Written by: The Rebel Reviewer, Mike Forbes.  Local Canadian legend and friend of all things Rock ‘n’ Roll. 

After having seen KISS about 8 or 9 times from umpteen angles, from Detroit to Toronto, from the farthest reaches of the Skydome to third row at Bayfest, I can honestly say I still haven’t seen ‘em enough.

Any chance I get, I’ll go cuz I know every time, no matter where, when or what shape the guys are in, they’re gonna put on a first-class show woven into a very familiar and kick-ass soundtrack. Thanks to one of my oldest and dearest KISS Army buddies on the planet, I found myself with an unlicensed VIP ticket which puts you right in front of Gene for the night. Photographically, we tag-teamed this show and got some real good gems for you all to enjoy.

Studying Gene Simmons’ Habits

Every time I saw them, I tried to take in the whole show. Every little thing going on at all times is pretty hard to do but on the opening night of Sarnia Bayfest 2011, I found myself 10 feet from Gene all night long and it was honestly very hard to pay attention to anything else. Gene worked that crowd like I’ve never really noticed before. I know he always works the crowd but he seemed over the top with fan interaction this night. Normally when I’d go to see KISS, I’d watch Ace. As sloppy as he could be or as tight and precise, it didn’t matter, Ace was just Ace. No bullshit. He looked cool as fuck and he was an ultimate poser. But this night, I didn’t just see and hear Gene in action, I studied him.

Don’t Bitch at Me

I got to the venue as the first band left the stage. I made my way through the sparse crowd, quite gingerly I might add, as there was so much room in between imaginary rows of KISS fans leading right up to the third row. (Not without pissing off a few people I might add.) Why is it that people stand there with full empty rows in front of them and then get pissed when someone weasels in there and steps up to take it? If you’re in a crowd waiting for your favourite band and there are empty rows in front of you in a general admission area, fuckin step up and take it. Don’t bitch at ME cuz I did what you should have done a long time ago. We did that at the SARS festival, headlined by Rush, AC/DC and the Stones. Me and a buddy walked on the edges of everyone’s blankets straight to the front. It got far too congested and we ended up parking our asses about 30 yards from the stage. We were sandwiched in between people who were waiting since the day before and when I told them I got there half hour ago they almost shit. Well there I was standing in front of a couple big pissed off guys and one real Sasquatch of a motherfucker who had a look on his face like he hadn’t shit in a month pressing his elbow into my back for half the show. They told me they’d been there since 3 in the afternoon and I told em I got there 10 minutes ago. Sorry guys…I’m on a mission from God and NOBODY’S gonna fuck with it.

Look to the Cookie

Was it just me or was Gene PLAYING his bass more than usual? I kept hearing killer fills and runs that I never noticed before. Normally while playing tunes like “Shock Me,” Gene throws in some cool little runs here and there but did I not hear far more than what he usually does? Was Gene actually challenging himself musically a bit there? Definitely not during the bass “solo” which I’ve always thought should showcase some kind of 4 string talent, but if I didn’t hear more that night, though I like to believe I did, it could have been blamed on the cookie. Yes the cookie. Look to the cookie for a source of artificial joy. Look to the cookie for a guaranteed great night sleep. And look to the cookie to enhance any live concert experience. Yes friends, with the right amount of THC, the world’s colour pallet and mixing board unfolds to present sights ‘n’ sounds one never knew existed. The cookie. Get em in ya before Stephen Harper (Canada’s Prime Minister and head Asshole) takes em away for good.

InAmbush

I completely missed the opening act but caught Inambush, a great little band from Brantford with a crunchy load of hard rock to dump on ya. Saw them at the 515 Concert Club in Cambridge a few months back and I was totally impressed with their skill and tightness. They had a buncha catchy hard rock tunes and were a pleasant surprise.

The Envy

The Envy hit the stage and as the sun set, the ambiance rose proportionately so. The Iowan band had the crowd in the palm of their hands despite the giant KISS logo looming in the background. Being one of Simmons’s pet projects, and a seemingly successful one at that, they seemed to have taken some cues from the demon in the arena of confidence and stage presence. They had some really cool tunes and I noticed the cookies tickling at my brain, enhancing the soundtrack just slightly enough to spread a smile across my face and keep my foot tapping and head nodding to the beat. But who am I kidding? I was there to see KISS, and more than that, to see the dark heart of what KISS is all about beating right in my face throughout the whole show. Mr. Simmons, in all his demon-ness, laid it right out in front of me and whether he was actually playing for ME that night or not, remains a bit of a mystery but I’d swear on my kids lives, that Simmons spotted me and my camera during the opening song, “Modern Day Delilah” and made a point to keep coming back and posing for me and every camera around me. They ripped through a small serving of KISS hors d’ouvres, “Cold Gin” and a kick as version of “Let Me Go Rock ‘n’ Roll” before pulling out one of the big guns, “Firehouse” for Simmons’s fire breathing show stopper. Well fucked if I didn’t have 18 pairs of hands and at least a dozen heads in the way while I tried to capture what always proved to be the hardest shot of the night and failed miserably again. I’ve only ever caught that shot to my satisfaction once from centre ice at the Air Canada Centre back in 2000. The rest have all been NFG, heads ‘n’ hands in the way and/or blurred beyond recognition. This night was no different.

