Slash with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators @ The Pagaent, St. Louis, MO 08/08/12

  Well it finally happened, Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators made their way to St. Louis, MO. I had to used my strong suites of bitching, hinting, nagging and carrying on on Facebook with Slash as  a like. Hmm maybe old Slash or perhaps Perla read that shit after all? Well @ least i hope they do, it is the wave of the future. Gone are the days of magazine articles with fan write ins asking what the band is up to and telling what they like and most want to see the band do. Now, it is instantly known.

The one and only SLASH!

     Anyway, on with the show. Initially the show was to begin @ 8:00, instead Slash took the stage @ 8:30. Not much to complain about there. At least it wasn't like 11pm then going on until 3 am like some people we know. The show kicked in with "Halo". Then kicking into "Night Train", which i am sure is no mistake. That song brings the old fans to life and hooks the new fans in. Nothing like some old GN'R to get your blood pumping. "Ghost" gets you into some of Slash's solo cuts. From there it was a mix match of Slash material sprinkled with old school Guns N' Roses. For some of us who have never seen Slash or Guns live it is a spectacular thing to see.

     Me personally, i would love to see the "original" Guns N'  Roses but i just don't think it is gonna happen. It isn't for lack of interest or effort on some peoples part either. I guess we can hope and pray and maybe some day that day will come....but i doubt it. Too much bad blood, words exchanged, tempers lost, and probably more things then the general public has a clue about. But why taint a good night you know? The Conspirators are a great group and i am not gonna take a thing from them by waxing nostalgic about old things. On drums for the Conspirators Brent Fitz, on rhythm guitar Frank Sidoris, Bass and back up vocals Todd Kerns. Myles Kennedy of course is lead singing for the whole affair. Then can anybody miss Slash? I doubt it. I will say this somebody did peg him right with the intro, " I don't know what it is but it is weird and pissed off and calls itself Slash". Yes there is more to the quote but i am too lazy to look it up, the quote is from memory. Don't ask why the bizarre shit in life just sticks in my head for some crazy assed reason. I also was totally stoked to hear Dr. Alibi which Todd Kerns did justice to singing. Love Lemmy and long may he live!

Frank Sidoris- Rhythm guitar

Myles Kennedy-vocalist

Brent Fitz-drummer

Todd Kerns-Bass and back up vocals

     I could say sanctimonious things about the show and worship @ the rock n' roll alter ala Almost Famous but honestly i already do that enough. If i wasn't going to college full time and working part time you would see many more blogs and i would see many more concerts. I think this is my 3rd show this year. In a normal year by now i have seen @ least 10 concerts  and by summers end probably 15 or more. Yes i am a true rock n' roll junkie music fan extraordinaire. The show was a great rock show, well worth the time and effort to shower up, get in your favorite rock t shirt, line up with other like minded people, and wait it out for the right to see it all! Slash was Slash onstage is all i can say. I have nothing i can compare it to as i have never seen him live. I was impressed with the Conspirators and Myles Kennedy. Myles is an excellent front man from his voice, to demeanor, to delivery of the songs. The show was well over 2 hours and well worth the $30 cash i shelled out @ 6pm.

     I would like to thanks Slash, Myles, the Conspirators for a great show. As well as making many fans dreams come true by signing autographs, and pressing palms post show by the bus. Myself and another 60 or so fans appreciate it. I got my Slash biography signed. Too bad no pics with Slash but i guess you can't have your cake and eat it to. Or perhaps there were enough pics took on stage. Some of us take them for good reason, besides just personal mementos. Without them this write up would be pretty boring... Oh and through a little persistence i got my hands on the set list via another fan on facebook, thanks much if you happen to read this. And Slash happens to reads this, make your way back to St. Louis a little more often and next time i hope you allow pics if you do a meet and greet! As we all know you don't wanna piss fans off in St. Louis as we tend to destroy things!

Set list for 08/08/12:

-Halo
-Night Trian
-Ghost
-Standing in the Sun
-Back From Cali
-My Michelle
-Beggars & Hangers On
-Not For Me
-Rocket Queen
-Dr. Alibi
-Your Crazy
-No More Heroes
-Starlight
-Hard & Fast
-Godfather/Anastasia
-Sweet Child O' Mine
-You're A Lie
-Slither

Encore:
-By the Sword
-Paradise City

Here is a link to future dates. I wish i could hit one more show but i doubt it is possible with my busy school/work schedule and life!

Apocalyptic Love World Tour 2012-2013

Alice Cooper @ The Pageant, St. Louis, MO June 16,2012

  


 Alice Cooper's opening band Venrez were a good young band out of California. The singer looked more like Howard Stern's younger brother. Big bird hair and all. They did a tight set though, you can't take that from them. Shame i wasn't there for them but for Cooper or i would have checked them out out front after their set. They made it clear they would meet people and press palms etc. Which is cool, but also a standard for opening bands.

     Alice came on at 9pm on the money. Opening with "Black Widow" then plowing through years of hits that touched base with just about any even casual Alice fan. You don't have to be an "Alice Head" to know all the songs either. If you don't remember "I'm Eighteen" or "School's Out" you need to come out from the rock you been living under and join the rest of us in society. That or you are just too young. You choose.... I must say i did enjoy "Caffeine" as that is one of the few things in life i haven't given up.

     The theatrics were total Alice Cooper. From the guillotine to the electric chair. He did bring out one of the things that make me cringe a bit, a snake. From one of my photos you will see he was eying it a bit close when face to face with the creature. I did however enjoy seeing the monster come out to play towards the end. All in all Alice always delivers a good show and is a consummate showman. There is no worrying about him being to wasted to deliver the goods. He may be addicted to golf but the vices that slow most performers down are not a part of his repertoire.

