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#137
Date January 22, 2002
City Louisville, KY
Venue Phoenix Hill Tavern
Headline THE BEARS
Support N/A
Ticket $13.00

If you have never seen or heard The Bears, you must do so. Their appearances are rare, but well worth any drive to see some masterful songwriting and really fun music. Guitarist Adrian Belew (King Crimson) is more or less the group's creative guru. The rest of the band have been Cincinnati area residents for many years and played the local club circuit there. Playing with Belew takes them up several notches as musicians, as though they have something to prove to their master. Perhaps they do. Included in this show was The Bears' cover of the King Crimson classic, Red.

THE BEARS SETLIST:
None of the Above
Honey Bee
117 Valley Drive
Superboy
What's the Good of Knowing
When She Moves
Dave
Safe in Hell
Life in a Nutshell
Mr. Bonaparte
Volcano
Figure It Out
Little Blue River
As You Are
Trust
Red (King Crimson cover)
Aches and Pains
Complicated Potatoes
Success
Man Behind the Curtain
Man Behind the Curtain
Robobo's Beef
Fear Is Never Boring


ADRIAN BELEW and THE BEARS
             
#138        
Date February 17, 2002        
City Indianapolis, IN        
Venue Sheraton Four Points East      
Special Guest BRUCE KULICK
Ticket $16.00        

Another year, another Kiss Expo in Indianapolis. This year, Bruce Kulick is in town promoting his first solo album, Audio Dog. It's a strong effort, but often mimics contemporaries like Jeff Beck and Joe Satriani. Bruce favored everyone with some general Q&A, mostly about his feelings about current directions within his former group Kiss. On to the live performance, Kulick entertained the smallish crowd with a guitar clinic format from throughout his career, including Kiss, solo and his new stint with Grand Funk Railroad.

The host hotel is a dump located just of 465 and Pendleton Pike in Indianapolis. Hookers and addicts stay here.

Meet & Greet: Bruce Kulick

 

#139        
Date April 27, 2002        
City Hackensack, NJ        
Venue Rothman Civic Center      
Special Guest ACE FREHLEY, GENE SIMMONS, ERIC SINGER
Support SSG Band        
Ticket $130.00        

Should have been billed the Ace Frehley Birthday Disaster. Ace Frehley was tanked more than anyone I've ever seen. What a great way to meet your guests! As a drunk, he's obnoxious and argumentative. He shamelessly advertised his personal guitars and equipment for ludacris amounts of money. A Marshall amp would have been the equivalent to several house payments for me. Gene Simmons dropped by for an unannounced surprise visit, which did not make an already angry Frehley much happier. After Simmons left the party, the Spaceman took to the microphone and made several disparraging comments regarding Simmons, Paul Stanley and Kiss. He swore he would never rejoin them for any reason. Neat. Just the news we all wanted her. Drummer Eric Singer had to have nerves of steel to withstand the embarressment of the event. He and his band went onstage and performed a great show for the birthday party. About 200 guests in attendence.

In addition to all this madness, there was supposedly a bomb threat called in on the building during the event, so everyone was asked to leave. A bomb sniffing dog was brought in, but everyone was allowed to re-enter the facility. The only bomb I saw was Frehley himself.

Meet & Greet: Ace Fehley, Anton Fig, Gene Simmons

 

#140
Date April 2002
City Indianapolis, IN
Venue Jazz Kitchen
Headline

STEVE SMITH and Vital Information

Support N/A
Ticket $15.00

We attended the first of two shows that evening at the Jazz Kitchen. Former Journey drummer, Steve Smith returned to his roots with his jazz/fusion band, Vital Information. The first incarnation of this band was created on break from Journey during the 1980's. For awhile, Vital Information was a backburner project which came in second to Journey demands. Smith bounced back and forth between his rock and jazz commitments until making a permanent break from Journey, perhaps more specifically from singer Steve Perry who often accused Smith publicly as being a poor drummer. Although Vital Information has gone through a number of roster changes, they have maintained a similar core of musicians and consistently released a number of excellent albums through independent labels. The line up this night included jazz guitarist Frank Gambale, a master among master guitarists.