Paul Stanley Wasn’t Jumping Around…Probably Because of the Hip Replacement

So I spoke with a few buddies who were at the show and none of them seemed to think Paul was off his game at all. I sure did. Was it the cookies though? I dunno. He definitely wasn’t jumping around like usual, but that’s probably because of the hip replacement. Fuck that makes him sound old. You know if you’re talking heart attacks or hip replacement the dude’s gotta be old!

Normally He’s Yapping Away Like A Cheerleader, Yet Making Perfect Sense

He seemed heavily medicated or something though. Normally he’s yappin’ away like a cheerleader yet making perfect sense but there were a few times that night that he was beakin’ off and I couldn’t figure out what the fuck he was talking about…or to who. I also heard quite a few sour notes and I’m pretty damn sure Tommy wasn’t the one dishin ‘em out. To the first timer, or the uninformed, Paulie was top notch and that’s all that really mattered. Like last Bayfest KISS played, Stanley honed in the town’s name and must have said it 42 times in a sing-songy way as if people just like to say Sarnia…only with a think New Yok accent, Sarnia sounds like SAAAWWWNEEAAAAAAAA…SAAAAAWWWNEEEAAAAAAA…I expected him to pick up a few beer bottles, stick them on his fingers and start slowly clinking them together. Sawneeeaaaa come out and play!!!

Get a Good Shot of Paul’s Ass for Me

I received a text just before KISS came on. “Get a good shot of Paul’s ass for me.” My buddy Faye was sitting up on the hill with her son all painted up like Gene. It was his first big concert. So I did. Hope nobody noticed me tracking Stanley’s ass for half a tune, but if they did I’d just tell em I’m gay and that would make most of ‘em shut up and go away. That is one thing you can always count on though. No matter how on or off the ball Mr. Stanley is he’s still a great lookin chiselled dude at 60ish! Halfway through the show I noticed the moon rising up on stage left. I thought how cool it would be to get some great shots of Simmons spittin blood all over the front of the stage with the moon looming in the background. Well it didn’t happen for the blood shots but I did get some moon pics only it’s kinda hard to expose it all properly without going straight to PhotoShop to make it happen. Well that makes me wanna get creative now!!

I’ve Seen Ace Totally Shit on Little Kids

One of the cutest things I’ve ever seen at a show—and it made me think immediately of my little guy—was this dude carrying his kid, five years old, on his shoulders right up front to see Gene up close ‘n’ personal. Ty, a five-year-old kid at his first concert had the devil horns held high with Gene playing just for him had everyone around us watching with huge smiles on our faces. Gene was pointing right at him, stickin his tongue out at him and the little guy was rockin’ out and lovin’ it all the way. Shit like this is what puts Gene head ‘n’ shoulders above a lotta guys out there. I’ve seen Ace totally shit on little kids when it came to getting an autograph but Gene, no fuckin’ way. He may fuck your mom, your wife and your sister but he aint gonna ever fuck your kid out of an autograph or an opportunity to make a new fan for life.

No Drum Riser with Sparkling Pinwheels ‘n’ Kitty Cats

Despite the load of shit KISS tried dumping on it’s Bayfest fans in the Sarnia Observer, claiming: “It’s going to be just as much, if not more, this time,” this was a pretty straight up, bare bones show as far as KISS is concerned. There were no strings and floating stage high up in the middle for “God of Thunder.” There was no drum riser, with sparkling pinwheels ‘n’ kitty cats at the end of “Black Diamond”. There was no dual scissor lift for the show’s end “Rock ‘n’ Roll All Nite”. In fact there were no real mechanical devices that distract from what’s really going on and that’s the straight up three-chord rock ‘n’ roll that KISS perfected back in the 70’s. Sarnia got a huge dose of it and from the reaction of the crowd, they loved every second of it…again.

Like the Rebel Reviewer’s adventures?  Check out some more of his stuff like what he did at this Kid Rock show or this great review of The Trews. 

And just for giggles, here’s a video of Paul Stanley losing his shit and kicking some guy out of his concert for having a laser pointer. Enjoy!

By featured author the Rebel Reviewer, Mike Forbes.

This is gonna be a short one just because I don’t know what to say. Straight up… why bullshit you? The only thing I remember was back in the early 90’s a buddy of mine had a live Lizzy Borden album, The Murderess Metal Road Show, and we played the fuck outta that thing.

When I heard my friend’s band was opening for “Thin Lizzy” I was pretty excited! Turns out it was Lizzy Borden, Danny, singer of Three Quarter Stone, kept name fucking. Still I thought, I remember those guys…barely.

His Real Name is Probably Eugene…

Cool to hear an old metal band with lotsa theatrics and tricks up their sleeves still hammering out some good tunes and playing them well. Lead singer, Lizzy Borden, not only does a great job at concealing his real name, probably Eugene or something not as flattering, but he still has a wicked voice that hasn’t degraded in the slightest. He can still split yer head open with one of his piercing metal screams and clearly he’s doing it so that it doesn’t wreck his throat.

The pair of tandem shredders Lizzy flanks himself with, Dario Lorina and AC Alexander, are both top notch smoking axemen who could each carry a band on their own I’m sure. Together these two just don’t let up on their sonic assault throughout the night trading licks back n forth and giving the girls a little eye candy at the same time. Rounding out the lineup are drummer Joey Scott and Swedish bassist Marten Andersson.