     Alice's touring band is : Chuck Garric on bass, Steve Hunter on guitar, Orianthi Panagaris on guitar, Glen Sobel on drums and Alice of course on vocals.

     Here is the setlist and it was heaping full of a plate of Alice:

1. The Black Widow
2. Brutal Planet
3. I'm Eighteen
4. Under My Wheels
5. Billion Dollar Babies
6. No More Mr. Nice Guy
7. Hey Stoopid
8. Is It My Body
9. Halo of Flies
10. I'll Bite Your Face Off
11. Muscle of Love
12. Only Women Bleed
13. Cold Ethyl
14. Feed My Frankenstein
15. Caffeine
16. Poison
17. Wicked Young Man
18. I Love The Dead
19. School's Out

Encore

20. Elected

     Alice has also added a leg to this tour here is a link to the dates and when and where:

Alice dates

Kid Rock with Ty Stone opening Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN 11/23/11

To say this was a one off show is being humble. First off Kid Rock rarely plays a tour that doesn't involve something the size of 10,000+ seats. Kid Rock is currently taking Ty Stone on a trek of smaller venues and donating to local charities of the said city he is in. That and he does do a yearly swanky cruise for those who have deep enough pockets that can go....


To those who have never been to Ryman Auditorium all i can say is you are missing out. When you get to the city inside the holler do check it out. IT is worth your time and effort. This is the 3rd show i have seen there. There is no room for pyro and all the other added stuff that larger venues can add but sometimes that really isn't necessary now is it?

I got in town about 4pm...I chilled and tried to get a taxi to the venue and i gotta tell ya some taxi services just aren't worth the hassle of waiting. I got the it will be 5-10 minutes line twice and a half hour later i was still sitting there. So i said to hell with it. I got a car, license, gps, what am i waiting for? I am sure i was one of the few that wasn't half drunk that night but hey, being sober has certain advantages...


I got to the Ryman and got parked and headed down to blocked off Tootsie's block. Tootsie's was having their 51st anniversary for those who are educated to the fact. Dinner at Jack's was cool, but I guess i should have ventured across the street to Rippy's. That was Kid's hangout for before and after the show at the stage for Tootsie's. I kept thinking the view from that balcony blows. Oh well, what the hell do i know anyways?

Anyway back to the matter at hand..The confusion in the line to get in the Ryman was interesting. People waiting in a line to show ids to pick up tickets to end the scalping which i guess it helps but it will never end it. There are other ways to avoid that, but my tricks are for me to keep to myself and you can find your own. No matter it was great having a hard ticket i already got in the mail so i didn't have to deal with all that anyway. It just got me closer and in the next line. One thing i can tell ya is with a Kid Rock show there are always lines.

The doors opened at 6:30 p.m. As always the Ryman staff is pretty well courteous. I know my way around and really don't need assistance at this point finding my seat. After a time or two there you pretty much do. The merchandise lines are always a nightmare. If i didn't care to see the show they might not be, but why even be there if i am not watching the show? It is pointless...I had a balcony seat about 2/3 of the way up seat. I guess i should count myself lucky to even be there. But you know what, i wish i had had better.

Ty Stone opened and played 5-6 songs. I like him pretty well and was interested to see how he would be live. For some reason i thought he would have at least a small backing band with him on the road to thicken up his sound. He has a great set of pipes and can play acoustic guitar well enough. In my opinion he needs a bass player and drums to round out his sound. So Ty if you happen to read this you are a good artist, get you a small backing band it will round out your sound. I love seeing great potential and where it can go is all i am gonna say about Ty Stone.

They say waiting is the hardest part. I guess it is....Kid Rock came on at about 9 p.m. He had the Twisted Brown Trucker Band backing him as always. Seems the band has shifted around over the years but one constant has remained they back him well in all his music. Whether it be the opening song Devil, the middle of the show with God Bless Saturday Night or ending it with Born Free. The audibles were pretty good this time around as well. Kid picks the show out from start to finish and from my guess he works it all out in his head. He does certain moves at certain points of the show as well as certain parts of the show i don't think he would get by without doing it for the fans. As i have learned over this past year many of his fans are repeat offenders. Some travel from great distances and see several shows over the tour year. It is a good show and you will have a good time at it. The intimacy is a nice thing on this tour...and a rarity i do like. He is a show man. It leaves little to surprise though.


The Care tour last through part of December. Here is a list of the tour dates that are left from  his website.

Dec 1, 2011-Filmore Auditorium- Denver, CO
Dec 3, 2011-The Great Saltair-Magna, UT
Dec 4, 2011-Knitting Factory-Boise, ID

Dec 6, 2011-Knitting Factory-Spokane,WA
Dec 9. 2011-Fantasy Springs Special Event Center Indio,CA


I also here tell that old Kid Rock is working on a new album and material for that. I will be pleased to hear it when it comes out. The album Born Free was such an artists album. It was similar but truly an about face in style and substance from all those that came before it. He has said in other interviews he plans to do his next more in the Cocky style. Which yeah i liked Cocky but we will have to see is all i can say...Good luck to ya Kid Rock.

Tootsie's block party was a good time after the concert. Kid Rock came and did a couple of songs and had his son who most refer to as Junior on stage helping him sing part of All Summer Long. Junior has a higher voice more in the vein of Jackson 5 to my ears. I guess if he is going to follow in dads footsteps i don't think it will be quite the same footsteps he leaves behind. Had i got to town earlier i heard Junior was performing his own show with his own band...But i just didn't make it there.

All in all it was a good night in Nashville. One i will remember for a long time. Will i see Kid Rock in concert again? Sure, but i honestly  think it won't be a for a bit...A new album, more free time for me, and a bit to miss him live is what i need.....

Here is the set list direct from the upper balcony soundboard: