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| Nita Strauss backs Alice Cooper in Boston 9/21/21 |
The past week has been a bit of a whirlwind for me! And I was totally here for it. Friday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with all the feels. Here's a rundown of all the nights in one post.
FRIDAY:
Memphis May Fire, Papa Roach and Breaking Benjamin
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| Memphis May Fire at Mohegan Sun Arena 9/17/21 |
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| Papa Roach at Mohegan Sun Arena 9/17/21 |
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| Breaking Benjamin at Mohegan Sun Arena 9/17/21 |
One thing with all the craziness of 2020-mid 2021 is that time had no meaning. I frequently didn't know what day it was until I recalled what I had watched on Bravo the night before, and honestly, did it even matter? Lita Ford said on Eddie Trunk that she felt like a year was missing from her brain and I'd have to agree. So when I arrived on the Mohegan Sun grounds, it was really hard to believe it had been about 2 years since I had stepped foot in their arena.
I had always heard of MMF, but I hadn't actually seen them play live. Even though I didn't know their music, they were really good! I can always appreciate a high energy band like that.
Of course Papa Roach is in the upper echelons of Best Live Bands for me so I didn't have any concerns about how their set would go. Two years was a long time to go without seeing them live. This was not by choice of course. This was 2020 taking shows away from, well, just about all of us.
The thing that was going to make or break this set for me was how much I was going to like the new material. Well, I have to say that "Domination" and "Kill The Noise" were absolutely great. It's still taking me awhile to warm up to "Swerve" though. They also switched things up by putting "Last Resort" earlier into the set and ending on "Born For Greatness."
I stayed for Breaking Benjamin, but watched from the back. They were just ok for me but I think it's because I wasn't familiar with any songs by them.
SUNDAY/TUESDAY:
Alice Cooper and Ace Frehley
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| Alice Cooper at Leader Bank Pavilion 9/21/21 |
This show took place at the brand new Hartford Healthcare Amphitheatre in Bridgeport, CT. It is absolutely lovely and I've never been so excited to learn I didn't have to pay for parking in their nearby garage. It will always be mind-blowing to me that MetLife Stadium has you pay $40 along with walking a huge distance just to get to the gate. Bleh.
I sat in the 3rd to last row and it was a pleasure. I love front row action, but having a full view of the stage and personal space on a lovely, breezy end-of-Summer night is so, so nice.
First up was Ace Frehley, whose set was full of KISS hits as well as a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Manic Depression" and his famous version of "New York Groove." The biggest joys for this girl—who once dressed in Space Ace makeup for Halloween in high school—was hearing the "Detroit Rock City" guitar solo in person along with getting to see his smoking guitar trick. Literally. Smoking. Still cool in 2021.
I've seen Alice before; twice when he opened for Mötley Crüe and wayyyy back in 1991 on the Operation Rock N' Roll Tour (that also featured Judas Priest and Motörhead for goodness sake). So a few different legendary bills for me. My only whiny complaint is I was hoping for "Ballad of Dwight Fry" and/or "Welcome To My Nightmare." But, I will take a cover of Velvet Underground's "Rock & Roll," "I'm Eighteen," and "Under My Wheels" and be happy about it!
Never a dull moment during an Alice Cooper show, including appearances by a giant Frankenstein, psychotic Billion Dollar Baby, bloody Bride, and of course there was a mock beheading and live slasher scene. But besides all the hits and theatrics, his band are equally as entertaining. Guitarists Ryan Roxie, "Hurricane" Nita Strauss and Tommy Henriksen along with bassist Chuck Garric and drummer Glen Sobel are so into the music themselves that you can't help but get amped up even more watching them.
The show was so good, I went to see them at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston on Tuesday. This was an interesting venue because it was located right on the water, which also made for interesting scents in the air alongside the smell of legal weed. It's very pretty, but I will be honest and let you know that if you're short, you're out of luck as far as being able to see past a certain row as it's totally flat ground there. So while the shows were equally great, I'm definitely going with Bridgeport as a more enjoyable experience for watching a show!
WEDNESDAY:
Billy Idol
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| Billy Idol at Capitol Theatre 9/22/21 |
I saw Billy Idol live back in 2004 at Hammerstein and it was wonderful. I cannot believe it took me 17 YEARS to see him again. People were born and are about to graduate high school in that time and that's just crazy. Since I was furious with myself for having a moment of laziness and not wanting to make the drive/physical effort it takes dealing with local amphitheaters to see his tour with Bryan Adams, I knew I couldn't miss Billy the next time he came around.
Well good on me, because this show was SO good. Billy's voice sounds as great as it did in the 80's, and the songs still hold up. Um, maybe "Cradle of Love" wouldn't have survived had it come out in 2021. Unlike in 1990, when MTV could not get enough of that song and video!
All the other big hits were part of the night too including "Rebel Yell," "White Wedding," "Eyes Without a Face," along with new song "Rita Hayworth" and a cover of Billy's band Generation X, "100 Punks" (which was my personal highlight). There was also a cover of Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers' "Born To Lose" and his ultra-famous cover of Tommy James & The Shondells' "Mony Mony." And as a surprise to this 80's kid, guitarist Steve Stevens even played the instrumental theme to Top Gun. I had no idea til that night he was the one actually playing it on the soundtrack. D'oh!
Anyway, this was an unforgettable show and I will not be waiting another 17 years to see him again if I can help it!