Smoking Hot Little Blonde…Plus Blood.

The night I saw Lizzy Borden I was still recovering from a damn fine Kiss show just 2 days prior so I really had a week of some of the finest blood filled, stage theatrics rock n roll has to offer. Watching Lizzy sink his teeth into the neck of the smoking hot little blonde he had dancing on stage was worth the price of admission alone and provided me with some killer shots to share. Any vampire fan would have been in heaven (or should I say hell?) witnessing this little trick and Lizzy’s anointing of the front row with a skull full of blood carried by a masked roadie was a pretty cool opportunity for audience participation. He was like an evil priest dipping a couple fingers into the blood and dabbing it on the foreheads ‘n’ cheeks of his followers, all the while smiling ear to ear, thoroughly enjoying himself in the process.

Definitely worth while checking out Lizzy Borden if you’re into the Alice Cooper school of rock ‘n’ roll, the music is quite a bit heavier but combined with Lizzy’s awesome voice, you’d be damn glad you showed up.

Like the Rebel’s Reviews?  For more, check out Mike’s other features like this one on Kid Rock or this one about Canadia legends, the Trews. 

By featured author the Rebel Reviewer, Mike Forbes.

Almost 3 years ago to the day, I first saw the Trews and they totally blew me away. They packed Jackhammer’s Nightclub in Brantford, Ontario, home of Wayne Gretzky, and blew the doors off with their very own brand of all Canadian straight up, kick ass rock ‘n’ roll.

Well this night, opening for Kid Rock at the ACC was really no different other than the size of the venue, stage, PA, audience and of course, ticket price.

No Bullshit Trews Tune-age

They hit the stage with an all-star, greatest hits lineup of no bullshit Trews tune-age.

Only the best of the best as their opening slot allowed only a dozen songs to showcase to Mr. Rock’s fans what the Trews are all about.

But who in the house didn’t already know it? We’ve been sitting on this beautiful little gem of a band far too long. I fully expected them to be a HUGE rock ‘n’ roll force by now taking the world by storm but maybe I get a little biased and aggressive in my enthusiasm for a decent band.

The ACC still hadn’t come close to filling up yet but the Trews cranked at full volume was a good way to bring the Kid Rock fans to their seats. I’m sure the few people who didn’t know who the Trews were, nodded in recognition of EVERY song they played for their meager set for every song, like I said, was the cream of the crop that is the Trews.

Sick Gear

Colin MacDonald came out sporting a white suit jacket and his British bulls-eye Telecaster clearly ready for one of Canada’s largest and most revered venues. His brother John-Angus wielded his beautiful Les Paul Sunburst with the crunch and finesse he always does while the weird ‘n’ wonderful Jack Syperek tickled his Fender Precision that looks like if he plays it one more time it’d disintegrate and crumble through his fingers.

But oh that old baby has some character! No wonder he won’t hang it up for good! Drummer Sean Dalton was tucked so far back I could barely see him let alone get a photo of him. That’s the problem with a seven-foot stage, photographers gotta be seven fuckin’ feet tall too! Anyway, the Trews kicked ass.

If only Kid Rock would take them on tour across the States, he could show our neighbours to the South this beauty of a Canadian gem. Polish it up a bit, throw it in front of one of those reality TV antique dealer arseholes and see what they think it’s worth. What if he says it’s fuckin worthless and flicks it back across the table as if it’s last weeks Timbits?

Who really cares what they think it’s worth? I think the Trews is a great big bar o’ Canadian gold. But then who the hell cares what I think either?

Like the Rebel’s Reviews?  We sure do.  If you do too, check out this one about Kid Rock on the same night, or fuck it, read up about Mike’s experience at a KISS concert!!!

Green Naugahyde

September 13, 2011

Pros:

• “I used to be a pimp, but now I’m HOINFODAMAN.”
• Jam in “Eyes of the Squirrel” reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “On the Run”
• Claypool’s tone on “Moron TV”
• Come to think of it, pretty much everything about “Moron TV”
• Is that a jab at John Mayer?  “Eyes of the Squirrel”, 2:34

Cons:

• Too much envelope filter
• White Ranger was superior Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger to Green Ranger
• Doesn’t top Frizzle Fry

General Admission says:

“Today is going to be the greatest day of your life.”

When we last left Primus, they had just released a comprehensive career-spanning DVD that included classic imagery, live footage, and all the band’s music videos. Accompanying this release was a five-song EP featuring new material with drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander. The package was dubbed Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People, and it represented the first activity from Primus since the group’s last full-length album, 1999′s Antipop.

Animals wasn’t incredibly groundbreaking, or even that incredible, but it was uniquely Primus, and that was satisfying in its own right. Like ‘em or not, there’s no other group out there making noise like these guys. The best thing about the Animals EP wasn’t the collection of videos, and it wasn’t the music; it was knowing somehow, someway, there was another full-length Primus record waiting for us at the end of the rainbow.

And here we are at the end of the rainbow.

It’s difficult to talk about this record without mentioning “Last Salmon Man”, the fourth installment in the Fisherman’s
Chronicles, and easily one of the best songs on the album. Seeing as how this is the first Primus LP in more than a decade, it’s understandable when some of the new material doesn’t sound exactly like the band we last heard in the ’90s. But fittingly, “Last Salmon Man” feels right at home with the rest of the band’s classics, telling the story of a fisherman struggling to meet ends meet, refusing to change professions or head to different waters after making a promise to his dying father.

