• Blog,  Concerts

    Awesome Rock and Roll: Aerosmith/Slash w/Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators Concert Review

    July 23 2014 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: July 22, 2014
    • Location of Concert: Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH

    My best friend Jamie and I went to see Aerosmith and Slash Feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators.

    This my 3rd time seeing Aerosmith but my first time seeing Slash/Myles and the Conspirators.

    Slash/Myles/The Conspirators opened the show with roughly 45-50 minutes of awesome rock and roll.

    I love this group.  This is the best band Slash has had since he was in Guns N Roses (edit:  two years later, he would rejoin GNR but also continue this band too).

    Myles Kennedy is one of the best singers of all time.  Yes I said of all time.  Trust me he’s that great.  Seek him out.  And he’s a phenomenal guitarist too.

    The band itself is solid as a rock but Slash and Myles to me are the new Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.  They have such chemistry together.  It’s magic.

    In fact, I’ll say that they blew Aerosmith off the stage.

    Yes they did!!

    However, Aerosmith were good too of course.

    They’re one of my favorite bands ever.

    Steven Tyler still is an amazing singer.

    Joe Perry and Brad Whitford are phenomenal guitarists.

    Tom Hamilton is a great bassist.

    And Joey Kramer is one of my favorite drummers ever.

    You cannot go wrong with Aerosmith.

    Again honest opinion:  I (and Jamie too) think that Slash/Myles blew Aerosmith off the stage.  We both said to each other we could go home after them because we were happy.  

    But of course, we stayed for Aerosmith and I’m glad we did.

    Great great show.

    Slash Feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators Band Members:

    • Slash (Guitar)
    • Myles Kennedy (Lead Vocals/Guitar)
    • Todd Kerns (Bass/Backing Vocals)
    • Brent Fitz (Drums)
    • Frank Sidoris (Guitar)

    Aerosmith Band Members:

    • Steven Tyler (Lead Vocals)
    • Joe Perry (Guitar/Vocals)
    • Brad Whitford (Guitar)
    • Tom Hamilton (Bass)
    • Joey Kramer (Drums)

    Slash Feat. Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators Set List:

    1. You’re A Lie
    2. Nightrain
    3. Back From Cali
    4. World On Fire
    5. You Could Be Mine
    6. Anastasia
    7. By The Sword
    8. Mr. Brownstone
    9. Sweet Child O’ Mine
    10. Slither
    11. Paradise City

    Aerosmith Set List:

    1. Back In The Saddle
    2. Eat The Rich
    3. Love In An Elevator
    4. Cryin’
    5. Livin’ On The Edge
    6. Monkey On My Back
    7. Kings And Queens
    8. Toys In The Attic
    9. Rag Doll
    10. Freedom Fighter
    11. Big Ten Inch Record
    12. Rats In The Cellar
    13. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
    14. No More No More
    15. Dude (Looks Like A Lady)
    16. Walk This Way
    17. Encore:  Dream On
    18. Sweet Emotion

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)


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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Two Favorites Together: KISS/Def Leppard Concert Review

    July 16 2014 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: July 15, 2014
    • Location of Concert: Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH

    My best friend Jamie and I went to see two phenomenal bands:  KISS (our favorite) and Def Leppard (a favorite) in Cincinnati.

    They had never toured together before so this was a great opportunity to see these band together.

    It was a co-headline (meaning each band gets the same amount of set time) but Def Leppard would always go on first and KISS would close.

    Def Leppard are always phenomenal live and put most bands to shame in concert.

    You HAVE to be on your game to go on after them, otherwise, you will be crushed, because they’re that great.

    Great discography, tons of hits, everyone sings great, awesome stage set, BIG!

    This was my 2nd time seeing Def Leppard.  Love them.

    KISS closed the show, as I said.

    This was my 5th time seeing them and even though I have many favorites, they are my number one favorite band.

    They always make me happy and feel like I’m 16 again every time I see them (they were my first concert in 1998 when I was 16).

    The current lineup of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer, and Tommy Thayer always deliver the goods.

    They dug deep a little bit into their catalog here and played a song they had not played in many years (Hide Your Heart from their 1989 Hot In The Shade album), along with Hotter Than Hell from the album of the same name, which they have played a lot, but I had not seen them play it before.

    Great show from both bands.

    However, this night was emotional for me in another sense that my Pawpaw 4 days before this show.

    We had just had his wake and funeral service the previous few days, so I was going into this show with that grief still fresh.

    And I did cry a little at this show because I was still feeling it.

    I’m very sad that Pawpaw died, but what breaks my heart the most is seeing my Granny cry.

    I had NEVER seen her cry in my life until he died.

    They were together 67 years.  Forever joined at the hip.  From beginning to end.

    (Edit:  My Granny died 5 years later, in 2019.  Beyond heartbreaking to me and I’ll never get over it.)

    Life will never be the same in my family.

    But having said that, he lived a long and great, full life.

    Can’t ask for anything more.

    I love and miss you Pawpaw (and Granny)!!!!

