Perfect company, both! Ran into a zillion friends, long time Pine Knob employees, and my oldest friend Larry and his girl, Miss Jennie. Good times had by all. Sidenote to the steroid, muscle bound asshole sitting behind us, "take a chill pill"! No one was impressed by your glare, muscles or constant running to security to ask us to sit down. Buy a phuckin CD and stay home MORON. Concerts are meant to party at. Other than that ogre, all was cool.

Great way to open the outdoor concert season.

Weather A+
Crowd B
Atmosphere A
Sound A
Staging C+
Warm Up act C+
Lighting C+
Good Times B+

Overall i rate this performance a strong B to B+.

Tim McGraw 4/24/10 Palace

Yesterday was another first for me. I attended my first counry concert and did not die of embarassment or bleeding ear syndrome. The lovely BLT and her Dogg decided at 3:00 PM Saturday to give the Tim McGraw/Lady Antebellum show a whirl, if we could get decent tickets. Much to my surprise, we obtained Row 5, section 111 at face value. After buying the tickets, called Hank & Jeanine Miller (two of our best "Country" friends to see if they were going. They were going and had a preconcert meet & greet, with 3 song accoustic concert by Tim McGraw himself! We also met Virgie & Marissa at the show. Marissa bought Virg tickets and dinner for a mothers day gift. Anyway, onto the show.

Lady Antebellum put on one hell of a show! More Rock and Pop, than Country in my opinion. Good tight band, strong vocals, and good stage presence. Being 5 rows from the stage made it even better. Set was about 1.25 hours and well worth hearing/seeing. They closed with "Rockin in the USA" by Mellencamp and did the anthem justice. The crowd seemed to enjoy every song, but you know who they were here to see. At this point, I must point out that this crowd was way too nice! Hell even the bathrooms were clean and neat. This ain't no concert like I've seen before.

Tim McGraw took the stage at about 9:00 to a huge ovation. The stage was an inverted "T" with the catwalk area jutting into the crowd about 150'. Strong sound, strong musicianship, great crowd, and good lighting/staging made for an enjoyable experience. Tim works the crowd as well as anyone in music today. In fact, midway through the show, he allowed a couple onstage so the young man could propose in front of 20,000 people. He's lucky she said yes! Compared to my "out of comfort zone" show Wednesday, Gogol Bordello, this show was timid and pleasant. As the Rock Dogg, I don't dig "Timid and pleasant"! Give me raw and gritty anyday. The band played a full set of approx 2.25 hours, and most fans that I talked to, raved about the show. The lovely BLT liked the show and that's all that mattered.

In summary,m the "Rock Dogg" is not about to change his allegiance. I tried country and it did not take (although Lady Antebllum was worth seeing). No offense, Timmy Boy, but your rythem section was weak and there was virtually no good guitar work. Pick it up and you might make a decent rocker!

Atmosphere A
Crowd B
Sound B
Lighting B
Staging A
Bands B
Weather C

Overall, as a rocker, I'll give it a C+. The lovely BLT gives it a strong B+.

Gogol Bordello

There are not many bands the Dogg wants to see that I haven't seen yet. Suffice to say when my "Dogg Jr" daughter, Lindsay insisted I go with her and the gang to the Royal Theater to see Romanian Gypsy Punk rock legends, Gogol Bordello and the warm up band, DeVotchka, I was less than enthused to say the least. Lindsay has seen them at least 8 times and has always insisted that I would love the band. With this in mind, we departed for Wednesday nights bash.

The night started with Lindsay, Brent, Andrew and the Dogg having some Bar-b-Que and drinks at Memphis Smoke. They all tried to build my enthusiasm and stoked me well with pre-show Jaegger-Bombs. My anticipation was growing by the minute for this new experience.

We arrived at Royal Oak Theater just in time to grab a drink and see the start of Devotchka's set. This band is tight as can be, energetic, and even though I knew none of the songs, they put on one hell of a show! I'd pay to see them alone. The staging and lighting was as to be expected at Royal Oak, average at best. However the sound, as usual was superb. The crowd looked to be 90% between ages 18-28. Pretty sure I was the "oldest Dogg" in the place. Don't matter to me, if it rocks, I'm there. This show started out rockin with the best of Europe.

By the time Gogol Bordello took the stage at 9:20, the place was sold out "assholes to elbows" with the box office turning away dozens more. The energy of the crowd was on a par with the biggest acts I've seen. The band consists of: 3 guitarists, bass, drummer, percussion, accordian, fiddle, back up singers, and i think I even saw a tuba at one point! This band kicks some serious ass. The energy is somewhat north of J. Geils 30 from years ago. The band, the crowd, and even the staff were always in motion. The Dogg made it within 40' of the stage, but the intensity of the pit was a little too much for a 51 year old Dogg with bad knees. So I settled into my position about 80' from stage, dead center. For the next 2 1/2 hours, I was as entertained as any show I've seen before. This is a must see show for any true rocker. The sound, the energy, the crowd, the people watching, and most of all the non-stop pogo must be experienced to appreciate. This dogg is now a huge fan of Gogol Bordello and will be pimping them big time!