“Moron TV” is another instant classic. I can’t imagine a track epitomizing a band’s overall vibe more than what this does to Primus, nor can I think of a song where Claypool’s bass sounds any better than it does here.

But the fact of the matter is a lot of this record doesn’t sound like Primus. Instead, it sounds like a Les Claypool solo record featuring Larry LaLonde and Jay Lane. It sounds like the sequel to Of Whales and Woe, or maybe even the Frog Brigade’s Purple Onion. The result isn’t always a bad thing, as two of the “newer” sounding tracks are also two of the best: “Lee Van Cleef”, a reflection of Claypool’s youth, and the Larry LaLonde-driven “HOINFODAMAN.” The former is a bluegrassy tune in the vein of “Iowan Gal”, while the latter will go down as one of the heaviest tracks in the Primus catalog.

The end result is a pretty damn solid record, even if it does fall short of Frizzle Fry, which should still be considered the crowning achievement in the band’s collection of work when the dust settles on Green Naugahyde. The best things about this record are the improvisational jams, the offbeat lyrics, the trademarked Primus oddities, and the fact that Claypool is still coming up with licks we never thought possible.

Album Highlights:

“Last Salmon Man”, “Eyes of the Squirrel”, “Lee Van Cleef”, “Moron TV”, “HOINFODAMAN”

Track List:

1. Prelude to a Crawl
2. Hennepin Crawler
3. Last Salmon Man
4. Eternal Consumption Engine
5. Tragedy’s a’ Comin’
6. Eyes of the Squirrel
7. Jilly’s on Smack
8. Lee Van Cleef
9. Moron TV
10. Green Ranger
11. HOINFODAMAN
12. Extinction Burst
13. Salmon Men

It’s easy to forget about A Perfect Circle. The band tends to disappear into the shadows from time to time, going into forced hibernation whenever Maynard Keenan returns to one of his many other passions — side project Puscifer, his vineyard in Arizona, or his “day job” with progressive metal icons TOOL.

Not only that, but APC’s lineup seems to be a revolving door — an ever-changing cast of characters, and practically a who’s who of session musicians. The band’s seen ex-Primus drummer Tim Alexander, Zwan bassist Paz Lenchantin, Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, and Nine Inch Nails jack-of-all-trades Danny Lohner all come and go. The only two constants are the band’s integral cornerstones: vocalist Keenan and composer Billy Howerdel.

Which makes it easy to forget APC created the seminal alt-rock record of the 2000s. More than a decade later, Mer de Noms still holds up as a masterpiece, partly because of its classical and ornate beauty, and partly because there’s still nothing else on earth that sounds anything like it.

But a funny thing happens when people forget — something usually comes along to remind them.

A Perfect Circle - 07.28.11 - Gibson Amphitheatre

Tonight’s “reminder” featured ex-Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, Ashes Divide drummer Jeff Friedl, and Puscifer bassist Matt McJunkins complementing Howerdel and Keenan. The material was an equal smattering of songs from Mer de Noms and Thirteenth Step, with a healthy dose of the band’s 2004 cover album eMotive.

With the United States a week away from defaulting, with unemployment at a disastrous high, and with the nation’s populace divided over petty political differences, here was A Perfect Circle, calling for people to change their fists to handshakes, covering John Lennon tunes, and singing about peace, love and understanding. The message might have came off as overly preachy or heavy-handed if it weren’t so perfectly timed, so well-executed, or so utterly goddamned necessary. Or even if it hadn’t been delivered in APC’s trademarked form of dark, ominous thunder.

But there they were, reminding us all we’re capable of so much more than petulance, catastrophe, and murdering each other. It’s a message we shouldn’t have to hear — words we shouldn’t have to be told — but it’s necessary every now and again anyway, especially at a time like this, in a nation like this, and in a city like Los Angeles. It’s a message we’ll undoubtedly need to hear again soon, which is exactly what made Billy Howerdel’s closing salvo so welcome and refreshing:

“Thanks for the warm welcome, Los Angeles. We’ll see you again… in a couple of months.”

Show Highs:

1. Maynard James Keenan can still fucking sing
2. Watching opening Japanese all-girl punk band work crowd in broken English
3. Performances of “The Outsider” and “Counting Bodies Like Sheep…”
4. MJK using solo Crucifix/Joni Mitchell covers to bookend show
5. Rendition of Depeche Mode’s “People Are People”
6. So good overall, G.A. actually contemplated giving eMotive another chance.  Until…

Show Lows:

1. Band played “When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin. Whatever the hell it is they think they’re doing, we wish they would stop. Just… stop. Let’s all forget this ever happened, or at least relegate it to the ugly little footnote in an otherwise long, glorious, and ongoing history of A Perfect Circle. You know, like Barry Bonds is to Major League Baseball?
2. Thrash reinterpretation of “3 Libras” doesn’t compare favorably to haunting beauty of original version

Set List:

1. Annihilation (Crucifix)
2. Imagine (John Lennon)
3. Weak and Powerless
4. The Hollow
5. Blue
6. People Are People (Depeche Mode)
7. The Outsider
8. Rose
9. (What’s So Funny ’bout) Peace, Love and Understanding? (Brinsley Schwarz)
10. When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin)
11. The Noose
12. 3 Libras (All Main Courses)
13. The Package
14. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie (Black Flag)
15. Orestes
16. Passive
17. Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums
18. Fiddle and the Drum (Joni Mitchell)
19. By and Down

Phish performing at Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH

Here are some things you might not have known about Cincinnati: It was founded in 1788, it was ranked as the seventh most romantic city in 2011 by Amazon.com, and all concerts within city limits are policed by a gestapo of 14-year-old girls and 70-year-old women who care entirely too much about their part-time jobs.

