Whitesnake - May 14, 2011 (M3 Day Two)

When it was time for Whitesnake to grace the stage with their headlining performance at the 2011 M3 Music Festival, I was exhausted. I had sat through an amazing kick-off night the evening prior. After watching some amazing moments by Jetboy, L.A. Guns, and Warrant, Kix produced a hyper-energized concert that left me breathless. Then I watched, sang, and banged my head to several performances during day two. By the end of the entire M3 event, I was feeling a little woozy. I am certainly not getting any younger and the hours of fist pumping in tribute to my love of metal, sort of snuck up on me. However, when Whitesnake was ready to take the stage, I was excited.

I had never seen Whitesnake in concert before and I was looking forward to a fantastic event. Their latest album was incredible and while I was interested in hearing the new songs live, it was the classic songs that I yearned for. This is usually the case when I’ve never seen a band in concert before---I always want to hear the hits. I figured that Whitesnake would not disappoint. While I expected to hear one or two new songs, it was almost certain that their set would be hit heavy.

The band sprinted out from behind the curtain blaring “Best Years,” an incredible song from Good To Be Bad. After the band members found their places, David Coverdale graced the stage, singing the opening lyrics to the song. The crowd went expectantly wild and Whitesnake’s portion of the evening had begun.

David Coverdale looked great. Even though he is almost 60 years of age, he appeared in great shape. His lithe, wiry frame was still intact. Although there were a few more lines on his face, it was hard to tell if he had aged since 1987. Dressed in the prerequisite partially open white dress shirt and black leather pants, Coverdale was able to pull off a look that most men his age wouldn’t even attempt.



Although we were at the tail end of a multiday event, the crowd was still energized. Whitesnake showed early that they still know how to rock. Although David Coverdale is the only original member left in the band, the ensemble cast of musicians he put together is more than appropriate to carry the Whitesnake moniker.

What Whitesnake did well, they did very well. “Give Me All Your Love” had me leaping with excitement and their rendition of “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” was mind boggling. The guitar dual between Doug Aldredge and Reb Beech left mouths agape for an extended period of time. Both of these men are talented guitarists in their own right, but watching them play off each other was a real treat to the ears and the eyes. Drummer, Brian Tichy, was a lot of fun to watch. His drum solo was both comical and enjoyable. While I’m not a fan of drum solos in general (unless they are performed by Neil Peart), Tichy’s left me very entertained.



Whitesnake tore through their songs with passion. New and old hits were blended together to provide a balanced setlist. However, there were some noticeable omissions that left me scratching my head. Before I knew it, Whitesnale ripped into “Here I Go Again” and closed their main set. With plenty of time left on the clock, I figured the band was setting up for one magnificent encore. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The encore consisted of one song, “Still Of The Night.” And while it was performed wonderfully, it did not make up for the fact that we received a one song encore.

When it was over, I was stunned. While some of the songs the band played were enjoyable and expected, it was the songs that the band chose not to play that left me floored. No “Slow And Easy?” No “Slide It In?” What the heck was going on? How in the world could Whitesnake go on tour and not perform at least one of those songs? While it was great to get four songs from their terrific self-titled album, I still would have liked “Slide It In,” or “Slow And Easy.” These are signature Whitesnake songs for crying out loud!

The other shocking moment at the end of the concert was the time. Whitesnake came on stage at about ten minutes past nine. Their performance wrapped up (encore and all) by 10:45. They played a ninety minute set. Perhaps if the band extended their performance by ten minutes, they could have fit in the two aforementioned songs. Overall, the band produced a great concert, albeit compact. If I were Whitesnake’s manager, I would talk to the band about extending the encore and adding in some additional classics. Other than that, Whitesnake was a grand way to close out M3 2011.

Setlist
Best Years
Gimme All Your Love
Love Ain’t No Stranger
Is This Love
Steal Your Heart Away
Lay Down Your Love
Forevermore
Love Will Set You Free
My Evil Ways
Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City
Fool For Your Lovin’
Here I Go Again
Encore
Still Of The Night

Sebastian Bach - May 14, 2011 (M3 Day Two)

Prior to Sebastian Bach’s M3 performance, I had awful expectations regarding his set. One might say I was a borderline hater and would receive little argument from me. My past experiences seeing solo Sebastian live were negative. The last time I saw him I felt he was overweight, out of shape, and losing his voice. I went as far as predicting that he would be this year’s Vince Neil of the M3 Festival.

On Thursday evening prior to his M3 performance, news leaked that Bach had been arrested for marijuana possession. Suddenly, fans were left wondering if Bach was even going to show up for his stage appearance. Word came the next day that he was released, but then on Saturday, about an hour before he was due to take the stage, he cancelled his on site press tent appearance. “His performance is going to be a train wreck,” were my exact thoughts.

When the time came for Bach to take the stage, the amphitheater seats and lawn were packed. Whoever was on the second stage was almost completely ignored. Regardless of my preconceived notions, fans wanted their Bach. His band appeared on the stage and the M3 crowd erupted with their loudest cheers of the day. The opening notes of “Big Guns” ripped through the amphitheater and Bas stormed the stage while the applause got louder. He was the man of the hour.

To his credit, Sebastian Bach came to perform. Halfway through “Big Guns” I noticed how much better he sounded compared to the last time I saw him. The energy level was extremely high and his voiced was solid. Bach also looked to be in great shape. Perhaps he was working out and seeing a vocal coach? Or maybe his youthful new guitarists, Nick Sterling, had Bas remembering what it was like to be young, wild, and energetic.

After a fantastic performance of “Big Guns,” Bas took to the time to joke about his arrest. He commented on how shocking it was for a rock star to get arrested for partying which brought a laugh and applause from the audience. Then the band kicked into their next song.

Young ax wizard, Nick Sterling, really was amazing on lead guitar. I had never even heard of the kid prior to M3. However, he left quite a lasting impression and I’m actually excited by the prospect of Bach’s new album (due out in September). Sebastian made several references to Sterling being the youth and the future and he was right. I don’t know where Sterling got his lessons, but wherever it was, they knew what they were doing. Sterling could be the future barometer by which all guitarists are measured. More importantly, he could be the spark that re-vitalizes Sebastian Bach’s career.

Bach’s M3 performance was incredible and left me wanting more. Alongside “Big Guns,” other notable hits were performed: “18 And Life,” “Piece Of Me,” “I Remember You,” “Monkey Business,” and of course, the big set closer, “Youth Gone Wild.” The last song sounded particularly brilliant as Bas and company blew the roof off of the M3 amphitheater.

By the end of his performance, Sebastian Bach had proven me wrong. I thought I was going to see a half-assed performance by an aging rocker who was only there to collect money. What I got instead was a kick in the balls rock show and a desire to see more. Being proven wrong had never felt so right.



Setlist
Big Guns
(Love Is) A Bitchslap
Stuck Inside
18 And Life
American Metalhead
Piece Of Me
Monkey Business
I Remember You
Youth Gone Wild

Pretty Boy Floyd - May 14, 2011 (M3 Day Two)

I’ll admit it. Prior to my journey to this year’s MS music festival, I only knew the basics of Pretty Boy Floyd. I was familiar with their big hits and best known songs, but had little additional knowledge of the band or their music. Pretty Boy Floyd was a great group that somehow escaped most of my attention. When I heard they were playing at M3 though, I knew that I wanted to see their performance. On a misty, chilly, Saturday afternoon, I felt the excitement racing through me as I made my way to the second stage.

Staying to witness all of Danger Danger’s set on the main stage forced me to miss half of Pretty Boy Floyd’s opening song, “Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz.” The half that I did hear though sucked me in. The raw energy and incredible skill of this song being played live was intense. It was immediately apparent that there was something special transpiring. By the end of “Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz,” I had positioned myself center stage as the crowd grew. Pretty Boy Floyd was the opening act on the second stage and while the timeslot was not a highly coveted one, this did not prevent the band from giving it their all.

Every member of the band looked great! From new drummer Ben Graves to lead singer Steve Summers, you would have sworn these guys were all in their 20s. Whatever workout program they participate in, I need to sign up for it. Perhaps it’s all the groupie love that keeps them looking so fit.

Since they were on an extremely tight timeline, Pretty Boy Floyd played a condensed set of hits. “I Wanna Be With You,” “Your Momma Don’t Know,” and “48 Hours” were all included in their hard rocking set. A total of eight songs were performed in all, but each one was breathtakingly brilliant. Pretty Boy Floyd stole the early part of the show and was definitely one of the best bands at the 2011 M3 Festival.