    Def Leppard Band Members:

    • Joe Elliott (Lead Vocals)
    • Rick "Sav" Savage (Bass/Backing Vocals)
    • Rick Allen (Drums)
    • Phil Collen (Guitar/Backing Vocals)
    • Vivian Campbell (Guitar/Backing Vocals))

    KISS Band Members:

    • Paul Stanley (Vocals/Guitar)
    • Gene Simmons (Vocals/Bass)
    • Eric Singer (Drums/Vocals)
    • Tommy Thayer (Guitar/Vocals)

    Def Leppard Set List:

    1. Let It Go
    2. Animal
    3. Foolin’
    4. Love Bites
    5. Let’s Get Rocked
    6. Two Steps Behind (Acoustic)
    7. Bringin’ On The Heartbreak (Acoustic/Electric)
    8. Switch 625
    9. Hysteria (w/Beth by KISS tag)
    10. Rocket
    11. Armageddon It
    12. Pour Some Sugar On Me
    13. Encore:  Rock Of Ages
    14. Photograph

    KISS Setlist:

    1. Psycho Circus
    2. Deuce
    3. Shout It Out Loud
    4. War Machine 
    5. Hotter Than Hell
    6. I Love It Loud
    7. Lick It Up
    8. Bass Solo
    9. God Of Thunder
    10. Hide Your Heart
    11. Calling Dr. Love
    12. Cold Gin
    13. Love Gun
    14. Black Diamond
    15. Detroit Rock City
    16. Rock And Roll All Nite

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)


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  • Blog,  Concerts

    What a Motley Crew!!: Motley Crue/Alice Cooper Concert Review

    July 7 2014 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: July 6, 2014
    • Location of Concert: Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH

    My best friend Jamie and I went to see Motley Crue and Alice Cooper at my favorite venue:  Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH.

    I’ve been going to this venue since the summer of 1999 when I first saw Motley Crue actually.

    This was my 7th time seeing them and my 3rd time seeing Alice.

    Alice started the night with an awesome show, as usual.

    His songs are timeless (he’s still making awesome new albums) and his band is always solid as a rock.

    There’s no such thing as a bad Alice show.  It just doesn’t happen.

    Go see him if you get a chance.  He tours all the time.

    Then later on, Motley took the stage.

    They are one of my favorite bands of all time.

    I’ve always thought of them as more of a gang than as a band.

    Through all their ups and downs, they always come back.

    This is their “Final Tour” (edit:  they later returned in 2019 to record some new songs for their biopic The Dirt and started touring again in 2022) but truth or fiction, I always have fun at a Motley show.

    Say what you want about singer Vince Neil (he tends to skip words when he sings live) but he really does sing live and every time I’ve seen them, he sings enough that the skipping of words never bothers me.  And I’ve always loved his voice.

    Tommy Lee is one of my favorite drummers.

    Bassist Nikki Sixx is one of my favorite songwriters (he’s written most of Motley’s great discography).

    Guitarist Mick Mars (edit:  John 5 took over on guitar in 2023) is one of my favorite guitarists and he never gets enough credit for the great playing he always delivers.

    I love these guys, through thick and thin.

    Go see them if you can.  They always put on a fun rock and roll show.

    And at the end of the show, they played on a stage in the audience, which was really cool.

    Alice Cooper Band Members:

    • Alice Cooper (Lead Vocals)
    • Ryan Roxie (Guitar)
    • Tommy Hendriksen (Guitar)
    • Nita Strauss (Guitar)
    • Chuck Garric (Bass/Vocals)
    • Glen Sobel (Drums)

    Motley Crue Band Members:

    • Vince Neil (Lead Vocals)
    • Mick Mars (Guitar)
    • Nikki Sixx (Bass)
    • Tommy Lee (Drums)

    Alice Cooper Set List:

    1. Hello, Hooray
    2. No More Mr. Nice Guy
    3. Under My Wheels
    4. I’m Eighteen
    5. Billion Dollar Babies
    6. Poison
    7. Dirty Diamonds
    8. Welcome To My Nightmare
    9. Feed My Frankenstein
    10. Ballad of Dwight Fry
    11. Killer
    12. I Love The Dead
    13. School’s Out

    Motley Crue Set List:

    1. Moterfucker Of The Year
    2. Wild Side
    3. Primal Scream
    4. Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)
    5. Looks That Kill
    6. On With The Show
    7. Too Fast For Love
    8. All Bad Things (Not sure if this was played)
    9. Smokin’ In The Boys Room (Brownsville Station Cover)
    10. Without You
    11. Saints Of Los Angeles
    12. Anarchy In The U.K. (The Sex Pistols Cover)
    13. Too Young To Fall In Love
    14. Shout At The Devil 97
    15. Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
    16. Mick Guitar Solo
    17. Live Wire
    18. Dr. Feelgood
    19. Girls, Girls, Girls
    20. Kickstart My Heart
    21. Encore:  Home Sweet Home (on B-Stage in the audience)

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)


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