My first run-in with these ladies occurred several years ago at a TOOL show at U.S. Bank Arena, where I watched as helpless progressive metal fans were escorted from the building by pre-pubescent Girl Scouts and post-menopausal grandmas alike.  The scene was eerily similar at Riverbend, only this time, the venue’s crack security staff was decked out in yellow-and-black striped shirts to make them look like hornets or something.  Fitting outfits, I suppose, pests as they were.

Their battle plan was pretty obvious from the jump.  The first line of defense was a wall of teenagers just shy of driving age, but old enough to give me and my 30-year-old girlfriend shit for not having our ticket stubs in hand at all times.  Once we got past them, there was another wall 10 rows down… and another… and another.  They were all armed with flashlights, pimple-covered foreheads, and bad attitudes.  So you can imagine how fun the conversations got when we lost one of our ticket stubs after the third trip for overpriced draft beer.

“I need to see your ticket,” one demanded.

“I’ve already showed it to you twice!”

“I need to see it again,” now with a tone of voice that suggested we were in a Toys-R-Us® and I was refusing to buy her a new bicycle.

“Well, I don’t have it.  So now what?”

“I’m not supposed to let you go,” this time with a hint of vulnerability.  I pounced.

“Tell you what.  We’re going to go to the front-row seats we paid for.  If you want to stop us, you’re welcome to try.”

It felt good bullying a teenager.  Besides, I’m not about to take shit from someone who watches iCarly.  As we got closer to the stage, the girls morphed into 70-year-old women — a ghastly portent of things to come for these little darlings, one can only assume.  They were a little less prickly about things like ticket stubs, but were quick to pounce on anyone seen smoking.  As this was a Phish show, they were obviously pretty busy.  And they swarmed like the hornets they were dressed as.  The seated area was on lockdown — you could always feel a pair of eyes on you… young, naive, spoiled, judgmental eyes, or perhaps old, discerning, disapproving, judgmental eyes.  I couldn’t tell you which was worse.

Left to Right: Page McConnell, Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Jon Fishman

Meanwhile, the lawn was in chaos.  Since all the security in the state of Ohio was concentrated squarely on the pavilion, the lawn very quickly became Hamsterdam.  You could quite literally draw a line between the docile, motionless concertgoers and the anarchy going on outside.  Remember that scene in “Field of Dreams” when Moonlight Graham couldn’t step off the field without becoming an old man again?  It was kind of like that, except instead of baseball and a small house in Iowa, it was a Phish concert and a bunch of hippies on LSD with their arms stretched out, mimicking an airplane — the telltale sign of a person who is tripping balls, or perhaps merely a New York Jets fan.

Anyway… enough about the security.  On with the show!

Phish: 06.05.11 - Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH

The band kicked things off with a decidedly Page-heavy first set, highlighted by a swoon-inducing performance of “Lawn Boy”, which saw McConnell step out from behind the piano and serenade a female audience member in the front row.  Page also nailed the intro to “Bathtub Gin” and was a driving force in a solid rendition of “Taste”, but it was Trey who shined brightest in the very best moment of the first set — a dreamy, four-and-a-half-minute jam to close out “Reba.”

The second set was anything but dreamy; the band brought the thunder.  ”Carini” > “Tweezer” > “Free” to open things up, followed by a ripping cover of Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless”?  Yes, please!   The second set was capped by a flawlessly executed (and trampoline-enhanced) “You Enjoy Myself”, followed by a “Loving Cup” > “Tweezer Reprise” encore.  After the electric June 3rd show in Michigan, and the previous night in Cuyahoga Falls, Cincinnati caps a three-show Midwest run that rivals some of the band’s greatest tours.

Show Highs:

1. An intimate moment with Page during “Lawn Boy”
2. Mike Gordon switching to a four-string (P bass?) for the solo in “Lawn Boy”
3. Page coming in too early on “Gotta Jibboo”, 0:25
4. The closing jam to “Reba”
5. Pretty much the entire second set

Show Lows:

1. On second thought, closing the second set with literally a whisper instead of a bang was a bit weak (later redeemed by the encore)
2. Security girl with cute ponytail was mean to me

Set List:

I:

1. AC/DC Bag
2. Punch You in the Eye
3. Bathtub Gin
4. Taste
5. Lawn Boy
6. Mound
7. Gotta Jibboo
8. Reba
9. Fee
10. Backwards Down the Number Line

II:

1. Carini
2. Tweezer
3. Free
4. Crosseyed and Painless
5. Light
6. Boogie On Reggae Woman
7. Julius
8. You Enjoy Myself

Encore:

1. Loving Cup
2. Tweezer Reprise

Purchase this show in stunning 24-bit quality directly from Phish.

Kid Rock

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 40^th 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!

Not the main guy from Goddo. But a great shot...

Written By: The Rebel Reviewer, Mike Forbes
Goddo The Rockpile Toronto, Ontario May 12, 2011

Toronto’s Rockpile Bar got a houseful of Old School when Goddo stepped out on stage to remind everybody they’re still alive and well.

Surprise guest, “Nash the Slash” rosined up his bow and splashed some colour into the night with his totally unique look and style.

Before the show Greg Godovitz popped outside for a smoke and graciously stood for a photo with Metal Queen Management’s Betty D and a couple of her friends. It’s always nice to see a guy like Greg willing to mingle with fans instead of playing the anti-social card.

Getting the crowd going was Guelph band Three Quarter Stone. Although the bar was still half full at the time, they turned it to 11 and kicked the shit outta the place. These guys are loud and hard with a lotta tight crunchy riffing and great vocals. This is a band to look out for. They’ve got all the ingredients to propel them outta the fast food section and into a five-star restaurant. I think the only thing they need is the right chef.

The original lineup of drummer Doug Inglis, Gino Scarpelli on guitar and the legendary Godovitz providing voice and

The main guy from Goddo

the bottom end stoked the fire with a handful of classics. Now I have to admit, Goddo is very new to me. Yeah I know, “everybody” in Ontario knows who Goddo is and what they’ve done and all their tunes but I grew up in BC and Canada is one HUGE country when it comes to music. It’s been said before and it’ll be said again that Canada is a country that is very hard to tour for smaller bands.

Wally the Roadie: Farting Problem

First there’s the sheer distance of the trip. Pack up 4 or 5 guys and their road crew if they can afford it and send them barrelling down the Trans Canada Highway stopping at every bar with a stage big enough to hold em all. Sounds like fun eh? I dunno. Ya got Wally, the roadie with the farting problem who can’t eat anything with meat, bread, cheese, green leaves, chocolate or carbonated water for fear of melting plastic with his thunderous farts. He’ll be hot boxing the van 20 minutes into the trip after consuming 4 Twinkies and a bottle of Barq’s. Then there’s the Vegan singer, always complaining that there’s nothing for him to eat except fries and Tim Horton cups. After two days you have a pissed off diva who wants nothing more than to go home and you’re all ready to send him.

Then of course there are family commitments; the drummer has four kids and is working on losing his fourth wife and the bassist’s dog is sick so he might have to leave the month long tour to attend to that. Oh and his coke addiction is really starting to bother the group. The coffee change keeps disappearing and equipment goes missing in every town with a pawn shop. Then there’s the price of gas. Too bad Wally can’t help out with that.

So my overly long winded point is, for a band to tour Canada and make themselves well known on both ends of the country, it takes some very deep pockets, a lotta patience and some compatible personalities to do so. And THIS is why out west I heard a lot of Loverboy, Chilliwack, Headpins, Streetheart and Doug ‘n’ the Slugs, while bands like Max Webster, David Wilcox, Teenage Head and of course the mighty Goddo slipped right under the radar. I didn’t know what the fuck Goddo was. Once I put down roots in Ontario during the summer of ’87, I found out there was a whole planet of music I never even heard before. So taking in Goddo the other night was a total eye and ear opener. I recognized more tunes than I expected and came to instantly respect the band as a musical unit.

First off their equipment was really cool and different. Greg was playing some beat up old bass that looked like an acoustic guitar with some hand made looking pickup mounted in there. This thing has seen many nights of action since Goddo knows when. Plugged into a Randall half stack, although old and rickety looking, the unnamed bass kicked us in the face with a punch that would rival any other out there.

Gino was sporting a road hardened modified black Stratocaster with a plexiglass pickup cover showing all the wiring to his original OBLs. Jacked into dual Kustom cabs and topped off with an old Ampeg head that looked like one of my parent’s stereos from the 70′s, Gino showed why an original Fender Stratocaster from way back stands the test of time. And apparently so does his band.

Ever wonder what Grandpa does at night?

The Rockpile was rockin. It was good to see a crew of young ‘uns up at the front cheering Goddo on as well as the seasoned vets, and Greg got a good laugh/cheer when he stepped to the mic and asked the crowd “ever wonder what Grandpa does at night?” Well my Grandpa is slicing Chiclets in half to feed to the kids and asking you why he woke you up at 3am on the phone. I’d love to see HIM on stage!

So like I said, Goddo, got up there and kicked some ass with all kinds of classics, especially those from 1978’s album “Who Cares” which was heavily represented with literally half of the tunes on the set list.

The band raffled off a huge Goddo backdrop that was with the band for 35 years, and looked like it. It was about 10 feet square or more and depicted the first album cover. With some authentic road wear down one side, it was quite the cool piece of memorabilia.

Unique Canadiana

Following the band for quite some time now was a cameraman still compiling footage for an upcoming documentary on the group. Standing in the front row for half the show, you just might get to see me in action!

For a guy who openly calls himself “grandpa” and doesn’t try to hide the fact that he’s getting up there in age, Greg, and his long time cohorts Gino and Doug, kept it tight with ease and style. They looked quite at home on stage and I hope they keep coming out and playing their brand of unique Canadiana until their rocks stop rolling.

Want to check out more from the Rebel Reviewer?  RR’s got recent concert reviews from the trenches about Kid Rock, Alice Cooper, Chris Cornell and GA’s favorite, the legendary Bob Seger.  Hail Canada!

Cool?  Cool.  On to the show.

Phish in Cincinnati, OH - June 5, 2011

As universally ecstatic as everyone is to have the band touring again, there’s been a bit of a hullabaloo from the most hardcore of Phish phans that the band hasn’t ventured into any extended improvisational jams since the most recent comeback.  Some have also voiced their displeasure at the amount of newer material being played.  Most of us aren’t quite as nitpicky; we’re just glad to have the boys playing again.  Well, good news for people on both side of the fence.

Welcome to Pine Knob, folks!  It’s the cure for what’s ailing ya.

Phish in Clarkston, MI - June 3, 2011

Nestled in the woods about 40 miles north of Detroit, this little diamond in the rough acts as a concert venue by summer and ski resort when the temperatures plummet, which wasn’t the case on this day — the sun was as hot as the band.  And rightfully so, as we were all celebrating Phish bassist Mike Gordon’s 46th birthday.

If the band was hot, Gordon was straight up on fire.  The bulk of the first set consisted of Mike-heavy showcases, like the show-opening “Wolfman’s Brother”, and the funky-as-hell “Mike’s Song” > “I Am Hydrogen” > “Weekapaug Groove” ensemble.

But as good as all that was, it was the second set that silenced whatever complainers were still left in the crowd.  If they listened close, they might just have heard Trey play a little Happy Birthday lick on his guitar just before the band melted into a 25-minute “Down With Disease.”  But that wasn’t it.  They launched right into a 16-plus-minute version of “Fluffhead.”  But that wasn’t it either.  Another 16-minute-plus “David Bowie” jam.

And if that had been the whole second set, we all would have gone home satisfied.  But that’s when the band delivered the haymaker:  ”Waste”, a remarkably funky “2001″, and finally “Cavern” to wind down the show.  And if that weren’t enough, a Led Zeppelin encore of “Good Times, Bad Times.”  Happy birthday, indeed.

Welcome back to 1994, when Phish was at their musical apex, and DTE Energy Music Theatre was still actually called Pine Knob.

Show Highs:

1. Trey slipping in a, “Happy birthday, Cactus!” during NICU, 2:22
2. “Mike’s Song” > “I Am Hydrogen” > “Weekapaug”
3. Closing first set with The Wedge instead of going out on Chalk Dust like we all thought they would
4. Is that an “A Love Supreme” tease during the epic “Down With Disease” jam?
5. When one of the funkiest versions of “2001″ ever brought. the. house. down.

Show Lows:

1. It had to end at some point.

Set One:

1. Wolfman’s Brother
2. Funky Bitch
3. Sample in a Jar
4. NICU
5. Mike’s Song
6. I Am Hydrogen
7. Weekapaug Groove
8. Tela
9. Chalk Dust Torture
10. The Wedge

Set Two:

1. Down With Disease
2. Fluffhead
3. David Bowie
4. Waste
5. 2001
6. Cavern

Encore:

1. Good Times, Bad Times

Purchase this show in stunning 24-bit quality directly from Phish.

Written By: The Rebel Reviewer, Mike Forbes
Alice Cooper 2011.05.17 Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Ontario

Dear old Mr. Cooper slithered into town on Tuesday night entertaining a sold out Hamilton Place crowd of 2200 die hard fans, playing all the expected favorites, a few rare gems and some brand new songs from the upcoming album “Welcome to My Nightmare II.”

Surfing along on the No More Mr. Nice Guy Tour, Alice and his band consisting of three guitarists, a four-stringer and a drummer.

Steve Hunter, long time guitarist appearing on albums such as “Billion Dollar Babies” and “Muscle of Love,” anchored the trio of six stringers with accomplished lead guitarist, Damon Johnson who has played with the likes of Brother Cane, Sammy Hagar, Damn Yankees and Faith Hill to name a few.

Filling the third spot, Tommy Henriksen who has provided guitar work for Lady GaGa, Daughtry, Meat Loaf, Lou Reed, Simple Plan and a slew of other bands, has impressed Alice to the point of scoring a gig working on the latest album and tour.

The band proved worthy of Alice’s catalogue and helped hold the bar high in the arena of theatrical classic rock by putting on a hell of a great show supporting one of the most recognizable and respected front men of all time.  Cooper is yet another highly regarded player I just crossed off my personal bucket list of guys I gotta shoot.  That being said, I’ll jump at the chance to shoot Alice Cooper any time as his wicked light shows and stage setups provide for some of the best rock n roll photography ever.

Tolerable at Best? Fucking WRONG.

The first and only time I ever saw Vincent Damon Furnier as his alter ego was back in ’87 during the Raise Your Fist and Yell Tour with opening act Motorhead.  I wasn’t even an Alice Cooper fan at the time but I was dying to see Lemmy and I figured Alice would be tolerable at best.  Well I’m the first guy to admit when I’m wrong I’m fucking WRONG.

Even though he’d just turned 40, practically a dinosaur to a 20-year-old kid, Alice came out and made me forget who Motorhead even was.  Even through my LSD-distracted mind, I could clearly see that Lemmy and the guys were not on the ball at all that night, fucking up several times as if someone turned off the stage monitors or something causing the band’s timing to completely fall apart.  The incredible stage show and classic music Alice brought to the table had me cheering and howling so hard I lost my voice that night!

But if you haven’t seen Alice at his absolute theatrical best, you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about.  The Raise Your Fist and Yell Tour was a masterpiece of theatrical technicality and timing.  Cooper would be singing one song stage right with a whole scene built specifically for that song all lit up for us to watch.

Meanwhile in the dark on stage left, his crew would be maniacally building a whole different set, putting support beams in place and changing the scenery so that when he made his way over to that side of the stage for the next song it was like a whole different planet.

Dinosaur to a 20-Year-Old Kid, Giant Boa

I remember at one point, one of the crew, who were all dressed as these shambling mounds of tattered clothing, slowly pushed this rolling piece of stage equipment that looked like a big rock, out front and centre, left it there and then sloughed off into the background.  I thought: “What the hell is this thing sitting in the middle of the stage for?”  Well of course it was all planned as this long plank folded down and used this thing as its main support at the front of the stage and out comes Alice walking down the plank with his giant boa constrictor wrapped around his shoulders.

This being just a small example of the constant changing of the stage and the planning involved in such an undertaking, but to add up all the little things together and pack em into an hour and a half show, made for what I still call thee greatest concert I’ve ever seen.

Double-Barrel Purple Micro-Dot

Yes folks, 24 years and a few hundred concerts later, I have to say that hands down, without a doubt, Alice Cooper in 1987 still holds the title of the best fuckin’ show I’ve ever attended whether it had something to do with the LSD or not.  If a hit of double barrel purple microdot enhanced the experience, then so be it.  I don’t give a shit.  I am not taking the blue ribbon away because of performance-enhancing drugs.  I’ve seen all kinds of flashy concerts on all kinds of P.E.D.’s, including Kiss, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, Metallica, U2, Marilyn Manson, Misfits and GWAR and they ALL pale in comparison to the King, nay, GOD of theatrical Rock ‘n’ Roll, Alice Cooper.

Well Tuesday night was a little different in that Alice didn’t have a 94-man crew with an ever changing stage setup and all the bells and whistles of days gone by but he still managed to pull off a stellar performance with plenty of eye candy and, of course, a soundtrack that you can’t help but sing along to.

High Atop a Mountainous Pulpit

Right from the start with “Black Widow.” Alice, decked in a spider costume, pulled out sparklers while perched high atop a mountainous pulpit.  He let us shoot an unheard of FOUR songs, three of which being total classics that I couldn’t help but join in on while shooting.  The opening tune combined with Brutal Planet, I’m Eighteen with the age old crutch prop and Under My Wheels to kick things off.

The whole time we’re in there trying to shoot we’ve got this big arsehole of a security guy getting in our way, pulling us back and bumping into us.  We’re there for four songs and with photo passes to boot and this guy can’t back the fuck off long enough for us to get a few decent shots.  Finally I yelled at him, “BUDDY MOVE!!!!  WE’RE TRYING TO SHOOT HERE!!!!”  Well that’s when he tells me he’ll kick me out!!!!  What’s the point???  I might as well go back to crotching my camera and shooting whatever I want in a show rather than playing by the rules and doing it on the level.

Curly Headed Bastard with a Fuckin’ Kick-Ass Camera

Guaranteed there’s some curly-headed bastard in the audience with a fuckin’ kick ass camera getting better shots than us media people and he didn’t have to jump through any hoops to get what he’s looking for!  It’s pretty damn frustrating these days.  The rules are getting tougher and tougher to get a good shot.  As soon as a star gets so bright, their manager starts getting goofy with their demands.  Chris Cornell’s people told us we had to shoot from the soundboard. Worse yet, from the wings back in line with the soundboard.  Why?  So that only the people who work for the Toronto Star who can just borrow a 400mm F2.8 lens and tripod to shoot the show will be the only guys with good shots?  What’s the point of that?  Check out sick-bitch cameras so you know what I’m talking about. $7800?  Yeah.  I’ll start saving.

I often ask myself why I do this.  Cuz I love music.  I love shooting musicians and I like yapping on paper.  But I don’t make a fuckin’ DIME doing this shit.  It’s for the love of music and photography.  That’s it, that’s all.  And then I get in front of a guy like Alice Cooper, a bucket list brass ring.  I jump through all the hoops to get in with a pass, fight off the Neanderthal security guy, take a shot in the ribs from someone in the front row, trip over a few things, end up with dog shit down one leg and a nosebleed watching the show and why?  Cuz the dozen gems or so that you dig outta the salt mine that you can sit back and gaze upon and know that you FOUGHT for that shit makes it all worthwhile.

And when you have to fight for the very thing that brings you pleasure, the pleasure is that much more gratifying as I’m sure Alice could tell you.  If he didn’t fight for the whole idea that IS Alice Cooper, he would have packed it in day one and drifted off into nothingness; probably drank himself to death.  I remember the controversy surrounding him back in the day.  I remember the rumours and stories floating around that I’m not even gonna repeat because whether they’re true or not, just doesn’t matter.  Who he is today far outweighs anything he ever was cuz this IS today and today he’s STILL kickin’ ass.

Thanks Mr. Cooper, for another stellar evening.  Minus the LSD.

Mike Forbes writes great concert reviews and takes amazing music photography for General Admission and other publications around the web. Check out his body of work at http://www.rebelreviewer.com/

Need more Mike Forbes?  Check out his other killer stories like his piece on Bob Seger, 2011.