|
Labor
Day weekend in Woodstock, CT (USA); thousands of hard rock fans were
treated to a three pack of eighties rock bliss. With the $10 admission
price to the county fair, they were free to see Slaughter, Ratt and Vince
Neil perform. From this concertgoer I can tell you, their performances
were nothing short of spectacular.
The duo of Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum sounded as young and fresh as the Vinnie Vincent era, but as forward as the effect stripped power rockers of today. Mark’s easily recognized comfortability with his audience came across as he left the stage to enter the crowd and sing directly to the faces of his fans. While their set was longer than Ratt would provide next, they kept the masses in their grasp every step of the way.
Rock
fanatics around the world can attest to the facts that early Ratt
performances fell short of the studio recordings that had teens pumping
fists and raising middle fingers. Sadly, you did not experience Stephen
Pearcy’s inclusion here at this show, but anyone in attendance can tell
you that the band was dead on target. With every riff solid and every accent tight, now more than ever, the Jizzy Pearl version of Ratt has pushed the limits of their live performance to exceed expectations. Ratt is truly a top contender in bringing hard rock to the stage. Put plain and simply, Ratt kicks ass in 2004!
Vince
had a minor limp getting on stage and told the audience that doctors just
removed a cast from his leg the day before. Within the next five minutes
Vince became the Motley Rocking machine that is his fame. Pulling classic
songs from the Motley Vault as well as his solo works, Vince brought even
the slightly curious into the crowd from beyond the fences. By the second
song in the set the audience had pushed forward and I will tell you this,
the amount of “Girls, Girls, Girls” in the first ten feet of It
was as remarkable as the early years of eighties hard rock performances.
Nothing but power, adrenalin and thousands of voices unifying into a choir
of anthemic rock lyrics through all three sets. Hot sun shining from a
clear blue sky and stacks of Randall, Marshall and Ampeg amplifiers
blaring; you could not have convinced me that I was in the new millennium.
Just for the three and a half hours I stood there I was returned to Long
Beach California 1986 with my KNAC t-shirt on. On Labor Day 2004, this
thirty-something year old rock dog was eighteen years old all over again. So, next month when I hear someone say: “I wish the eighties would come back”. I can tell them, “The eighties did come back… about three weeks ago… and it was the best damned time I’ve had in years”!!!
Live report and photos by Joe Dolan |
I
hear people say it all the time, “I wish eighties music would come back”.
Remember the songs with fist pumping riffs, driving drum beats and lyrics
you can chant along to? Eighties styled rock. Unbeknownst to these people,
while overlooked by mainstream radio that eighties sound is alive and well.
Since I had last seen Slaughter perform on the ‘Unzipped’ tour in 1997,
guitarist Tim Kelly suffered an untimely fate. Against the odds of music
trends, Slaughter made the decision to keep on and that decision has led
to a very up front representation of just why Slaughter is a time proven
band. They kept the audience of over four thousand festival attendees
captivated with long time favorites from all their releases.
Vince
Neil has been showing up solo for years with an assortment of players
backing him. In all that time he has never let his fan base down. With all
the authority of being rock and rolls leading front man, Vince brings it
on hard with a show you will never forget.
the stage
quadrupled.