Friday, August 5, 2022

The Crue, Poison, Def Leppard, Joan Jett

This Metal Friday will actually be a Live Metal Friday. Of the Hair Metal variety.

Tonight I trek into Boston to Fenway Park to see an quadruple bill of aging 80s rock legends: Joan Jett, Def Leppard, Poison, and Motley Crue.

I have seen 3 of these 4 bands separately (never Jett) and each was fun. Nothin' But A Good Time, you might say. But, put them all together and you've got fireworks. You might have to Kickstart My Heart at this show-stopping lineup.

I'll stop there.

As anyone who follows this blog knows I'm much more a fan of what I call (in an admittedly gatekeeping/obnoxious way) real heavy metal, bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, etc. But, I do like pop metal/hair metal too. I have to be in the right mood, which is usually Friday or Saturday night with plenty of cheap cold beer. 

Both boxes are checked, all systems go. Let me get through today and then I'll be time-traveling back to the 80s. There's a shitload of fun, rocking hits from these bands that regularly make my playlists. Can't wait to hear them again tonight.

For today's song, I'll go with "Same 'Ol Situation (S.O.S)." Always loved this one.



3 comments:

Matthew said...

I like the Crue. They are fun. I mean Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath are better bands the way Leo Tolstoy is better than Agatha Christie, but there's nothing wrong with enjoying Agatha Christie.

Andy said...

My wife and I saw Def Leppard and Poison a few years back, with Cheap Trick opening (IMO the best band of the three, although they got almost no recognition from the crowd). Say what you will about Bret Michaels and all his reality TV shows, the guy knows how to front a band and Def Leppard was quite good, too. It's just fun.

Brian Murphy said...

Update: Excellent show, had a blast which is about all that matters at the end of the day. Show had a hour+ delay due to lightning and rain shower, fortunately only passing and did not return. Apparently there was supposed to be an opening act which had to be cut; I suspect Poison and Joan Jett had their sets cut. Poison played only six songs, for example. But both sounded very good, lots of energy.

The best band of the night was Def Leppard. Still sounded great, very polished, great lineup of songs. I didn't know a handful of presumably newer songs. But everything else I knew and enjoyed.

Motley Crue was better than I anticipated. Vince Neil really struggles these days, but they wall it off with loud bass/drums, and also three female backup singers who happen to be SMOKING HOT and complement songs like "Girls, Girls, Girls" about as well as can be imagined.

Atmosphere was great, outdoors in a historical ballpark in downtown Boston with the city skyline/Citgo sign/etc. is tough to beat. Beer was a ripoff ($11.50 for a 16oz can of Bud Light) but to be expected.

Final verdict: Blast, mainlined 80s nostalgia.