Between the over the top and outrageous feather boa jacket donned by Summers, and the outlandish and radical makeup, Pretty Boy Floyd put on a talented performance. In between songs the band handed out copies of both their debut CD and their all Kiss tribute CD. I was not even aware that the band had done the latter.

Musically, Pretty Boy Floyd was on fire. Their sound was impeccable, their performance as hard rocking as it gets, and their on stage antics were fun for everyone. What surprised me most was how great the band sounded. They were the first band to use the second stage and yet their sound was better than some of the bands that graced the main stage.

Should there be another M3 next year (and I don’t see any reason why there wouldn’t be), Pretty Boy Floyd needs to be invited back to rock the main stage. In the meantime, I am hopeful that the band will decide to do a summer tour. I would live to see these guys in action again.

Setlist
Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz
Toast Of The Town
Rock And Roll Outlaws
Saturday Night
I Wanna Be With You
48 Hours
Your Momma Won’t Know
Rock And Roll (Is Gonna Set The Night On Fire)

M3 Kix-Off Party - May 13, 2011

For the third year in a row, the M3 Music Festival was held at the Post Merriweather Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Building on the growing success of this festival, the promoters decided to expand to two days this year. Day one, dubbed the official “Kix-Off” party was held on Friday, May 13th. The bands on the bill included local act Black Mambooza, followed by Jetboy, L.A. Guns, Warrant, and the Friday night headliners, Kix. A better M3 kick-off lineup is hard to imagine.

While I missed seeing Black Mambooza’s set due to settling in, checking the merchandise stand, getting a beer, etc., I was in my seat promptly before 7:00 PM. Jetboy had a new lead singer and I was anxious to see their performance. I thought they stole the show at last year’s M3 and reports were that the band was tighter than ever with new lead singer DK Revelle at the mic.

Jetboy stormed the stage and M3 officially kicked off. Knowing they only had 30 minutes to wow the crowd, Jetboy started their performance in high energy fashion. They came to rock and that’s exactly what they did. The music was intense and the band sounded incredible.

DK Revelle’s vocal style is much different from that of his predecessor, Mickey Finn. DK’s gravelly, growling vocals fit in perfectly with Jetboy’s sleaze rock style and added an element to the band that was previously absent. The time Jetboy spent together during a tour of Europe has helped to solidify the group and resulted in a powerhouse performance.

Two new songs were performed and both of them could be the best Jetboy songs yet. Both “Strip Down” and “Little Miss Sin Eater” are geared toward Revelle’s vocal ability. The end result was exceptional. Hopefully someone will be able to get these guys into the studio to record a new album. It would definitely be good for the world of rock and roll.

By the end of their set, most of the crowd had forgotten about Mickey Finn and were focused solely on this new incarnation of the band. DK Revelle had won the crowd over and the two new songs left everyone yearning for more. Jetboy had packed an entire headlining performance into a tight, 30-minute set. I hope to see them back for next year’s M3 with a longer time slot.

Phil Lewis’ version of L.A. Guns was on stage next and their performance was as brilliant as last year’s. While delays in changing the stage cut their performance time down, L.A. Guns still worked as hard as they could to deliver a rock solid performance.

Phil Lewis looked and sounded great, as did the rest of the band. While I questioned Phil’s wardrobe, I was pleased that he could still sing well. The band gave blistering performances of such classic L.A. Guns songs as “Electric Gypsy,” “Sex Action,” and “Never Enough.” The songs sounded as great as they did when they were first released. Although a lot of years have transpired since L.A. Guns first hit the scene, Father Time has not slowed the band down one beat.

Not be their own choice, L.A. Guns closed their set with one of the most beautiful power ballads ever written. “The Ballad Of Jayne,” the band’s best known song, finished their set in style. While L.A. Guns wanted to close out with a rocker, time constraints failed to allow it. The fans were happy though, as was evident by the sing along that “The Ballad Of Jayne” inspired.




Warrant headlined the second stage at last year’s M3, and they performed so well that it was only natural they be invited back to give a performance on the main stage. With a new album ready to be unleashed on the world, Warrant and new singer Robert Mason were ready to show the Maryland crowd how incredible they are in concert.

