Featuring three of the biggest bands in the thrash/speed metal genre, the Jagermeister Music Tour has been rumbling across the states like a hell-bent tornado, sweeping up fans and tossing them into a whirlwind frenzy. Loud, fast, sweaty music never sounded so, well, entertaining.
It’s one thing for a band to look like they are having fun on a concert stage; it’s something else when they actually are. And that is exactly what happened when The Goo Goo Dolls burst onto the stage at the Hard Rock in Biloxi. With smiles and guitars blazing, you knew immediately that a fun show was heading your way. “Come on everybody”, coaxed vocalist Johnny Rzeznik. “This is our night together”.
Just for a moment, lean your head back, close your eyes and let the music do all the talking. When Slash, who needs no introduction, leaned over his guitar and started going into a low down slow burn guitar instrumental just prior to ripping into his trademark “Godfather” theme, it swept over your skin like warm sunshine in an erotic shower.
“We’re going to rip this place!” announced a smiling Dave Pirner and he wasn’t kidding. The Minneapolis quintet kicked off their show in a rainy Biloxi with an energetic “Somebody To Shove” and never thought about letting up. Fans braving the nasty weather were treated to a band not exactly on the Billboard radar anymore, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell as Soul Asylum were, as lead vocalist Dave Pirner said, still ripping it up.
Jonny Lang, best known for fiery guitar licks and from-the-gut singing, has been playing onstage since he was fourteen. His debut album hit big in 1997 with the single “Lie To Me”, propelling him into a meteoric rise to fame and fortune, partying and drugs. Along the way, Jonny also became a well-respected musician, playing at the first Crossroads concert with Eric Clapton, winning a Grammy, and jamming alongside legends like Buddy Guy and BB King. With his new live CD, Live At The Ryman, Jonny is getting back to his roots.
With a new CD coming out August 31, the Goo Goo Dolls have not just been sitting around waiting for it to be released. They have actually been out there on the road, playing those new songs for their fans on the first leg of a tour that will have them hopping on and off the tour bus for many months to come. Titled Something For The Rest Of Us, this is The Dolls first CD of original music since 2006. Recently, barefooted bass player Robby Takac took some time out of his busy schedule to talk (and laugh) with GLIDE about the new album, the Dolls longevity, and finally figuring out where the notes are on his bass.
With only 12 American concert dates scheduled this year, Robert Plant walked out onto the stage of the historic Saenger Theatre in downtown Mobile, Alabama, with a gleam in his eye and a smile on his lips. Resuscitating one of his first bands, The Band Of Joy, Plant is moving forward by actually stepping backwards.
In Melissa Etheridge’s hit song “Like The Way I Do”, she asks, “Does she know just how to shock and electrify and rock you?” On this blistering hot night in Biloxi, this woman did just that. Bringing forth a plethora of soul exposing songs skyrocketed to the brim by a red hot band featuring guitarist Peter Thorn, bassist Dan Rothchild, drummer Blair Sinta and keyboardist Kristopher Pooley.
Every few years Ringo Starr has assembled a hodgepodge of musicians to go out on the road with him and canoodle out fun songs from their past. The sold out performance in Biloxi recently proved that Ringo loves what he does and has fun doing it. He seemed so laid back, whipping off jokes while begging good-naturedly for everyone, “anyone please”, to buy his latest album. The 2010 lineup of All Starrs include the great Edgar Winter, the still hot-fingered guitarist Rick Derringer, Richard Page of Mr. Mister, Gary Wright, former Romantic Wally Palmer, and Gregg Bissonette who drummed behind another famous front-man by the name of David Lee Roth.
New Orleans was lit up recently by a full moon hovering over the city, creating an enchanting ambience to an evening filled with music from one of today’s biggest stars. Backed by the divine Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, former Police front man Sting cradled and released compositions from his vast oeuvre of songwriting accomplishments.
