Kid Rock
Written By: The Rebel Reviewer, Mike Forbes
Kid Rock Air Canada Centre Toronto, Ontario May 27, 2011
I honestly have to say that every time we go to see Kid Rock he just keeps getting better and better. The first time we saw him sandwiched in between Run DMC and Aerosmith, he completely blew us away.
When I say “us” I mean my wife Jenifer and I. Jenifer was and still is a huge Steven Tyler fan. For years, that was her man. She’d seen Aerosmith umpteen times but I’d never seen them until that night. I was pumped to finally see one of the most classic acts ever conceived and for both of us, Run DMC and Kid Rock were supposed to be just a couple of throw-ins.
Well after 15 years, umpteen shows and a stack of albums, Aerosmith’s tower was dwarfed by a long haired, wife beater-wearing, trailer park, hip-hop, country guy with a microphone. I now see why the headliner often stifles a hungry opening act. That being said, Kid wasn’t exactly starving at this point in his career as he’d already gone platinum at least 7 times at that point. We know this cuz he told us straight up. Cocky bastid.
Might as Well Give up your Wife to Kid Rock
I’ve seen it so many times where a big band unplugs half the lights in the house, turns down the PA, blocks off the ego ramp and strangles the life out of some struggling opening act just so the headliner looks that much better. Well in my eyes that’s always made the headliner look like a bag of shit that needs a good kick.
One thing I can say is that Aerosmith did NOT pull that move on Kid Rock or Run DMC. They had the run of the stage, all the lights ‘n’ sound and even later on during the show, brought them all out to do “Walk This Way” to showcase everybody just hanging out and having a good time. These moves let a guy know a few things.
One, this band isn’t afraid of a hungry opening act showing them up. Two, this band wants to HELP the openers succeed not hinder them and three, this band puts the SHOW ahead of their own egos. It shows you another thing too. No matter whether you really like the band or not, you gotta respect them.
Well that night back in 2002, Aerosmith showcased Kid Rock and let him blow their doors off. My wife gave Steven Tyler a big hug and broke up with him and then I had this rock n roll, country, rapper to sign off as the top guy on my wife’s list! Well if I gotta give up my wife to any guy for a night, it might as well be Kid Rock!
Punching Out Losers at the Waffle House
Even though he punches out losers at the Waffle House, bitch slaps Tommy Lee and pisses on the desk of ignorant concert promoters; I have ultra respect for the dude. From entertaining troops in the middle east, to going the distance when it comes to taking care of his crew, it doesn’t matter what he says or does, you just know it’s real. He’s not a pretentious wanna be. He doesn’t go out of his way to TRY to be a rock star, he just IS. He’s one of those guys who was born to be on stage, yet he could mingle with pretty well any clique having been part of so many crowds. How many guys do you know have a ghetto pass, grand poo-bah redneck honours, biker respect, army, navy, air force and marine support, Dr. Phil admiration and best of all HUGE respect from serious musicians everywhere?
He’s been invited onstage by umpteen awesome bands like Metallica, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Bob Seger, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr., Sheryl Crow, Gretchen Wilson…. the list goes on and on. But he still goes out of his way to donate his time and money to the things that are important to him like when he threw the $50,000 to help out with five Detroit area charities and then he popped in on Romeo High School, his former learning grounds, to drop the simple advice: “Be true to yourself. Don’t hang out with idiots. Surround yourself with good people. You start hangin out with knuckleheads you’ll be right in the knucklehead section the rest of your life.” Great advice. Great guy.
Anyway, the ACC was good n packed right up to the rafters and Kid Rock, learning from Aerosmith, put the Trews into some good sound and light to showcase their awesomeness. The Trews have always been a great, hard working, extremely talented Canadian band that has yet to fulfill their destiny. No, Darth Vader is not going to anoint them with his light sabre effectively amputating their arms and rendering them musically useless or at least “challenged,” but they haven’t been fully recognized and placed on the pedestal of greatness that they deserve. Shut up. I love the Trews.
Giant Saloon
The stage was all done up like a giant saloon, complete with swinging doors under the drum riser which had a wooden staircase leading up both sides and a giant steer skull complete with antlers mounted out front. With a big video screen up behind the drums, a golden eagle inscribed with “American Badass – Born Free” hanging high up front stage, an ego ramp running out to centre ice. The bar-like setting was adorned with beer taps, Jim Beam logos, a mounted black bear and a giant wagon wheel chandelier, it really was a cool setup to behold. Also, according to the Kid, the perfect place to celebrate his 40th birthday every night of the year.
Long time drummer Stephanie Eulinberg took her position riding high on the horns with her solid backbeat while mainstays Aaron Julison on bass and guitarist Jason Krause appeared to be fully enjoying their positions in the band. Lead guitarist Marlon Young seemed right at home after rejoining the group in 2007. Paradime was spinning the turntables, Jimmie Trombley was tickling the keys and Dave McMurray wielded his saxophone like a weapon. But that’s not all. We’re talking about a huge kick ass band here…rounding it out were the lovely background singers. The very sexy and curvy Jessica Wagner and the gorgeously well built, black beauty, Tyra Juliette. But wait…there’s still one more!!! The almost cartoonish percussionist ya gotta love, Larry Frantangelo. Here’s one of those guys who adds so many little things into a song that if you took him out, it just wouldn’t be the same. Together these people form one of the greatest rock n roll bands you’re ever gonna listen to but then I AM kinda biased. You can’t fuck with Twisted Brown Trucker!
Like a Yeti with a Fedora
Kid came out wearing what appeared to be a white wolf skin vest. I thought he looked like a Yeti with a fedora ‘n’ shades but you know that coat was just saying FUCK YOU to anyone interested in a whole lotta PETA, if ya know what I’m sayin. He played two songs mostly with his back to us photographers but then he took off the coat n shades and did a few jumps and poses just for us. We know this cuz he came over to the side of the stage, pointed at us, and mouthed the words: “you get that?” I’ve never seen all the photographers in a photo pit CHEER a guy on stage like that before!!
One of our photography buddies in the pit was there solely “because he had to be” and kinda turned up his nose when asked if he was a fan. Another photographer and I just gave each other a knowing glance, so I smiled and said: “you just wait man…talk to me AFTER the show.” Well he didn’t have a pass to see the rest of the gig but when we left the pit he had a giant smile on his face and was clearly impressed with the few minutes we were given up close ‘n’ personal. I’ll bet my left nut Kid Rock won another one over right there in the first 10 minutes of the show.
More Pyro than a Kiss Concert
So after more pyro than a Kiss concert, a little bit o’ Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” stirred into “I Am The Bullgod”, his usual run through a load of instruments, a couple songs sang from a lawn chair on the ego ramp and a huge pyro filled ending after pianoing (yeah that’s a word on my planet) the latest hit, “Born Free,” the show came to an end with an absolute deluge of applause and admiration for one of the best performers you’re going to drop a hundred bux on.
I don’t care if you think you don’t like Kid Rock. If you like a good concert and a good time, go see him live. If you don’t become a fan after experiencing the show, you might as well dig yourself a hole and jump in.
Want more kooky Canadian adventures from the Rebel Reviewer, Mike Forbes? RR’s got recent concert reviews from the trenches about Goddo, Alice Cooper, Chris Cornell and GA’s favorite, the legendary Bob Seger. Oh, Canada!
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