Robert Mason looked fantastic. Dressed in a black leather vest, it was quite clear that he has dedicated himself to staying in shape. Cut, trim, and practically fat free, Mason is an inspiration to us all. At the age of 46, the man looks like he is 26. And he gave a performance that would leave most 26 year olds breathless.

Overall, Warrant looked and sounded exceptional. Classic hits like “Sure Feels Good To Me,” “Heaven,” and “Down Boys,” were performed alongside new cuts from the forthcoming Rockaholic. As their performance went on, I don’t think many fans missed Jani Lane. Robert Mason is a master front man and he worked his hardest to win the crowd over. In that attempt, he was a major success. With Robert Mason at the helm the future of Warrant is pretty stable and secure.

The new songs, “Sex Ain’t Love,” and “Life Is A Song,” were so good that I wanted to own the new album immediately. Alas, due to the Every Album Challenge, I will not be able to, but based on the 2 songs I heard, if you are not constrained by an Every Album Challenge, you need to pick up a copy of Rockaholic.

Warrant closed their set with the expected “Cherry Pie,” which is still as fun today as it was when it was first released. By the end of their stage time, fans were screaming for more. And while Warrant were unable to perform an encore, fans will be sure to check their tour schedule to learn when they will be able to see this band again.




M3 night one was set to end with a hometown, headlining performance by one of the greatest live acts known to music. This would be my third time witnessing live Kix and I was more excited than ever. I knew the band was going to produce nothing but a power packed performance that would be remembered for a long time.

As expected, Kix launched onto the stage with evident passion. “No Ring Around Rose” got the performance started and Steve Whiteman’s power packed lead singer style took over for the rest of the evening. Whiteman is a ball of energy that doesn’t stop for the entire set. The rest of the band follows his lead, but all eyes are on Steve.

Whiteman’s charisma and charm are part of what make him such a great lead singer. When not singing his ass off or running around like a madman, he was telling jokes or utilizing props. It was like going to a Vegas comedy show, only better, because it was rock and roll. The fans reacted to Whiteman’s charm and the entire evening was one of mutual love and respect. A brilliant entertainer in his own right, he certainly could hold any other job in the entertainment business should he ever decide to.

During the set, Steve joked how he was shocked that Kix was asked to headline night one of M3. He thought the promoters were crazy. Then he looked around at the audience. “Damn,” he stated. “I didn’t think this many people gave a shit about Kix!” Ahhh, but we do, Steve. Kix is still amazing in concert and the more your band brings it live, the more we are going want to see them live.

Between sparkling microphones, buckets of water that turned into confetti, umbrellas, and balloons, Kix had all the usual props and were not afraid to use them. Whiteman continued his whirling and twirling all around the stage and the band gave a blistering performance that had the crowd on their feet.

Whiteman still looks and sounds great, as does the rest of the band. It’s amazing that even after all of these years (Kix started in 1981) they are able to bring the force in concert. While Steve is surprised that so many people care about Kix, I’m not. Kix is that great live and they are a band that must be seen in concert to be believed.

Classic hits like “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” “Girl Money,” and “Cold Blood” were all performed to perfection. It was during the encore that the band gave us some big surprises. The first surprise came in the band’s performance of “Kix Are For Kids,” from their self titled debut album. It was a real treat to hear this classic song, which I’ve never heard the band perform live.

The next surprise came in the form of a roll out mini stage that the band settled on for an acoustic performance. Then they jumped into “For Shame” and I was flabbergasted. “For Shame” is an incredible acoustic diddy and a song that I forgot about, to be honest. Hearing it live was such a treat that I stood up and applauded when the band had finished (most of the fans did the same).

“Midnight Dynamite” followed, to which the crowd went wild. Always a great song live, Steve Whiteman took it to the next level along with the rest of his bandmates. Walking the stage with a sparkling microphone at his disposal, Steve was having a great time rousing the crowd. Whiteman has always been one of the greatest front men in rock history. He is certainly in the same league as Bruce Dickinson and Blackie Lawless as exceptional band leaders.