Lindsay, Brent & Andrew, thank you so much for turning me on to this jam band. Great show and even better company. Seeing you all leave the pit after 4 songs, soaking wet and exhausted made me yearn to be young again!

Weather C
Crowd A+
Lighting C
Sound A
Staging B
Atmosphere A+++
Line up B+

Overall an"A" show that should be added to all of your bucket lists.

Lou Gramm 3/13/10 Andiamo's Showplace

The last time we saw Lou Gramm, former lead singer & co-founder of Foreigner, he was six months removed from brain tumor removal. As could be expected, the show was not up to par then. Here we are some six years later, a little grayer, and not sure what to expect from old Lou. Despite this trepidation, the Dawg, BLT, and friends Ralph & Christine boogied over to the Andiamo Showplace-Warren, MI to check out the show.

This is our first time seeing a show at Andiamo's. Traditionally, they offer acts that do not hold a "rockers" interest. A very nice forum for small intimate concerts. The room is set up in "old Vegas" style, with 18" wide tables, and seating for ten, lined up for good viewing. My guess is a sell out crowd like Saturday would only be about 1,200 people. Good sitelines, good sound, and good lighting for all. The pizza is overpriced, but what can you do. At least it was tasty. Service by our waiter Ryan was more than acceptable. Adult beverages are typically priced for a nice restaurant/bar.

First the Dawg wants to give a "MAJOR DAWG BARK" for "The School of Rock" opening act. My best guess is the kids ranged from 13 to 15 years of age, but performed like seasoned veterans. It seems all the members are adept at switching instruments, vocals, and positions on stage. Strong rythem section, way better than expected lead guitar, and good vocals. These kids have it going on! The set list ran from AC/DC, to the Stooges, to some nice old Blues. Crowd loved every minute of their performance. You've got to check thyese kids out!!!

After a short change over, Lou Gramm took the stage with Cold as Ice, followed by Dirty White Boys. Shut your eyes and you'd swear you were back in 1988. Lou's vocal were strong throughout, and his backing band had the licks down pat! As usual for Lou, he had little banter with the crowd, preferring to let the music tell the story. All the major Foreigner classics were performed well. With some of his solo works thrown in for good measure, a fast paced 75 minute set flew by. Unfortunately, due to the tables it turned out to be a sit down concert, until the encores. In this Dawg's opinion, the show should have been a stand up rock/dance event from the first note.

All in all, an excellent night out. Kudo's to Lou Gramm for winning his battle with cancer and for showing the heart to keep touring.

Venue B
Crowd B
Atmosphere C+
Sound B+
Lighting B
Line up B
Effects N/A

Overall a fun night out and worth the money.

Trans Siberean Orchestra- the Palace 12/27/09

One of the best presents you can give your family at Christmas time, is a TSO concert. The Dogg pound has been going for 8 years now and it is always a night to remember. For those that have not seen TSO live, let me give you the short story. TSO is a touring band that has a seasonal show from November through January each year. The theme is Christmas and stories of hope, awesome sound, and a visual feast the likes of which you've never seen. The best I can come up with is mix a rock concert, with a Broadway play, add in the classical music overtones, and a totally eclectic crowd, you have the TSO experience. Then for the visual feast, imagine lasers and staging of Pink Floyd at their best, the pyro of Kiss or Poison, the lighting of Queen, and some of the most talented musicians playing today, and you have a recipe for the perfect show!

With a new album out, "Night Castles" that has no holiday overtones, we were not sure what to expect. Let me tell friends, this show was their best ever!

The Dogg pound arrived for the 3:00 PM matinee show and settled into our "penthouse" suite. Due to technical difficulties, the show started about 20 minutes late. Who cares, it Christmas and we're at the show! Once the show started, it did not disappoint. It was a pure TSO show, but with new lighting, LED screens so clear and bright they added a depth to the scene that you have to see to appreciate. The gantry lighting is always in motion, reconfiguring into dazzling new shapes and layouts. It's like watching the Transformers movie live! All the classics were played and performed to perfection. The Caretaker of Broken Dreams (the narrator) was in rare form. his deep and resounding voice filled the arena with wonderful imagery. The lasers were so intense from our suite that it appeared we could walk down them right to the stage. A TSO stable is towards the end, both guitar players run around the entire arena, playing to the crowd. They end up on a small stage that elevates 40" into the air at the far end of the arena. This is a crowd pleaser to be sure. By the end of the 2.75 hour performance, we were all full of the Christmas spirit (and other spirits) and totally spent.

YOU MUST PUT THIS SHOW ON YOUR CONCERT AGENDA. IT IS A MUST SEE EVENT!

Weather B
Crowd A
Staging A+++
Lighting A+++
Sound B+
Effects A++++
Set List A+
Atmosphere A++
Overall A++