STEVE SMITH and VITAL INFORMATION

#141
Date June 02, 2002
City Noblesville, IN
Venue Verizon Wireless
Headline SAMMY HAGAR
Support David Lee Roth
Ticket $49.50

Sammy versus Diamond Dave for the heavyweight title. Dave took the stage first. He had a big video screen behind him showing the classic Van Halen videos. Unfortunately this served to demonstrate what Dave used to be able to do in terms of roundhouse kicks and the sort of athletic theatrics Dave was known for. Now he can still do the roundhouse, but it pales in comparison to what he did in the video. No longer does he down a bottle of Jack Daniels during the show. Instead he jerks it off on the front row of the audience. C/mon Dave, give us a break.

Sammy Hagar trumped the deck with Van Halen bass player Michael Anthony joining The Waboritas. This was calculated no doubt. He also led off with a Led Zeppelin cover, which is mothers milk here in the corn belt. We cut our teeth on Led Zeppelin. Hagar's set relied much less on Van Halen and demonstrated the breadth of the Red Rocker's career.

DAVID LEE ROTH SETLIST:
Hot for Teacher
Panama
And the Cradle Will Rock
Mean Street
Dance the Night Away
Runnin’ With the Devil
I’m the One
Eruption (partial)
You Really Got Me
Beautiful Girls
So This is Love?
Atomic Punk
Little Dreamer
(Oh) Pretty Woman
Yankee Rose
Ice Cream Man
Everybody Wants Some
Unchained
Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love

ENCORE: Jump

SAMMY HAGAR SETLIST:
Rock and Roll - Led Zeppelin cover
Runaround
Three Lock Box
There’s Only One Way to Rock
Give to Live
Top of the World
Why Can’t This Be Love
5150
Poundcake
Finish What Ya Started
Eagles Fly
Little White Lies
I Can’t Drive 55
Heavy Metal
Mas Tequila

ENCORE: Dreams


SAMMY HAGAR
DAVID LEE ROTH


 
#142        
Date June 15, 2002        
City Indianapolis, IN        
Venue Military Park      
Performers FOURPLAY, Yellowjackets, Spyro Gyra, David Sanborn
Ticket $13.00        

This was the last of the large scale formats for the financially challenged Indianapolis / Kroger Jazz Fest. Rain plagued the troubled event each year and caused a number of financial shortcomings at the gate. We had a great day most of the afternoon with a variety of great bands, including Fourplay (Bob James and Larry Carlton). Carlton graced the auduience with several inspired solos during their set. We saw Spyro Gyra for the very first time and although I had been a Spyro Gyra fan in the 1980's, I have to admit that I lost touch with the band afterward. They won me back instantly. The Yellowjackets were a similar story for me. I loved their debut album which also featured the guitar talents of Robben Ford. Guitars were abandoned once and for all on the second album and I lost touch until their Four Corners release. Many years have passed since then and I found them very entertaining in concert. Clouds and rain threatened the headline events. At one point, the audience was directed to take cover in the parking garages, postponing the Bruce Hornsby set.

Meet & Greet: Spyro Gyra (Jay Beckenstein, Tom Schuman, Julio Fernandez, Scott Ambush, Joel Rosenblott)

Meet & Greet: Fourplay (Bob James, Nathan East)



FOURPLAY
YELLOWJACKETS
SPYRO GYRA
DAVID SANBORN

 

#143
Date July 17, 2002
City Indianapolis, IN
Venue Birdys
Headline CONCRETE BLONDE
Support N/A
Ticket $20

Summer concerts at Birdy's can be downright hot and uncomfortable, as this concert proved. A standing room only crowd came to hear Concrete Blonde, which luckily turned out to be a reunion of original members Johnette Napolitano and Jim Mankey. Of course, they played their biggest hit, Joey. The set included some new music from the new release, Group Therapy.