The final number of the night was another fantastic rendition of “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,” that the band always closes with and always has fun playing. At the end of the song, the balloons dropped from the ceiling and more balloons were dragged onto the stage in large plastic bags. Normally, Whiteman would leap onto the bags and watch the balloons release underneath him, being pushed to the fans in the first or second row. On this night he made the leaping motion and the crowd roared. Then Whiteman shook his head. He hunched over, put one hand on his back and with his other hand made a motion that he was walking with a cane. Then he stuck his index finger in the air to make as if he had a brilliant idea. Whiteman dashed to the side of the stage and came back with a supersized, yellow and red, plastic sledgehammer. He smashed that against the bag and freed the balloons from their plastic imprisonment.

Once again, Kix showed to the world how exceptional they are. With another brilliant performance, this time as night one headliners, the band was mind blowing. Always a fun time and worth the money, it was great to see Kix headline the first night of this year’s M3 festival. Hopefully they will be back next year to headline the whole damned thing.

The M3 Festival 2011

It’s Festival Week once again at The Rock And Roll Guru. This week I will be discussing five select festivals including the highs, the lows, the bands on the bill, the places to go, and why you should attend.

M3 Festival
http://m3rock.webs.com
May 13 – 14, 2011
Columbia, Maryland

Overview
In what has become known as the hair metal event of the year, M3 returns for their third year of metal madness. Taking place in Columbia, Maryland, at the Post Merriweather Pavilion, M3 has stretched itself into a 2-day event for the first time. The concerts begin on Friday, May 13th with KIX headlining the night. Then the party continues on Saturday, May 14th where Whitesnake will close out the festivities. With hair bands galore filling the bill for both nights, this is the festival for the 80s metal lover to attend.

Ticketing
Tickets are available through Ticketfly, a ticketing service that is a billion times better than Ticketmaster. The tickets are sold in a tiered fashion with the most expensive ticket being $175 for the VIP ticket. This package includes backstage passes with a buffet, premiere seating in the first few rows, and a private entrance. Pavilion 1 tickets are $95, Pavilion 2 tickets are $65, and Lawn tickets are $45. There are individual day tickets on sale as well for fans who do not want to attend both dates. But who would want to miss one of these nights?

Lineup
The lineup for this year’s M3 festival is intense and chock full of glam metal (as always). Friday, May 13th, which is being billed as the official “kick-off” party, has 4 great acts. Jetboy will open the evening followed by L.A. Guns, Warrant, and the headliners of the night, KIX. Now that is my idea of an opening night!

The fun continues as the acts get even bigger for day two. Faster Pussycat, Hurtsmile (Gary Cherone’s new band), Slaughter, Mr. Big, Tesla, and the big headliners of the night, Whitesnake are all on the bill. Other entertainers include Lita Ford, Sebastian Bach, Great White, Danger Danger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Big Noize, and Black And Blue. This is a hair metal lover’s delight.

History
Now in its third year of entertaining the masses, the M3 music Festival gets better every year. Last year’s festival ran like a well oiled machine (until Vince Neil gummed up the works). I expect that this year’s festival will run even smoother. With almost no waiting time between bands, thanks to the 2 stage set up, M3 has worked out the kinks in their program and their third year should be their best year yet. The Post Merriweather Pavilion has been around for a while and they know how to host concert events. With plenty of concession stands, good food, and lots of cold beer, M3 is an amazing experience.

Places To Stay
Listed on the M3 website are some nearby hotels. And while there are rooms still available at most of these hotels, practically all of the double bed rooms have been sold out. If you’re going to Columbia with your sweetie, then it’s no worries all the way. However, if you’re going with your buds, expect someone to be sleeping on the floor. If you look a little further outside the immediate area of the Post Merriweather Pavilion, you’ll not only find hotels that have double bed rooms available, you’ll find that they cost less too. Cousin Ryo’s advice is to do a little research and save a few bucks.

Overall
M3 is once again the music festival of choice for the staff at Hard Rock Hideout (www.hardrockhideout.com). After attending last year’s festival and having an amazing time, this even bigger two day event looks to bring even more thrills. With low, low ticket prices (compared to other festivals) and old school glam acts a-plenty, how do you say no to this festival? M3 looks to be the best way to kick-start the summer concert season.

Ryo’s Final Word
I am really hoping that Faster Pussycat will play their stupendous cover of “You’re So Vain.” It would just about make the entire festival for me.