CONCRETE BLONDE

#144        
Date August 06, 2002        
City Indianapolis, IN        
Venue Sheraton Four Points East      
Special Guest BILL AUCOIN, ERIC SINGER
Ticket $16.00        

Yet another Kiss Expo was energized by former Kiss manager, Bill Aucoin, who shared a number of interesting and anecdotal stories about the Kiss in the 1970's. Also in attendance was drummer Eric Singer who was enjoying his second stint with Kiss, although his first in make-up. Eric had replaced drummer Peter Criss when contract negotiations could not be reconciled with Criss' attorneys. Fans were divided about Singer filling the catman's shoes and make-up. The first time Criss left the band (or was fired depending on which story you believe) he was replaced by the late Eric Carr, who assumed his own unique fox persona. When Ace Frehley left a short time later, his replacement became an Egyptian god. In the history of Kiss, this was the first time that a replacement player assumed someone else's costume and face paint. Having been in Kiss during the no make-up years, Singer had quickly become a respected name among fans. You won't hear too many people say that Peter is a better drummer, because he isn't. At the end of the day, the fans get an upgrade: Eric is a better, more fit player than Peter and he's not likely to cancel dates due to injury or soreness.

#145
Date August 17, 2002
City Noblesville, IN
Venue Verizon Wireless
Headline SANTANA
Support Rusted Root
Ticket $29.50

Touring between two very commercial releases, Santana offered a summer concert rich on material from Supernatural, as well as new music from the forthcoming Shaman release. SETLIST: Miles Intro, Adouma, Truth Don't Die, Put Your Lights On, Africa Bamba, Day Of Celebration, Victory Is Won, Rene Intro/ Maria Maria, Foo Foo, Aye Aye Aye, Spiritual / Yaleo (DENNIS SOLO), Make Somebody Happy/ Right On Be Free/ Get It In Your Soul (BENNY SOLO), Apache /Smooth / Dame Tu Amour

Rusted Root were equally impressive with a strong percussion section that complimented Santana quite well.

SANTANA SETLIST:
Adouma
Truth Don Die - Femi Kuti cover
Put Your Lights On
Africa Bamba
Day of Celebration
Victory Is Won
Maria Maria
Foo Foo
Aye Aye Aye
Spiritual / (Da Le) Yaleo
Make Somebody Happy / Right On Be Free / Get It in Your Soul
Apache / Smooth / Dame tu amor

ENCORE:
Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
Oye como va - Tito Puente cover
Jin-go-lo-ba - Babatunde Olatunji cover

Meet & Greet: Rusteed Root


SANTANA
RUSTED ROOT

 

#146
Date August 30, 2002
City Indianapolis, IN
Venue Murat Center Parking Lot
Headline MOLLY HATCHET
Support N/A
Ticket FREE

Let's see if I can put some perspective on the current Hatchet line-up. Singer Danny Joe Brown was replaced by Phil McCormack, a change necessitated by Brown's struggle with diabetes. McCormack was reportedly hand picked by Brown to continue the Hatchet legacy. Original lead Guitarists Steve Holland, Dave Hlubek and Duane Roland are now replaced by former Danny Joe Brown Band guitarist Bobby Ingram and Tim Donovan on keyboards. Russ Maxwell replaces original drummer Bruce Crump and Andy McKinney replaces former bassist Banner Thomas. In other words, not one original member of the band remains. Strangely, they do sound pretty much like the real deal however Danny Joe Brown's voice is sorely missed. Remember this is the band that took the Allman Brothers classic, Dreams and actually improved it as a cover.

MOLLY HATCHET

#147
Date August 31, 2002
City Indianapolis, IN
Venue Murat Center Parking Lot
Headline TODD RUNDGREN
Support N/A
Ticket FREE

Simply awful. The outdoor area was too small for the crowd that came for two acts, the headliner was Hall & Oates. The area was roped off and there was no limit to the number of people that were allowed in. So the area itself became a problem, particularly for shorter people. We stayed for Todd Rundgren and although I've been a casual fan of his many projects over the decades, this was not his best performance. The sound was terrible. The encore brought a lot of energy to the set though.

TODD RUNDGREN SETLIST:
Love of the Common Man
Cliché
Hit Me Like a Train
I'm Looking at You but I'm Talking to Myself
Buffalo Grass
Parallel Lines
Hello It's Me
Love Is the Answer
Rock Love

ENCORE:
Rich Girl (with Hall & Oates)
I Saw the Light (with Hall & Oates)
Kiss on My List (with Hall & Oates)
Hot Fun in the Summertime (with Hall & Oates)


TODD RUNDGREN